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Everything you need to know about BMD and the industry.

UPDATE: U.S. Treasury Secretary Announces Extended Tax Season

Client Alert

In a move for further relief for taxpayers, U.S. Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin, has announced the April 15, 2020 filing deadline has been extended.

What It Is

The relief expands on the previous payment relief granted to taxpayers who have income tax payments due April 15, 2020. Now, in addition to a delay in payment, taxpayers will also not be required to file their returns until July 15, 2020. This extension is automatic and does not require the filing of the usual paperwork to obtain an extension. HOWEVER, taxpayers who wish to have the normal 6-month extension for filing their return MUST file the customary extension requests (Form 4868 or 7004) by the April 15, 2020 deadline.

State of Ohio

At this time, the State of Ohio has not issued any formal statement about extending either the due date or payment date for Ohio income taxes.  Ohio officials have said, they will “monitor IRS guidance as released” but have not committed to adopting the same deadlines and/or extensions. The Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants has written a second letter to the governor in light of the previous payment relief granted by the IRS requesting that an extension be put in place and we are currently awaiting a response. Cities also have not made any pronouncements as their due date is tied to the State of Ohio due date.

Other States

Some other states have released guidance as to relief that they are granting taxpayers. The most up-to-date information for this is available on the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants website https://www.aicpa.org/content/dam/aicpa/advocacy/tax/downloadabledocuments/coronavirus-state-filing-relief.pdf

This information is all based on a tweet issued by Mnuchin today. No formal guidance or announcements have come from the IRS at this time. We will continue to update you on any changes as guidance becomes available.


Protections Under Federal and Ohio Law for Bona Fide Prospective Purchasers of Contaminated Property

Most industrial/commercial property developers are generally aware of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), often also referred to as “Superfund”. CERCLA, a United Stated federal law administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was created, in part, because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized that environmental cleanup could help promote reuse or redevelopment of contaminated, potentially contaminated, and formerly contaminated properties, helping revitalize communities that may have been adversely affected by the presence of the contaminated properties. Commercial property developers should be aware that CERCLA provides for some important liability limitations for landowners that own contaminated property impacted by materials hazardous to the environment. It can also assist with landowners concerned about the potential liabilities stemming from the presence of contamination to which they have not contributed. In particular, CERCLA provides important liability limitations for landowners that qualify as (1) bona fide prospective purchasers (BFPPS), (2) contiguous property owners, or (3) innocent landowners.

Puerto Rico Is Open For Business

Puerto Rico has the highest vaccination in the nation. More than 73% of the total population is fully vaccinated. The U.S. national average is just over 57%. The ports opened in June 2020 and San Juan held it first live concert this past summer. It is important to remember that Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and there is no need for visas, the banking systems is almost identical to the mainland and the Island uses the U.S. postal service and U.S. dollar as its currency. There are thousands of flights from the U.S. to Puerto Rico daily and all main airlines fly to the Island.

Ohio Medical Board Changes Telemedicine Rules

A SCMS News Article by Scott Sandrock.

The Rising Threat from Insiders – Get Your House in Order

As its name implies, an ‘Insider Threat’ originates inside an organization. An ‘insider’ is any person who has or had authorized access to or knowledge of an organization’s resources, including personnel, facilities, information, equipment, networks, and systems. ‘Insider threat’ can manifest from malicious, complacent, negligent or unintentional acts that negatively affect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of the organization, its data, personnel, or facilities. Certainly, ‘Insider Threat’ can be an activity by a bad actor employee, but can also arise from an inadvertent or unknowing action inside an organization (such as an employee who unintentionally opens a phishing email or clicks on a malicious link).

In Cybersecurity– A Good Offense is the Best Defense

2021 has been a watershed moment for cybersecurity incidents as cybercrime has become a frequent headline and cyber criminals have thrived on unsuspecting and/or unprepared businesses and institutions. For example, the Solar Winds attack exposed sensitive data from top companies like Microsoft as well government agencies[1] and the Colonial Pipeline attack substantially disrupted the petroleum supply chain[2]. We have seen an almost 20% increase in data breaches and attacks since last year.