Taxation and Business Law

With unparalleled experience in the laws and regulations of Howard and surrounding counties, Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett and Scherr attorneys handle all aspects of business law and related tax matters.  All businesses and business owners are subject to numerous laws and tax rules from zoning to environmental to safety regulations. CarneyKelehan’s taxation and business law attorneys provide targeted counsel designed to address the unique legal challenges faced by each of our clients.

CarneyKelehan clients range from small entrepreneurs just launching an enterprise to established businesses facing a variety of new, and often unpredictable, legal hurdles.  CarneyKelehan’s attorneys have extensive experience working for clients throughout the state of Maryland.  Among the many issues we deal with are:

  • Business formation (counseling owners to limit liability through incorporation as well as the organization of limited liability companies, partnerships, limited liability partnerships, or sole proprietorships)
  • Lease agreements (review and negotiation of retail, office or industrial leases)
  • Financing (preparation of loan documents, representation of lenders and borrowers and closing of financing transactions)
  • Contracts (review, negotiation and creation)
  • Business sales (preparation and negotiation of agreements for purchase and sale of a business, drafting of stock purchase and asset purchase agreements and representation of purchasers and sellers pre- and post-transfer in bulk transfers)
  • Mergers and acquisitions (counsel regarding business strategies to minimize taxes and limit personal liability for businesses)
  • Buy-outs (drafting of business Buy-Sell, or Buyout, Agreements)
  • Ongoing employment issues (review and drafting of employment contracts, employee non-compete agreements, confidentiality agreements and independent contractor agreements; and resolution of issues concerning retirement and deferred compensation plans)
  • Purchase and sale of business properties (review, negotiation and drafting of contracts)
  • Franchise agreements (review and counseling)
  • Business licenses and federal, state and local regulatory requirements (counsel clients on various aspects of law and regulation and dispute resolution with the authorities concerning licensing and regulatory requirements)
  • Business succession planning

CarneyKelehan tax specialists place great emphasis on tax planning to ensure their clients’ businesses maximize all potential tax advantages.  Our Taxation and Business Law attorneys look at all the confounding factors that can impact tax liability, both current and in the future, when advising clients regarding business and investment interests. In fulfilling this commitment, we assist clients with:

  • Preparation of business tax returns
  • Mergers and acquisitions (counsel regarding tax strategies to minimize tax burdens)
  • Tax planning for businesses, personal business transactions, and estates and trusts
  • Tax controversies and audits with federal and state tax authorities (representation of clients in appeals and drafting of letters regarding appeals to federal, state and local authorities)
  • Employment tax issues (counsel clients on personal and business liability for employment taxes and unemployment insurance)
  • Retirement plans and deferred compensation (counsel employees and employers in the taxation of benefits, deferrals or accelerations under IRC Sections 83 and 409A, permitted contributions and required distributions and represent employers in plan qualification disputes with the IRS)
  • Sales and Use Tax (counsel clients on state requirements and applicability of tax)
  • State transfer and recording tax (develop approaches to minimize taxes on the transfer or encumbrance of real property)
  • Nonresident withholding tax on sales of real property (representation in the preparation of exemptions from and refund of the tax before and after a sale)
  • State property tax appeals (counsel clients in appealing state assessments)
  • Trusts (counsel clients on the taxability and regulatory requirements and draft and revise trust documents to comport with requirements)