Insights

Business Law & Tax Insights

We keep you up to date on the latest business & tax changes and news in the industry.

How to Collect an Unpaid Invoice or Business Debt in Maryland

Business Debt Collection

Yawar B. Iqbal

1 day ago

How to Collect an Unpaid Invoice or Business Debt in Maryland

An unpaid invoice is a cash-flow problem with a legal solution. This Maryland guide explains how to collect a business debt, from demand letters and lawsuits to judgments, garnishment, and liens.

Breach of Contract in Maryland and Pennsylvania: A Guide for Business Owners

Breach of Contract

Yawar B. Iqbal

3 days ago

Breach of Contract in Maryland and Pennsylvania: A Guide for Business Owners

Breach of contract is the dispute most Maryland and Pennsylvania businesses actually face. This guide explains what counts as a breach, the filing deadlines, the damages you can recover, and how to protect your company.

IRS Notice of Intent to Levy: What Maryland and Pennsylvania Business Owners Must Do in the Next 30 Days

IRS Notice of Intent to Levy

Yawar B. Iqbal

1 week ago

IRS Notice of Intent to Levy: What Maryland and Pennsylvania Business Owners Must Do in the Next 30 Days

A Final Notice of Intent to Levy is the IRS's last warning before it can seize your accounts and wages. You have 30 days. Here is what Maryland and Pennsylvania business owners must do.

How to Buy a Business in Maryland: A Legal Due Diligence Guide for Small Business Buyers

Business Acquisition

Yawar B. Iqbal

2 weeks ago

How to Buy a Business in Maryland: A Legal Due Diligence Guide for Small Business Buyers

Buying a Maryland business is exciting, but the legal details decide whether you inherit a thriving company or someone else's liabilities. Here is how to handle the letter of intent, due diligence, and the purchase agreement.

IRS Installment Agreement

Yawar B. Iqbal

2 weeks ago

IRS Installment Agreement for Business Owners: How to Set Up a Payment Plan (Maryland & Pennsylvania)

Behind on business taxes? An IRS installment agreement lets you pay over time and stop collections. Here is how the plans work, what they cost, and what Maryland and Pennsylvania owners need to watch.

Dissolving LLC

Yawar B. Iqbal

3 weeks ago

How to Close a Business in Maryland: The Legal Guide to Dissolving Your LLC or Corporation

Closing a Maryland or Pennsylvania business is more than walking away. Skip the legal steps and you risk lingering taxes, penalties, and personal liability. Here is how to dissolve your LLC or corporation correctly.

Buy-Sell Agreement

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 weeks ago

Buy-Sell Agreements in Maryland: What Every Business Owner Needs Before a Partner Dies, Divorces, or Walks Out

A buy-sell agreement is the one document that decides what happens to your business when a partner dies, divorces, becomes disabled, or walks out. Here is what every Maryland owner needs to know.

Civil Tax Penalty

Yawar B. Iqbal

2 months ago

Challenging IRS Civil Tax Penalties: The Section 6751(b) Supervisory Approval Defense for Maryland and Pennsylvania Businesses

Section 6751(b) requires written supervisory approval before the IRS may assess most civil tax penalties. Here is how Maryland and Pennsylvania businesses can use it to defeat or reduce penalties.

LLC Operating Agreement

Yawar B. Iqbal

2 months ago

Do You Need an LLC Operating Agreement in Maryland? What to Include and Why It Matters

Maryland law does not require a written LLC operating agreement, but operating without one means the state's default rules control your business. Here is what every Maryland LLC owner needs to know.

Civil Tax Controversy

Yawar B. Iqbal

2 months ago

Received an IRS CP2000 Notice? Here’s What Maryland and Pennsylvania Business Owners Must Do Before the Deadline

If you received an IRS CP2000 notice, you have a limited window to respond before the IRS can make a formal assessment. Here is what MD and PA business owners must know and do.

Business Dispute

Yawar B. Iqbal

2 months ago

Business Partner Dispute in Maryland: Your Legal Options

Business partner disputes can threaten everything you have built. This guide walks Maryland business owners through their legal options, from negotiation and mediation to litigation, buyouts, and judicial dissolution.

Payroll Taxes

Yawar B. Iqbal

3 months ago

The IRS Can Hold You Personally Liable for Your Business’ Payroll Taxes: What MD and PA Business Owners Need to Know About the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty

The IRS can bypass the corporate structure and hold you personally liable for your business' unpaid payroll taxes. Here is what MD and PA business owners need to know.

Employment Law

Yawar B. Iqbal

3 months ago

Are Non-Compete Agreements Enforceable in Maryland? A Guide for Business Owners

Maryland non-compete agreements are enforceable, but new wage thresholds and healthcare carve-outs have redrawn the lines. Here is what business owners need to know to protect their interests.

Business Sale

Yawar B. Iqbal

3 months ago

Asset Sale vs. Stock Sale: What Maryland Business Sellers Need to Know Before Signing Anything

Before selling your Maryland business, the choice between an asset sale and a stock sale can cost you thousands in taxes and expose you to unexpected liability. Here is what every seller needs to know.

IRS Audit

Yawar B. Iqbal

3 months ago

What Triggers an IRS Audit? 12 Red Flags Every Business Owner Must Know (2026)

The IRS closed more than 505,000 audits in FY 2024 and recommended $29 billion in additional tax. Here are the 12 red flags most likely to put your business return on the agency's radar.

LLC

Yawar B. Iqbal

3 months ago

S Corp Election: Should Your Maryland LLC Be Taxed as an S Corp in 2026?

