Construction & Real Estate

Earlier this month, Congress clarified new tax laws, providing investors with capital gains an extraordinary investment opportunity – one that could stir a nationwide development boom and deliver tax-free returns. Legislative Recap Last year’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act allowed investors to reinvest capital gains, like from the sale of stocks or other assets, in Qualified Opportunity Funds, which are entities dedicated to investing in mostly low-income areas throughout the country. The funds must invest in eligible tracts of land selected by each state’s governor called Qualified Opportunity Zones. In Michigan, as with other states, zone selection included input from local governments and economic development organizations...

Download a copy of this article The latest tax reform passed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted sweeping changes to the U.S. tax code. Among them is a program with the potential to provide a powerful boost to low-income communities and significant tax incentives for investors...

Lease accounting standards are being revised for the first time in decades. If your organization leases property or equipment, the new rules will affect you — perhaps greatly. Here’s an overview of what is changing and how to prepare. Balance sheet transparency Two big changes are coming...

Construction companies have always had to worry about crimes such as embezzlement and fraud. But the dangers they face now are much more sophisticated — and can be far costlier. According to the Ponemon Institute's latest U.S...

No matter what type of business you’re in, people are your most valuable asset. And like any other asset, it’s critical to treat your employees as an investment and take steps to enhance and preserve the value of your human resources. Here are three things you should be doing to attract, retain and motivate a quality workforce. 1...

The construction industry has seen great improvement in economic outlook, and now the baby boomers are ready to transition their companies to new leadership, but the rules of the game have changed. Selling their business to a third party is becoming more competitive with fewer buyers often coupled with lower prices. As a result, there has been a measurable shift to “insider” transitions to next generation family or key employee owners. Working through the inside ownership changes with family members, management or employees is increasingly complex … taking longer than third party sales...

Home buyers and sellers finally have reason to celebrate in 2015. After almost a decade of limping along toward recovery, it seems as though the housing market has finally hit a more comfortable stride. According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, well-known gauges of the U.S...

It may be time for your construction firm to think big. Big data that is. "Big data" is a term often used to describe the vast repository of information collected from various technology sources, including smart phones, social media, GPS devices, sensors, cameras, bots, computer algorithms and satellites. The concept of big data analytics is being embraced by companies across the country and it's proving beneficial in many ways, ranging from marketing to construction-site analysis to scheduling...

If you're involved in a disaster such as a hurricane, flood, or tornado, you may be able to deduct losses related to damage to your home or personal property. Here's what the IRS wants you to know: Casualty losses can be deducted on your federal tax return. The IRS defines a casualty as "a sudden, unexpected, or unusual event." A casualty can include natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes...

For many people, the federal home sale gain exclusion is the single most valuable tax break available. But if you're getting divorced and selling a home, you may need to plan ahead to take advantage of the tax break.   If you're unmarried, you can potentially sell a principal residence for a profit of up to $250,000 without owing any federal tax to the U.S...