A casualty loss tax deduction can benefit taxpayers whose homes or personal property were damaged in eligible federal- or state-declared disasters. And a recently enacted law has codified and extended temporary relief and granted tax-free treatment to certain wildfire relief payments. We provide a detailed update.

A well-structured internship program can offer long-term value for today's businesses. But building a successful one takes much more than inviting a few students into the workplace and hoping for the best. We explain how to build a compliant program that gives participants meaningful learning experiences while strengthening the business hosting them.

Many family business owners view their companies as their legacies. And the wealth they've accumulated over the years is a major part of any such legacy. This article examines four ways family business owners can transfer their wealth to heirs: custodial accounts, trusts, family limited partnerships and charitable donations.

When you hire someone, your hope is that you and the employee will stay on the same track for a long time. However, at some point, the two tracks might diverge and you could have to fire that individual. In such cases, you might want to ask the employee to sign a separation agreement. This article describes these agreements and explores some commonly included provisions.

The word "franchise" has inspired many a budding entrepreneur. A franchise is a seemingly ready-made opportunity to quickly launch a successful business. Of course, in reality, it's not that easy. Franchises have risks all their own. This article discusses the topic from both pro and con perspectives.