#small-business
Small Business
Financial management strategies and tools for small business owners
OSHA's Hazard Communication Deadline Moved to November 20, 2026: A Small Business Compliance Guide
OSHA's January 2026 rule moved the Hazard Communication compliance deadline for employers to November 20, 2026 for substances (May 19, 2028 for mixtures). Here's what small businesses must update — labels, training, and written HazCom programs — plus penalties up to $16,550 per serious violation and the 70% reduction now available to employers with up to 25 workers.
PCAOB Bars Auditor Jennifer Crofoot Over Skipped Engagement Quality Reviews: What It Teaches You About Vetting an Audit Firm
In December 2025 the PCAOB barred CPA Jennifer Crofoot for at least three years and fined Fruci & Associates $50,000 after four public-company audits were released without the mandatory engagement quality review under AS 1220. Here is what the second-reviewer requirement actually protects against, and five concrete questions to ask before relying on any firm's audit opinion.
PCAOB Bars Zwick CPA Over Fabricated Genie Energy Workpapers: What Audit Quality Failures Mean for Small Businesses
The PCAOB revoked Zwick CPA's registration and fined the firm $50,000 after finding its 2022 Genie Energy audit relied on the predecessor auditor's recycled workpapers with swapped names and fabricated documentation. With 61% aggregate deficiency rates at triennially inspected firms, here's how small businesses can vet the audits they rely on — and keep their own books diligence-ready.
Profit First for Small Businesses: How the Five-Account System Fixes Cash Flow
The Profit First method flips Sales − Expenses = Profit into Sales − Profit = Expenses, routing revenue through five bank accounts (Income, Profit, Owner's Pay, Tax, OpEx) on a twice-monthly cadence. This guide covers target allocation percentages by revenue band, the real-revenue calculation that trips up contractors, common failure patterns, and where the system's critics have a point.
The QBI Deduction Cliff in 2026: What Happens When Section 199A Expires and How Pass-Through Owners Model Life After the 20% Deduction
199A's 20% QBI deduction sunsets after 2025 as written — model the cliff by your actual capped deduction and marginal rate, revisit salary and retirement timing, and track W-2/UBIA for a retroactive extension.
QuickBooks Just Made Payroll Tax Withdrawals Automatic — Here's What It Does to Your Cash Flow
As of July 1, 2026, QuickBooks Online Payroll withdraws payroll tax funds the moment you run payroll — not on the IRS due date — with no opt-out. Here's who the change hits hardest, why the lost float matters, and five concrete steps to protect your cash flow.
How Small Businesses Can Tap the DOL's $162 Million Apprenticeship Funding in 2026
On July 7, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded $162 million to five industry sponsors that pass apprenticeship incentive payments directly to employers — including small businesses in maritime, AI infrastructure, telecom, IT, and auto repair. Here's who qualifies, how to join a group sponsor, which state tax credits stack on top, and how to book the payments correctly.
The Robinson-Patman Act Is Back: What a Wine Distributor's Antitrust Fight Means for Every Small Retailer
The FTC's December 2024 Robinson-Patman suit against Southern Glazer's — the first in decades to survive a motion to dismiss — revives a 1936 law barring suppliers from charging small retailers more than big chains for identical goods. What the Act covers, its cost-justification defenses, and the purchase records independent retailers should keep now.
Safe Harbor 401(k) Plans in 2026: How Small Businesses Skip Nondiscrimination Testing
A safe harbor 401(k) automatically passes IRS ADP/ACP nondiscrimination testing in exchange for a fixed employer contribution — a 3% nonelective or a match of up to 4%. Here's how the three formulas compare in cost, the December 1 retroactive adoption deadline, and the 2026 limits ($24,500 deferral, $72,000 total additions, mandatory Roth catch-ups for high earners).
The Section 122 Import Surcharge Expires July 24, 2026 — What Small Importers Should Do With the Week Left
The 10% Section 122 import surcharge expires automatically on July 24, 2026, when its 150-day statutory limit runs out — but expiration is not a refund, and Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs are already queued to replace it. Here's how small importers should tally what they paid, preserve refund rights, and model landed costs before the deadline.
Self-Serve Dog Wash Station Bookkeeping: Reconciling Unattended Revenue, Costing Per Wash, and Depreciating Equipment
A bookkeeping guide for unattended self-serve dog wash stations: how to reconcile coin and card revenue against machine counters, calculate a true cost per wash (roughly $3.50 against an $18–20 session price), classify shampoo and consumables as COGS, and depreciate $20,000–$30,000-per-bay equipment — including Section 179 timing and separating payment terminals from wash tubs in your fixed-asset register.
When Does a Senior Living Placement Agency Actually Earn Its Referral Fee? A Revenue Recognition Guide
Senior living placement agencies earn 70–80% of a resident's first month's rent — but only at move-in, and often subject to 30-day clawback clauses. This guide explains when to recognize referral fee revenue under ASC 606, how to book refund liabilities from your historical clawback rate, and which pipeline metrics predict cash flow.