Category: Corporate & Business law

Corporate Transparency Act Fraud Alert

November 7, 2023  |  Carole Clark Isakson

Update December 19th, 2024 On December 3, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction in Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc., et al. v. Garland, enjoining the federal government from enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and its reporting deadlines. On December 13, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an Emergency Motion for Stay Pending Appeal in the Fifth Circuit requesting an expedited briefing schedule and a ruling “as soon as possible, but in any event no later than December 27, 2024, to ensure that regulated entities can be made aware of their obligation to comply before January 1, 2025.” Reporting companies should continue monitoring developments in the coming days in case the January 1, 2025 deadline for filing is reinstated. Have you heard about the Corporate Transparency Act? Starting in January 2024, many entities will need to report ownership and management information to FinCEN — Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. This branch of the US Treasury Department collects and examines details on economic transactions to help thwart domestic and international financial crimes. Barna, Guzy & Steffen has been actively educating our clients and business partners about this important law. As people become more aware of the requirements, criminals have seen this new reporting requirement as…

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Risks of Non-Compliance

September 19, 2023  |  Carole Clark Isakson

At Barna, Guzy & Steffen, our corporate practice group monitors developments related to the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). We have addressed various aspects of the CTA in previous blog posts. We recommend reviewing those if you haven’t already done so. Today, we aim to highlight potential implications and risks of non-compliance. Regulations and Disclosures The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau within the U.S. Treasury Department, has recently proposed final rules related to the enforcement of the CTA. The bureau’s primary objective is eliminating corporate anonymity and hindering money laundering activities. While the final regulations interpreting and giving detailed compliance instructions on the CTA are not yet available as of the date of this post, a person will be required to make disclosures to FinCEN starting on January 1, 2024, if the person: participated in forming a corporate entity; or owns more than 25% of an entity; or has significant control over an entity, such as making hiring and firing decisions at the C-suite level. You will also need to report to FinCEN when there are changes to the information in the initial report, such as when you relocate or when the ownership or control of the underlying entity changes. Significant Consequences of Non-Compliance Any individual who intentionally supplies false information or…

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Barna, Guzy & Steffen and the Minnesota Trucking Association’s Annual Conference

August 31, 2023  |  Carole Clark Isakson

As it does each August, BGS sent members of its Transportation Department to attend the Minnesota Trucking Association’s Annual Conference.  Carole Clark Isakson, Jim Wills and Rachel Schwankl connected with trucking company owners and vendors from throughout the state of Minnesota and attended educational programs covering topics from business succession to driver retention.   BGS also sponsored Stephen Shapiro, the conference keynote speaker, who spoke about innovative problem solving. The three-day event is well attended and enjoyed by all.   With more than four decades of experience representing nationwide motor carriers, Jim is both well respected and well known in this unique area of law. Having worked together for more than twenty years, Jim and Carole have worked with trucking companies, shippers, brokers, freight forwarders, and those who rely on transportation services. Carole Clark Isakson is also the President of the Minnesota Trucking Association Foundation.

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