As with any business enterprise, cooperation is essential in achieving both the business and tax objectives. Our attorneys focus on finding innovative solutions to sophisticated tax problems by routinely collaborating with the business’s operators, financial accountants, and/or in-house attorneys. The attorneys in this group advise clients on the most tax advantageous methods for merging, acquiring or disposing of interests or assets held in their business, such as purchases and sales of business interests, ESOPs, tax transfers to a controlled corporation, the liquidation of a subsidiary and the purchase or sale of real estate held within an entity. In addition to federal taxation, we also advise clients regarding state and local tax obligations and opportunities through available and applicable tax credits, deductions, exemptions and incentives. We advise international executives, foreign nationals with U.S. investments and U.S. companies and citizens investing in foreign markets.
A significant portion of our practice is the representation of real estate developers, investors and related entities including REITs. Tax deferral for the sale or purchase of real estate is a common goal of these clients, and our attorneys constantly oversee and implement tax-deferral methods such as Section 1031 like-kind exchanges and Section 453 installment sales. In addition, our representation of these clients extends to advising them on matters involving new market tax credits, capital gains v. ordinary income planning on sale of assets, and net operating loss issues. We frequently consider the utility of limited liability companies (taxed either as a partnership or as a corporation electing subchapter S status) and subchapter S corporations in addressing clients’ matters and resolving issues. We are also proficient in matters involving entities that are disregarded for federal income taxation purposes such as single-member limited liability companies and qualified subchapter S subsidiaries.
We have one of the largest and most experienced practices in Virginia representing clients before the Internal Revenue Service and Virginia Department of Taxation in both civil and criminal tax controversy matters including examinations and audits, appeals and protests, and representation before the U.S. Tax Court.
Our attorneys work closely with members of our other commercial practice areas to collaborate on aspects of executive compensation, employee benefits (both qualified and non-qualified plans), and mergers and acquisitions, among others.