What’s New at IIC

Role of Speculation on Oil Prices

IIC, Inc. has recently completed a comprehensive analysis of the reasons that led to the rapid increase and consequent decline in crude oil and refined product prices last year. We found that the devaluation of the dollar and the role of speculators have the greatest impact on the rise in crude oil prices, and these same factor also contributed to the decline as did the recession. Fundamental supply and demand factors did not play a role in the 380 percent increase in crude prices in 2008, and indeed we find that these factors should have led to a price decline, not a price increase. The impact of speculation on gasoline prices likely cost consumers $27 billion last year. Read more

Analysis of the New §1.482 Services Regulations
The Internal Revenue Service revised services regulations that provide new transfer pricing methods for controlled service transactions and include a revised cost safe harbor called the Services Cost Method (SCM). This brief presentation provides a helpful overview to the changes in the regulations for tax planners and examiners. Read more

Federal Minimum Wage Increase
IIC’s research is looking at whether increases in the minimum wage requirement and changes in health care coverage have had a disproportional impact on small business owners. Read more

Antitrust and Small Business
IIC recently published a report on behalf of the SBA which investigates how antitrust laws impact small firms — with case studies focusing on the retail grocery and timber industries. Read more

28th Annual USAEE/IAEE North American Conference
IIC principal Lee O. Upton, III presented a paper on offshore Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activity at North American Conference of the U.S. Association for Energy Economics (USAEE). Read more

Mass. School Building Authority Enrollment Projection Model
IIC assisted the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) in the development of a computer-based enrollment projection model. Read more

Our Clients

Our clients are considered among the best performing and most respected corporations, law firms, and organizations.

We have worked for both small and large corporations, local, state, federal and international governmental agencies, small and large law firms, and non-profit organizations. Our strong reputation and high quality results attract a diverse group of clients, who express satisfaction with our work by hiring us time after time.

• Corporate clients have included numerous Fortune 500 companies, many small start-up companies, and many mid-sized corporations both public and privately-held.

• We have been retained by large national and international law firms as well as by small law firms specializing in areas such as business litigation, regulatory matters, tax, and antitrust.

• In the public sector, we have consulted to small municipalities, large local governments, over 40 state organizations, and numerous agencies of the federal government including among others the Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration, Department of Justice, U.S. Congress, Department of Defense, Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, and the Department of Energy.

• IIC, Inc. has also worked for non-profit organizations and trade associations.


About IIC Our Work Clients Approach to Management Offices History The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one. Mark Twain		What’s New at IIC Role of Speculation on Oil Prices IIC, Inc. has recently completed a comprehensive analysis of the reasons that led to the rapid increase and consequent decline in crude oil and refined product prices last year. We found that the devaluation of the dollar and the role of speculators have the greatest impact on the rise in crude oil prices, and these same factor also contributed to the decline as did the recession. Fundamental supply and demand factors did not play a role in the 380 percent increase in crude prices in 2008, and indeed we find that these factors should have led to a price decline, not a price increase. The impact of speculation on gasoline prices likely cost consumers $27 billion last year. Read more Analysis of the New §1.482 Services Regulations The Internal Revenue Service revised services regulations that provide new transfer pricing methods for controlled service transactions and include a revised cost safe harbor called the Services Cost Method (SCM). This brief presentation provides a helpful overview to the changes in the regulations for tax planners and examiners. Read more Federal Minimum Wage Increase IIC’s research is looking at whether increases in the minimum wage requirement and changes in health care coverage have had a disproportional impact on small business owners. Read more Antitrust and Small Business IIC recently published a report on behalf of the SBA which investigates how antitrust laws impact small firms — with case studies focusing on the retail grocery and timber industries. Read more 28th Annual USAEE/IAEE North American Conference IIC principal Lee O. Upton, III presented a paper on offshore Gulf of Mexico oil and gas activity at North American Conference of the U.S. Association for Energy Economics (USAEE). Read more Mass. School Building Authority Enrollment Projection Model IIC assisted the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) in the development of a computer-based enrollment projection model. Read more Our Clients Our clients are considered among the best performing and most respected corporations, law firms, and organizations. We have worked for both small and large corporations, local, state, federal and international governmental agencies, small and large law firms, and non-profit organizations. Our strong reputation and high quality results attract a diverse group of clients, who express satisfaction with our work by hiring us time after time. • Corporate clients have included numerous Fortune 500 companies, many small start-up companies, and many mid-sized corporations both public and privately-held. • We have been retained by large national and international law firms as well as by small law firms specializing in areas such as business litigation, regulatory matters, tax, and antitrust. • In the public sector, we have consulted to small municipalities, large local governments, over 40 state organizations, and numerous agencies of the federal government including among others the Department of Commerce, Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration, Department of Justice, U.S. Congress, Department of Defense, Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, and the Department of Energy. • IIC, Inc. has also worked for non-profit organizations and trade associations.