Agenda – Maine Tax Forum

11/5/25 and 11/6/25

Preliminary and Subject to Change Prior to the Event

Day One–Wednesday, November 5

7:45 AM - 7:50 AM
VIRTUAL SESSION SIGN-IN
7:50 AM - 8:00 AM
Announcements & Opening Remarks

Diane Sturgeon, District Director
US Small Business Administration's Maine District Office
8:00 AM - 8:55 AM
Keynote Address

TBD

TBD
TBD
8:55 AM - 9:50 AM
Federal Tax Case Law Update: What Recent Rulings Mean for You

Explore the most influential and surprising federal tax cases shaping current guidance. Learn how these decisions impact practitioner strategy.

Dan Pitman
Eaton Peabody LLP
10:00 AM - 10:55 AM
Cross-Border Tax Developments: Legal & Tax Impacts

Get an up-to-date overview of global tax shifts, court rulings, and reforms that influence U.S. international tax compliance. This session is designed to help you navigate evolving standards and better advise clients with global exposure.

Magnolia Movido, Partner
WIPFLI
Bill Smith, Tax Director
WIPFLI
10:55 AM - 11:50 AM
Maximizing QSBS: Tax Savings Strategies Under Sections 1202 & 1045

From startup investments to multi-million-dollar exits, QSBS offers major tax opportunities. We’ll break down qualification rules, investor requirements, and strategic moves you can recommend for clients under Sections 1202 and 1045.

Caleb Powers, Vice President - Private Placements
U.S. Boston Capital Corporation
11:50 AM - 12:30 PM
LUNCH BREAK
12:30 PM - 1:25 PM
Breakout Session – State & Local Tax Challenges in Maine: Residency, Remote Work, and Reform

Gain actionable insight into Maine’s evolving SALT landscape, including recent legal updates, remote work taxation, and residency issues. We’ll break down the implications for part-year residents, nonresidents, and clients contemplating a move.

This session does not qualify for IRS continuing education credits

Olga Goldberg, Partner
Pierce Atwood
Jonathan Block, Partner
Pierce Atwood
12:30 PM - 1:25 PM
Breakout Session – Update on SECURE 2.0 focused on new provisions rolling out in 2025 / 2026

Focus on actions for plan sponsors to understand and take, and what the accounting world should know about these provisions to help them with their clients.

Josh Chase, Financial Advisor
Varney Financial
1:25 PM - 2:20 PM
M&A in 2025: Tax Law Changes and Transaction Strategy

With key tax changes taking effect in 2025, this session dives into how those changes impact the structure, timing, and strategy behind mergers and acquisitions. Learn what both sides of the table need to consider under the new rules.

Cory Vargo, Partner
Wipfli
2:30 PM - 3:25 PM
Defective Grantor Trusts: Can You Sell to Yourself and Benefit Your Heirs?

This session explains how a defective grantor trust (DGT) can be used to sell a business interest for a promissory note—effectively “selling to yourself” for estate planning purposes. Understand how this strategy works, when it makes sense, and what valuation and compliance considerations apply.

Meredith Maller, Partner
Bernstein Shur
Cameron Scott, Principal
Berry Dunn
3:25 PM - 4:25 PM
Ethics Essentials: Circular 230 and IRS Expectations

Get a clear overview of IRS ethics rules, including recent updates to Circular 230. This session covers what the Office of Professional Responsibility looks for, how violations are enforced, and how to protect your reputation and credentials.

Kelley Young, Partner
Troubhheisler

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Day Two–Thursday, November 6

7:45 AM - 7:50 AM
VIRTUAL SESSION SIGN-IN

7:50 AM - 8:00 AM
Announcements & Opening Remarks

Diane Sturgeon - District Director
US Small Business Administration’s Maine District Office
8:00 AM - 8:55 AM
Inside the Beltway: Washington Tax Update

Get the latest on key federal tax developments, including legislative and regulatory changes from the past year. This session also previews potential shifts under the new Congress and administration—and what they could mean for your clients.

