Schedule 2A: Interests in Business Entities

Click italicized terms to review their definition.
 

Under § 7-22 of the Ethics Law, filers are required to disclose interests in business entities, whether or not the entity does business with or is regulated by the City.  Answer the question below to determine if Schedule 2A applies to you. 

During the reporting period covered by this statement, did any of the following have an interest in any business entity (e.g., corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, or any other business entity)?

If you answered "yes" to the question above, disclose each qualifying interest in Schedule 2A. You will need to submit a separate "Add New Business Entity" entry for each interest. Watch the tutorial video below to guide you through the schedule:

Note:  Employment alone does not count as an interest for purposes of this Schedule.  You disclose other sources of earned income in Schedule 7.

Also, you do not need to disclose interests in insurance policies, certain pension or profit-sharing plans, or publicly-traded mutual funds, among other exceptions.  Review the definition of "interest" in the dictionary above for full details.

Instructions

In each "Add New Business Entity" entry, you will disclose the following information: 

1. Identity of Business Entity.  Give the name and address of the business.  If the business's address is the same as your Principal Residence, check the box.  The address will automatically fill and that address will be hidden from members of the public who view your statement.   

2. Identity of the Person who Holds an Interest in this Business Entity. State the name of the person who holds an interest in the business, including yourself.  Note: You need only list the interests of your spouse, parent, child, or sibling if you directly or indirectly control that family member's interest.   

3. Nature of Amount of Interest in this Business Entity.  Indicate the type of business, if you know, and the type of interest held in that business.  For an "equity interest in a publicly-traded company" (e.g., stock or other ownership), give the dollar amount of the interest or the number of shares.  For an "equity interest in a non-publicly traded entity" (e.g., stock or other ownership of a private company), give the dollar amount of the interest or the number of shares and the percentage of ownership.  For a "non-equity" interest (e.g., notes or bonds), give the value of the interest in dollars. 

4.  Any Conditions or Encumbrances on the Interest in this Business Entity.  Indicate where there are any conditions or encumbrances on the interest in the business entity.  For example, is your ownership interest in the business entity used as collateral to secure a loan?   

5.  How the Interest in This Business Entity was Acquired.  Only if the interest in this business entity was acquired during the reporting period (and subject to the exception listed in this part of the Schedule), state the name and address of the person or entity from whom the interest was acquired, the date it was acquired, whether it was acquired by purchase or some other means (e.g., gift or inheritance), and the amount paid or fair market value at the time of acquisition. 

6. Sale or other Transfer of the Interest in this Business Entity. Only if all or part of the interest in this business entity was sold or otherwise transferred during the reporting period, state the name and address of the person or entity to whom the interest was sold/transferred, the nature of the interest sold/transferred (e.g., equity/ownership interest), the amount of the interest that was sold/transferred (e.g., 50%), the nature of the consideration received for the sale/transfer (e.g., money), and the dollar value/amount of the consideration received for the sale/transfer (e.g., $1,000).  

Key Terms

  • An interest held by your spouse, parent, child, or sibling, if you directly or indirectly controlled that interest;
  • An interest held by any business entity in which, at any time during the reporting period
    • you held an equity interest of 30% or more; or
    • a family member held an equity interest of 30% or more, if you directly or indirectly controlled that family member’s interest; and
  • An interest held by any trust or estate in which, at any time during the reporting period, you: 
    • held a reversionary interest; 
    • were a beneficiary; or  
    • if a revocable trust, were a settlor.

Any person or entity engaged in business or other organized activity, whether for-profit or not-for-profit and regardless of form

  • “Business entity” includes, for example, any: 
    • corporation 
    • general or limited partnership
    • limited liability company
    • sole proprietorship. 
    • joint venture
    • unincorporated association or firm
    • real estate investment trust
    • institution, trust, foundation, or other organization

  • having or seeking one or a combination of contracts or other transactions with the City or with another person in connection with a contract between that other person and the City, that involves the commitment of $5,000 or more; 
  • being regulated by or subject to the authority of the City, any City agency, or any City official; or 
  • undertaking activities that require registration as a lobbyist. 

Any department, board, commission, council, authority, committee, office, or other unit of City government. 

Any:

  • spouse;
  • parent;
  • sibling; or
  • child, including an adopted child, stepchild, ward, or foster child, regardless of age. 

Ownership of:

  • more that 3% of a business entity; or
  • securities of any kind that represent or are convertible into ownership of more than 3% of a business entity; or
  • an interest as a result of which the owner:
    • received more than $1,000 in any of the preceding 3 calendar years; or
    • is entitled to receive more than $1,000 in the current or any later calendar year. 

The transfer of any thing or any service of economic value, regardless of the form, without adequate, identifiable, and lawful consideration.

  • “Gift” does not include political contributions that are regulated under state law. 

Any legal or equitable economic interest, whether or not subject to an encumbrance or a condition, that was owned or held, in whole or in part, jointly or severally, directly or indirectly, at any time during the reporting period.

  • “Interest” does not include:
    • an interest held in the capacity of a personal representative, agent, custodian, fiduciary, or trustee, unless the holder has an equitable interest in the subject matter;
    • an interest in a time or demand deposit in a financial institution (e.g., checking account, savings account, or certificate of deposit);
    • an interest in an insurance policy, endowment policy, or annuity contract under which an insurer promises to pay a fixed amount of money, either in a lump sum or periodically for life or some other specified period;
    • an interest in a common trust fund or a trust that forms part of a pension or profit-sharing plan that:
      • has more than 25 participants; and
      • has been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be a qualified trust under § 401 or § 501 of the Internal Revenue Code; or
    • a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund that is publicly traded on a national scale, unless the mutual fund or exchange-traded fund is composed primarily of holdings of stocks and interests in a specific sector or area that is regulated by the public servant's agency.  

Any individual or business entity

A dwelling that:

  • is used as a person’s principal or primary home; and 
  • is actually occupied by that person for more than 6 months of a 12-month period. 

  •  January 1 through December 31 of the immediately preceding calendar year; or 
  • any additional period for which a disclosure statement is required. 

  • any gift with a value of more than $20; and
  • any gift in a series of gifts with a cumulative value of $100 or more given by or on behalf of the same person during the reporting period.
  • “Significant gift” does not include any of the following, regardless of value:
    • a gift from a family member;
    • a campaign contribution that is otherwise reported as required by law; or
    • tickets or free admission given to an elected official to attend a specific charitable, cultural, or political event, if given by the person sponsoring or conducting the event as a courtesy or ceremony to the office.

Holding an equity interest of 30% or more in a business entity.