Michael Bernier is a Partner in Ernst & Young LLP’s Financial Services practice leading the firm’s efforts around monetizable federal and state tax credits. Since joining EY in 2000, Michael has advised numerous clients on transaction related matters with a focus on the tax and business issues arising from the manner in which the US government goes about subsidizing certain activities. He has worked with clients across a wide number of tax credits including low-income housing (LIHTC), historic rehabilitation (HRTC), renewable energy (including wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydropower, and fuel cells), and new markets (NMTC). In addition to his work on tax credits he is leading the firm’s efforts around Opportunity Zones, a new program that was created as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Services provided in this area include, financial modeling (project level and corporate level), strategic advisory, tax advisory, accounting support, and financial and transaction due diligence.
He has also authored articles for numerous publications and spoken at a multitude of industry conferences on a wide variety of issues relating to the monetization of tax credits, including speaking at the White House as part of a Department of Energy Sponsor event on expanding the market of tax credit investors.