O'Brien Riemenschneider Wattwood & Cantwell PA

Taxation and Employee Benefits

O'Brien Riemenschneider Wattwood & Cantwell PA, has considerable experience in representing clients regarding a broad range of federal, state, and international tax issues. The Firm's tax attorneys handle matters involving both tax planning and compliance and have represented clients before taxing authorities in tax audits, tax abatement proceedings and applications for tax exempt status. In addition, the Firm's tax attorneys work closely with the corporate practice attorneys to minimize the tax liabilities associated with transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, and dissolutions of business entities and provide advice on business operations such as employment contracts, shareholder agreements, and stock redemption agreements in connection with the Firm's representation of both public and private companies.

The Firm's employee benefits practice covers a broad range of plan issues. The primary focus of the practice area is retirement plan counseling which includes: design and drafting tax-qualified profit sharing plans (including age weighted plans, cross-tested plans, and section 401(k) plans), money purchase pension plans, employee stock ownership plans, and defined benefit plans;

design and drafting of stock option plans and other non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements; plan amendments and terminations; Internal Revenue Service determination letter filings; representing employers, plans, and fiduciaries before the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Labor, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation; and preparation of qualified domestic relations orders. The Firm also advises employers on the design and implementation of welfare benefits plans, including cafeteria plans, self-insured arrangements, and VEBAs. The Firms?s employee benefits attorneys work in conjunction with the civil litigation group in the handling of such matters as fiduciary breaches, prohibited transactions, and ERISA benefit claims on behalf of employers, employees, and fiduciaries.

Attorneys: James M. O'Brien