CLIENT UPDATE
Published for the Clients and Friends of Zegarelli Associates Professional Corporation

THE TEAM

Zegarelli Associates is often asked to assist clients in negotiating contracts and business transactions, and, in such cases, clients usually ask if there is a general overriding principal to remember. The answer is basic: Remember the Team!

You must begin by identifying the necessary players on both sides, the goal, and the necessary strategy to achieve the goal. Every member of the team has a primary purpose, and a secondary purpose to assist other members of the team with their primary purpose. You must believe in, rely upon, and unify your team, and, no matter what, you never, ever, allow anyone (including yourself and your own team members) to break down the bonds of your team. But, the first step is to recognize that you need a team, and, then, to develop and coordinate your team. Our experience finds no exception to this rule.

THE END IS BEGINNING

The end of 1994 is approximately one month away! Please take the time to consider your year-end planning. For example, you may want to take certain tax deductions in the current tax year or make contributions to your retirement plan. Or, you may want to end the year by finalizing your estate plan, etc. We can help. For example:

• If you are interested in changing the form of your business entity, such as incorporating, you may want to have the firm file your documents in December, with an effective date of January 1, 1995. This will allow for a smooth transition.

• Given the election results, you may want to consider deferring taxable income (especially capital gains) in 1994. New lower rate credit cards can make it less expensive to make year-end credit card purchases to reduce business income.

• If you are required to make estimated tax payments during the course of the year (typically self-employed, partners, and S corporation shareholders) and had adjusted gross income for 1993 in excess of $150,000, the safe harbor to avoid underpayment penalties is now 110% of prior year tax.

• The 25% health insurance deduction for self-employed individuals, partners and 2% S corporation shareholders has not been reinstated for 1994.

• Although contributions to Keogh plans can be made until April 15, 1995, plans must be established prior to year-end.

CLIENT DIRECTORY!

If we are proud of anything, then we are proud of our clientele. In fact, we are pleased that, over the years, we have come to represent a clientele of unmatched entrepreneurial spirit. So, what’s a firm to do? We know all of you, but we think that all of you should know about each other, too. Therefore, we are in the process of preparing a firm client profile. Here’s how it works:

• We are asking our business clients to assist us by completing and returning the Profile Questionnaire (which may be enclosed with this Client Update) on or before December 12, 1994. Feel free to return the Questionnaire by telecopier.

• The completed Profile will not include names, addresses or telephone numbers of clients. Only a description of products and/or services will be identified.

• Any client interested in meeting another client can call their attorney and request a meeting with the other client (with or without the attorney).

• The Profile will be distributed to clients that decide to participate (by completing the Profile Questionnaire).

The reason to participate is basic: it provides an unmatched opportunity to network with some of the most interesting and exciting entrepreneurs in the region. At a minimum, it provides an advertising referral source. At best, it provides an opportunity for corporate partnering, joint ventures, etc.

RATES & RETAINERS

We are pleased to continue to provide legal services at an hourly rate which remains an excellent value and extremely cost-effective. Please contact your attorney with regard to his or her particular rate for 1995; we now offer a variety of price ranges. We are pleased that the Legal Coordinator rate remains at $65, and legal assistants at $45 per hour.

In addition, we continue to offer retainer-based relationships which can provide an even greater savings for legal services, if services are needed on a more consistent basis. With regard to payment methods, we accept all major credit cards at no additional cost to our clients, and we continue to establish tailored payment plans.

CHECKMARK^sm

As you may have heard us say (over and over and over), "protect your trademark." As a result of numerous client requests, beginning on January 1, 1995, we are initiating our Checkmark^sm Service. The Checkmark Service is a service provided by Zegarelli Associates to verify the status of your trademark registrations on a consistent basis. The service can be elected for 3-month, quarterly, semi-annual and annual verification.

Stated generally, in accordance with the approved frequency, Zegarelli Associates will automatically perform a computerized search on your trademarks and/or service marks to assist in preventing others from registering similar marks. We will automatically send you the results, and, if it is necessary that we oppose another pending registration, then we will so advise. As you may know, we perform the searches extremely cost effectively: $25 logon fee, plus research time and actual print charges. Often, the total fee is less than $50 per logon.

COMPUTER DOCKET PLANNING

Your docket is maintained by the firm to track our "to-do" list for you. Generally, we distribute to you a copy of your docket once per year at year-end. You may request your docket at any time. If we do not distribute a docket to you before year end, then we do not have any pending work identified for you in the computer system. If we send you a copy of the docket, please review it carefully, and call us with any correction. For example, if we list that we are awaiting your directive with regard to a matter, and if you thought we were proceeding, then call us so that we can adjust accordingly.

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

Zegarelli Associates is pleased to feature:

STRATEGIC EXPOSURE, INC.

in the Client Spotlight. You’ve always wanted to be in headlines. Here’s your chance! This month’s feature is a start-up business concern dealing in the complete cost-effective production of marketing newspapers for businesses. Your clients may not even know that they are reading promotional materials. Strategic Exposure is located at 1417 Brownsville Road, Suite 137, Pittsburgh, PA 15227 and may be contacted at 412-884-9445. If you mention the Client Update, you will receive a 10% discount from your initial purchase. Strategic Exposure certainly has the entrepreneurial spirit!

[Zegarelli Associates selects the client for the Client Spotlight based upon novelty of business idea, and the legitimate discount offered to the readers of the Client Update. Zegarelli Associates does not endorse client products and/or services, and Zegarelli Associates is not otherwise associated with the Client featured. Call for an application to be featured in the Client Spotlight.]

Future Issues of Client Update

Future issues of the Client Update are expected to have summary articles on Franchising and Sales Tax. Call us with your ideas for future articles.

Articles and information are for general information only, and often address issues, without expressly indicating, in generalizations. Laws vary between and among jurisdictions.  You should not rely upon any information provided by or on the website, including articles, as applicable to your particular situation. The law, filing fees, etc., change often, so the information in this document may not be current. The laws of various jurisdictions may be different than provided here.  Please contact us at info@zegarelli.com if you are interested in becoming our client--only then would this office be in the position to provide advise with regard to your particular situation.  It is important for you to review Terms of Use.

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429 Forbes Avenue, 12th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1616
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