Andrew Seifert, Partner
WIPFLI
8:55 AM - 9:50 AM
The Taxpayer Advocate Service: Support for Practitioners

Discover how the TAS helps taxpayers and tax professionals resolve tough IRS cases. We’ll cover when and how to escalate issues, what relief TAS can provide, and how to make the most of this independent support channel.

Mark Carrell, Maine Taxpayer Advocate
IRS
10:00 AM - 10:55 AM
Entity Selection in 2025: Tax Benefits, Risks, and Opportunities

This session breaks down how 2025 tax law changes influence the tax efficiency of different entity structures. We’ll explore formation, conversion, and planning strategies to help clients get it right from the start—or pivot when needed.

Dan Gayer, Principal
Baker Newman & Noyes
10:55 AM - 11:50 AM
Strategic Philanthropy: Tools, Timing, and Tax Strategy

Help clients give wisely and effectively. This session covers advanced giving vehicles—including donor-advised funds, charitable trusts, and private foundations—and explores funding strategies using cash, securities, real estate, and IRA assets.

Jennifer Richard, Senior Director of Planned Giving
Maine Community Foundation
11:50 AM - 12:30 PM
Lunch break

12:30 PM - 1:25 PM
Breakout Session – Nonprofit Tax Compliance: Form 990 Mistakes and UBI Issues

Learn the most common reporting mistakes practitioners make on nonprofit returns—and how to prevent them. This session also takes a closer look at unrelated business income (UBI) and how to identify, report, and manage it correctly.

Barb McGuan, Partner
Berry Dunn
Joe Byrne, Partner
Berry Dunn
12:30 PM - 1:25 PM
Breakout Session – Federal Shifts, Local Consequences: SALT Impacts in 2025

Learn how changes to federal tax policy ripple through state and local tax systems. This session explores how recent and proposed federal tax reforms affect SALT planning—covering topics like estate tax, SALT cap limits, pass-through entity taxes, and rate adjustments.

This session does not qualify for IRS continuing education credits

Leanne Scott, Principal
Baker Newman Noyes
Nick Smetana, Principal
Baker Newman Noyes
1:25 PM - 2:20 PM
Smart Benefits for Small Businesses: Tax-Effective Strategies for Maine Businesses

Explore practical, affordable benefit options for Maine small businesses—and the tax credits and deductions that come with them. This session helps advisors support clients in improving workforce retention while optimizing cost and compliance.

Taylor Pottle, Vice President Employee Benefits
BCI Insurance Solutions
2:30 PM - 3:25 PM
R&D Tax Credit Update: What’s New, What Applies, What Saves

This session demystifies the R&D credit for tax professionals. Review the credit’s structure, legislative background, and recent changes—and discover where real savings exist for qualifying businesses in today’s regulatory environment.

Les Bryson, Partner
Probity Tax Recovery
3:25 PM - 4:20 PM
Ethics

Identifying and exploring issues tax professionals face in the context of Circular No. 230.

Justin Coffin, Founding Partner
Apollon New England
Tim Woodhouse, Director
Aries Wealth Management, LLC

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Maine Tax Workshops Advisory Team

We greatly appreciate the assistance of the Maine Tax Workshops Advisory Team in planning this agenda. Their experience with the chosen topics was a great resource for the SCORE planning team.

Richard Butt – Chairperson, SCORE
Bryce Morrison – Bernstein Shur
Christopher Stevenson – Drummond Woodson
Jeff Hiatt – Performance Business Solutions, Inc.
Joe Balchunas – SCORE
Justin Coffin – Apollon New England
Mike Santo – Wipfli LLP
Nat Hussey – Nat Hussey Law
Timothy Woodhouse – Aries Wealth Management
Rick Abbondanza – Hopkinson & Abbondanza
Holly Gerard – Maine Revenue Services
Larry LaPlante – SCORE
Sno Barry – Berry Dunn
Frank Schoenrock – SCORE
Echo Palmer – Palmer Accounting LLC