#compliance
Compliance
Navigate regulatory compliance and maintain audit-ready financial records
Debt Collection Agency Bookkeeping: Trust Accounts, Contingency Fees, and FDCPA Compliance
Debt collection agencies must hold client recoveries in a segregated trust account, recognize contingency fees only after collection, and run monthly three-way reconciliations of bank balance, book balance, and client ledger totals to avoid commingling violations and FDCPA compliance gaps.
The Duty Drawback Program: How Importers and Exporters Recover Up to 99% of Tariffs Paid
U.S. duty drawback refunds up to 99% of import duties when goods are re-exported or destroyed, and claims can reach back five years. Here's which tariffs qualify (Section 301, the 2026 Section 122 surcharge), which don't (Section 232), and the import records CBP requires to approve a claim.
Dynamic Currency Conversion: The Hidden 3-7% Checkout Fee and How to Account for It
Dynamic currency conversion (DCC) marks up foreign-card payments 3-7% above the interbank rate — sometimes 12-18% — and splits the revenue among DCC providers, acquirers, and merchants. Here is who profits, the Visa/Mastercard disclosure rules merchants must follow, and how to book DCC rebates and settlement variances separately from sales revenue.
FDD Item 19 Explained: Why 40% of Franchisors Skip Earnings Claims
About 40% of franchisors disclose no Item 19 earnings data in their FDD, and any verbal revenue claim outside that section is not legally enforceable — here's how to read what's disclosed and what to do when it isn't.
FEC Compliance Bookkeeping for Political Campaigns and PACs: A Treasurer's Guide
Unreconciled books — not fraud — are the most common way campaigns and PACs draw FEC scrutiny. A treasurer's guide to the $200 itemization threshold, 2025–2026 contribution limits ($3,500 per election to candidates), the 2026 filing calendar, what triggers an audit, and the double-entry bookkeeping practices that prevent RFAIs.
Why 'FDIC-Insured' Didn't Protect Synapse's Customers: A Business Owner's Guide to Fintech Deposit Risk
Synapse Financial Technologies' April 2024 bankruptcy trapped over $265 million belonging to more than 100,000 fintech customers, despite their funds sitting at FDIC-insured banks, because the middleware ledger tracking who owned what inside pooled "FBO" accounts fell apart — exposing a gap between deposit insurance and banking-as-a-service infrastructure that remains largely unclosed as of mid-2026.
FTC Fee Transparency Rules and NYC's 43% Delivery Cap: What Restaurants Need to Know in 2026
The FTC's April 2026 ANPRM targets hidden food-delivery fees while a new NYC law raises the cap on platform charges to restaurants from 23% to 43%. What each change means, why a $50 order can net $41 or $28.50 depending on fee tier, and how to record gross sales and platform fees correctly.
The FTC's 2026 Franchise Rule Overhaul: What New Earnings-Claim and Non-Disparagement Rules Mean for Franchisees
In 2026 the FTC is tightening enforcement of Item 19 earnings-claim disclosures and declaring non-disparagement clauses in franchise agreements void when they block communication with regulators — here's what franchisees and franchisors need to do about it.
FTC 'Made in USA' Warning Letters: A 2026 Compliance Guide for Small Manufacturers
Seven manufacturers received FTC warning letters on July 6, 2026 over unqualified "Made in USA" claims. This guide covers the "all or virtually all" standard under 16 CFR Part 323, the $53,088-per-violation penalty, qualified-claim wording, and the substantiation file every small manufacturer should keep.
H-2A and H-2B Visas in 2026: A Small Employer's Guide to Costs and Compliance
In 2026, DHS raised the H-2B cap to roughly 130,716 visas while H-2A per-worker costs run $8,000-$18,000 including wages, housing, and transportation, and small employers must track visa-program costs separately to survive a DOL wage-and-hour audit.
Home Health Agency Billing Under PDGM: How the 30-Day Payment Period and 5-Day NOA Deadline Determine What Medicare Pays
PDGM prices every home health claim in 30-day case-mix periods, docks roughly 1/30th of the period's payment per day for a late Notice of Admission, and switches to a flat per-visit rate if a period falls under its LUPA visit threshold.
HSA Comparability Rules: Why You Can't Pay Yourself More Than the Front Desk
Employer HSA contributions outside a Section 125 cafeteria plan must be identical across comparable employees, or the IRS imposes a 35% excise tax on the full contribution pool, not just the excess.