An S corp election can save Maryland LLC owners thousands in self-employment taxes each year, but only if the math and eligibility work in your favor. Here is the full Maryland breakdown.

IRS

Yawar B. Iqbal

3 months ago

IRS Offer in Compromise: How to Settle Your Tax Debt for Less (Maryland Guide)

An IRS Offer in Compromise lets Maryland taxpayers settle federal tax debt for less than the full amount owed. Here is what qualifies, how the IRS evaluates your offer, and why having counsel matters.

LLC

Yawar B. Iqbal

3 months ago

Should Pennsylvania Small Businesses Form an LLC in Pennsylvania, Delaware, or Wyoming?

Most Pennsylvania small business owners are told that forming an LLC in Delaware or Wyoming is smarter. However, for the vast majority, forming in Pennsylvania is the more practical and cost-effective decision. Here's the full breakdown.

LLC

Yawar B. Iqbal

3 months ago

Should Maryland Small Businesses Form an LLC in Maryland, Delaware, or Wyoming?

Most Maryland small business owners are told that forming an LLC in Delaware or Wyoming is smarter. However, for the vast majority, forming in Maryland is the more practical and cost-effective decision. Here's the full breakdown.

Corporations

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

Maryland’s Proposed Corporations & Associations Revisions (SB 631 / HB 996): What Business Owners Should Know

Maryland HB SB 631 / 996 would update charter filing rejections, certain board consent procedures, bankruptcy-related corporate actions, foreign corporation penalties, and partnership amendment rules. Here is what Maryland business owners should watch.

Labor & Employment

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

Maryland Worker Freedom Act (HB 45 / SB 417): What Employers Need to Know

The proposed Maryland Worker Freedom Act would curb retaliation when employees decline employer-sponsored political or religious meetings. This guide explains what’s covered, carve-outs, enforcement, and compliance steps amid litigated “captive audience” restrictions.

Contracts

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

8 Common Contract Mistakes Maryland & Pennsylvania Business Owners Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Contract problems usually start before anyone “breaches.” Here are eight common mistakes Maryland and Pennsylvania business owners make, plus practical fixes that protect cash flow, reduce disputes, and strengthen enforceability.

Corporate Planning

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

Pennsylvania’s Corporate Net Income Tax Reduction: What the 7.49% CNIT Rate Means for Harrisburg Businesses in 2026

Pennsylvania’s Corporate Net Income Tax falls to 7.49% in 2026, a major step in the Commonwealth’s phased corporate tax reduction. Will it attract investment to the Harrisburg region, or deepen budget pressure without offsets?

Franchise Law

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

Section 280E and Cannabis Taxes in Maryland and Pennsylvania: What Marijuana Businesses Need to Know in 2026

Section 280E can make state-legal cannabis businesses pay federal tax on something close to gross profit, limiting deductions but allowing properly calculated COGS, an issue Maryland and Pennsylvania operators must plan for.

Franchise Law

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

Maryland’s Proposed “Franchise Reform Act” (HB 730): 5 Changes Franchisees Should Watch in 2026

Maryland HB 730 ("Franchise Reform Act") proposes longer enforcement timelines, CPI indexed exemption thresholds, updated lawsuit deadlines, stronger franchisee association rights, and a fast track FDD renewal pilot.

Corporate Formation

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

LLC vs. Corporation: Tax Implications and How to Choose the Right Structure for Your Business in 2026

Discover LLC vs corporation tax implications in 2026: pass-through vs double taxation, self-employment savings, QBI deductions, and Maryland/Pennsylvania rules. Choose the best business structure to minimize taxes and fuel growth.

Civil Tax Dispute

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

Civil Tax Controversy Process: 10-Step IRS Guide

Navigate the IRS with confidence. This practical guide breaks down the civil tax controversy process into 10 clear steps, from audits and 30-day letters to Tax Court, collections, and dispute resolution.

Pass-Through Taxation

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

Section 199A: Enactment, Evolution, and Interpretation

The § 199A Qualified Business Income deduction lets many pass-through business owners deduct up to 20% of their profits. But how did this powerful tax break come to be, who does it benefit most, and where is it headed?

Tax Planning

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

The Wealth Loop: Buy, Borrow, Die

Discover how ultra-wealthy taxpayers use borrowed cash instead of sales, protect compounding gains, and leverage the step-up in basis at death to minimize capital gains tax.

Cross-Border Taxation

Yawar B. Iqbal

4 months ago

What Happens When a Global Singer Encounters U.S. Tax Rules? A Case Study, Part 3

Learn how U.S. tax treats foreign investment companies: when PFIC income/asset tests trigger annual Form 8621 reporting for U.S. shareholders, how CFC ownership thresholds and Subpart F/GILTI differ for U.S. vs foreign owners, and why this matters in cross-border cases.

Effectively Connected Income

Yawar B. Iqbal

5 months ago

What Happens When a Global Singer Encounters U.S. Tax Rules? A Case Study, Part 2

Learn how U.S. tax applies to foreign performers: U.S.-source concert income, ECI rules, 30% NRA withholding, U.S.–Mexico treaty Article 18, Form 1042-S and 1040-NR filing.

FIRPTA

Yawar B. Iqbal

5 months ago

What Happens When a Global Singer Encounters U.S. Tax Rules? A Case Study, Part 1

Learn how U.S. tax applies to nonresident aliens earning U.S. dividends, bond interest, YouTube royalties, and selling U.S. real estate under FIRPTA.