Archive for 2008

As environmental issues move to the forefront of concerns to be addressed in property transactions, state and local governments, with some involvement from the federal level, have created numerous mechanisms to alleviate the impact of development on the environment. One popular, well-established system for offsetting the impact of development on wetlands is that of the…

As the end of the year approaches, bringing with it an anticipated change in administration at the federal level, it is a good opportunity to consider certain tax planning techniques. This article is divided into two parts: (1) a discussion of year end tax planning all taxpayers may consider utilizing; and (2) a discussion of…

In follow-up to the eNewsletter we distributed on August 1, 2008 regarding the New Tax Reporting Requirement for Real Estate Transactions, following is a Memorandum distributed yesterday by James McAdams of Property Tax Oversight. If you have any questions regarding the memo or use of the provisional form, please feel free to contact me. MEMORANDUM:…

In February of 2008, Congress passed the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 (the “Act”). The individual stimulus payments distributed to taxpayers were widely published. Less well known are the two business provisions contained in the Act. Code Section 179 allows businesses to choose to immediately deduct the cost of Section 179 property up to a…

Nichole M. Mooney, Esq. Lindsay J. Dykstra Since the publication of Dean Mead’s second quarter newsletter, the new guns-at-work law, Florida Statutes § 790.251, which gives employees and invitees the right to keep firearms in a locked vehicle if they have a concealed-weapons permit (the “Act”), was challenged in the United States District Court for…

Mark W. Terrell, Esq. Erik N. Bonnett, Esq. Lindsay J. Dykstra In light of new Florida legislation on Trust Administration effective as of July 1, 2008, Trustees now, more than ever, should be aware of their obligations to avoid potential misstep leading to liability. This article highlights a Trustee’s basic duties and issuance of the…

David P. Hathaway, Esq. Lindsay J. Dykstra We are a nation hooked on e-mail. AOL Mail’s fourth annual E-mail Addiction Survey recently reported all time highs; a 24-7 society in which it is common to be online and checking e-mail at all hours of the day. Now that users can send e-mails from mobile devices…

As a result of the recent collapse of IndyMac Bank and other financial institutions, many consumers are concerned about whether their funds are fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). The FDIC insures individual accounts up to $100,000 per depositor, per insured bank, and up to $250,000 for many types of retirement accounts….