Doing Business in Florida Blog
Wind v. Wave: Making the Critical Distinction of Damage Caused by Storm Winds and Storm Surge
September 8, 2016
Michael J. Higer and Gina Clausen Lozier
Considerations for Warehouse Mortgage Lenders
September 7, 2016
Phyllis S. Bean
Beware of the Tax Traps of Employer-Owned Life Insurance Contracts
September 6, 2016
Mitchell W. Goldberg
Time to Get Your Lottery Ticket! Florida's Quota Beverage License Drawing Is the Lottery for the Hospitality Industry
August 8, 2016
Paul S. Figg
Tax Court Reminder: Puerto Ricans Are Subject to U.S. Self-Employment Tax
August 7, 2016
Mitchell W. Goldberg
To Lien or Not to Lien (a Liquor License): Understanding the Benefits and the Risks
August 7, 2016
Paul S. Figg
Changes Coming to Florida Cleanup Rules
July 28, 2016
Daniel H. Thompson
Commercial property transactions often involve much haggling between seller and purchaser over potential contamination liabilities, with known contamination problems sometimes ruining marketability. The ownership and redevelopment of contaminated property has historically been a risky business in Florida because of prescriptive and potentially costly state and local cleanup requirements and nervous lenders. Further complicating matters is the fact that the persons responsible for cleanup (“responsible parties”) can include current and former property owners, lessees, or “operators” on the property.
Life Settlement Investments: Avoiding the Pitfalls in the Event the Life Settlement Company Files for Bankruptcy
July 17, 2016
Deborah B. Talenfeld
For those who may be considering an investment in life settlements (see my previous blog for background), recent bankruptcy filings of life settlement entities have raised a concern not often considered when determining whether or not to invest: what would happen if the entity that owns or manages the underlying insurance policy(s) ends up in bankruptcy. Life settlement companies typically include provisions in their purchase agreements that downplay the potential ramifications of a bankruptcy filing. Such companies state how they, or the underlying insurance company, have been in business for many years, that the investor is a beneficiary of the policy, or similar words of comfort. However, these are just words, and they do not in and of themselves provide any protection to the investor.
CMBS Loan Maturities and Potential Defaults – a Tsunami or a Ripple?
July 6, 2016
Katherine Amador
For the last few years, financial analysts have been warning of the wave of CMBS loan maturities in 2016 and 2017 and the resulting “parade of horribles”.
Does Your Construction Contract Provide for a "Project Neutral" to Resolve Disputes?"
June 30, 2016
Jeffrey S. Wertman
Disputes on construction projects are inevitable. One of the most important risk management tools for construction participants is a quick and effective dispute resolution procedure. Dispute resolution can be accomplished through various methods, including traditional mediation, arbitration and litigation. However, construction parties are using pre-selected neutrals to serve the parties as real time dispute facilitators more frequently. This concept envisions that the parties select one or more independent construction industry experts at the beginning of the project pursuant to a provision in a construction agreement.
IRS and Treasury Department Clarify COD Income Exclusions"
June 15, 2016
Mitchell W. Goldberg
Utility Service & 2016 Hurricanes: What You Need To Know
June 9, 2016
Floyd R. Self
Florida’s public utilities are ready for the 2016 hurricane season, are you?
The devastating hurricanes of 2004 and 2005 transformed the ways Florida’s utilities, especially the electric utilities, plan and prepare for hurricanes. The 2004 hurricanes left many Floridians without electricity for as long as two weeks and the 2005 storms caused power outages of up to 18 days.