By Jim Main -
Snapshot
- Solicitors and accountants should be friends.
- Every transaction involving a company has potential tax issues.
- Landholder duty remains an issue under the Duties Act 1997 (NSW).
You can’t stand Harvey. He’s an accountant in the same suburb, and you have some mutual clients. Harvey is rude, arrogant and full of a sense of his own importance. He has little respect for lawyers generally and seems to think himself superior to you. In the past you have lost clients because Harvey has said bad things about you.
Charlie and Chloe and the business succession
You have instructions from Charlie to act for him on his family company’s sale of a surplus business building for $750,000. Charlie tells you he is winding down and handing over his business to his daughter Chloe.
You ask Charlie if he has taken accountant’s advice and your heart somewhat sinks when he tells you that he has spoken to Harvey about it and everything is under control.