Ahmed Hussein, CPA | Assurance and Tax Consultant

Case Insight: LeBoeuf v. Entergy Corp. Shows What’s at Stake If your organization has more than 100 eligible participants in its 401(k) plan, chances are you’re required to undergo an annual independent audit in connection with your Form 5500 filing. But it’s not just about compliance, it’s about protecting your plan, your people, and your fiduciary reputation. A recent federal court case, LeBoeuf v. Entergy Corp. , 2025 WL 1262414 (5th Cir. 2025), illustrates why a properly scoped and executed audit is more critical than ever, especially for growing employers nearing or crossing that 100-participant threshold. What Happened in the LeBoeuf Case? After a 401(k) plan participant passed away, his adult children contested the distribution of his $3 million retirement benefit to his surviving spouse. The participant had named his children as beneficiaries after his first wife’s death, but he never updated the form after remarrying even though the plan documents stated that marriage woul...

The recent foreclosure of Piedmont Center underscores the deeper distress rippling through Buckhead’s once-prized office corridor. For me, this isn’t just another real estate headline; it’s personal. I spent countless hours at this facility during my early career, attending graduate-level classes and professional training sessions that laid the foundation for my path in commercial real estate and finance. Now, decades later, I’m witnessing this once-thriving campus change hands under dramatically different circumstances. And yet, despite the distress, there is reason for renewed optimism. A $200 Million Reset for a 46-Acre Legacy Campus: Austrian lender Bawag Group, in partnership with real estate investment firm CP Group, has acquired the 2.2 million-square-foot Piedmont Center which includes a 14-building office park in the heart of Buckhead. Once valued at $657 million (or $299 per square foot) in 2021, the property sold at foreclosure auction for just $200 million, or roughly $90 p...

In a move that highlights the ongoing maturation of the private credit market, Antares Capital, a leading provider of financing solutions to private equity-backed companies, and Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES), a global alternative investment manager, have jointly announced the successful close of Antares’ first continuation vehicle, with over $1.2 billion in investor commitments. This landmark transaction was led by Ares Credit Secondaries funds marking Ares’ largest credit secondary investment to date with meaningful capital participation from Antares itself. The vehicle strategically acquired assets and LP interests from two diversified, commingled private credit funds managed by Antares comprising more than 100 first-lien, floating-rate loans. Structuring Liquidity in Private Credit: Continuation vehicles are increasingly used in private equity and credit markets to deliver liquidity to limited partners (LPs) while enabling general partners (GPs) to maintain exposure to s...