Taxation Law

by Chris Swiecicki

The Impact of SCOTUS Decision in Connelly v. United States on Buy-Sell and Estate Taxes

If you’re a business owner who’s ever set up a buy-sell agreement or taken out life insurance to help fund one, the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Connelly v. United States should give you pause. In a ruling that could carry serious tax implications, the Court held that life insurance proceeds paid to a company must be included in the company’s valuation for estate tax purposes—even if...

by Chris Swiecicki

Understanding the Annual Gift Tax Exclusion in 2025

This article is a “plain English” draft of an article for the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. Please reach out if you would like the full copy. In our last article, we explored anticipated tax law changes for 2025. This time, we’re focusing on a powerful estate planning tool: the annual gift tax exclusion. Used wisely, it can significantly reduce your taxable...

by Chris Swiecicki

What is the Outlook for Tax Laws in 2025?

I am again both proud and honored to be co-author with Richard Wise on this article, which first appears in the St. Louis Law Journal Blog. Any errors are mine alone. Readers who want the full version, complete with footnotes, should check out the original. During President Donald Trump’s first administration, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Job Act of 2017 (TCJA). It is scheduled to sunset...

by Chris Swiecicki

Tax Court Holds Form Over (Controlled) Substance

I am again both proud and honored to be co-author with Richard Wise on this article, which first appear in the St. Louis Bar Journal. Any errors are mine alone. Readers who want the full version, complete with footnotes, should check out the original published by the Bar Journal. In 2017, Lonnie Wayne Hubbard, a pharmacist from Kentucky, was found guilty by a jury on multiple charges of...

by Chris Swiecicki

Sonny Did Not Rollover: Some Perils of Holding and Transferring Nontraditional Assets in IRAs

I was delighted when asked to be co-author with Richard Wise on this article, which first appear in the St. Louis Bar Journal. Richard is a wealth of information on many topics, and I was happy to contribute my two cents on this particular case. Readers who want the full version, complete with footnotes, should check out the edition published by the Bar Journal. With the popularity of using...

by Chris Swiecicki

Potential Tax Implications of Employment Settlements

Employee settlements are a fact of life for many businesses. The tax implications of those settlements, however, are too often an afterthought. Both parties involved should know the potential tax implications of employment settlements—understanding the tax treatment of settlement payments, their deductibility, and any reporting requirements can help both sides maximize benefits and avoid...

by Chris Swiecicki

How Taxation Laws Affect Stock Market Prices

When you hear news of possible corporate tax rate increases, your first thought may be how this will hurt your company’s bottom line. In addition to concerns about reduced profits, you might wonder how changes in taxation laws affect stock market prices. In many cases, stock prices go up after a federal tax increase. Still, many worry about what will happen if the economy stalls.  Business...

by Chris Swiecicki

Selling Your Business? Find Out About Section 1202 to Avoid Taxes on Your Capital Gain

Investing in emerging fields like tech and software can have enormous tax advantages. When entrepreneurs sell their businesses, they may be able to exclude up to 100% of capital gain under Section 1202—up to $10 million or 10 times their investment, whichever is more. Both founders and their investors qualify for the exclusion after they have owned the company for five or more years. If you...

by Chris Swiecicki

Can Disasters Be Tax Deductible? Tax Implications of a Corporate Lawsuit

A day barely goes by without a news report about some corporate entity making a serious misstep that has them facing fines and penalties. Several cases of corporate litigation come to mind: Lawsuits against the tobacco industry and big pharma are probably the most publicized. And there are cases of environmental harm by manufacturers, public utilities, or most recently, railroad accidents...

by Chris Swiecicki

C-Corps vs. LLCs: Which One is Right for My Business?

When deciding the best way to structure their business, owners are often inundated with advice. And while friends , colleagues, and even accountants can mean well, they can inadvertently steer them into a choice that is problematic and expensive. (more…)