Plain-text accounting insights, tutorials, and updates from the Beancount.io team.
Key person life insurance pays the company, not the family, when a founder, rainmaker, or specialist dies. IRC Section 101(j) makes the death benefit taxable unless written notice and consent are completed before the policy issues — a step most small businesses skip, turning a $1M tax-free benefit into roughly $600K–$700K after tax.
At the May 2026 reset, Series I Savings Bonds pay a 4.26% composite rate — a 0.90% fixed rate locked for 30 years plus a 3.34% annualized inflation rate — with state-tax exemption and a $10,000-per-SSN annual cap. A practical guide to where I bonds fit in personal and small-business cash strategy, including LLC entity-account stacking, the 12-month lock and 5-year penalty, and the education-exclusion rules.
On February 12, 2026, the FTC removed its 2024 non-compete ban from the Code of Federal Regulations, but pivoted to case-by-case Section 5 enforcement and consent orders against employers like Rollins. With California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and other states tightening their own rules, a single national non-compete template is now a compliance hazard. This guide maps the state landscape and lays out a five-step plan for employers.
Foreign owners of US single-member LLCs must file Form 5472 by April 15, 2026, even with zero revenue. A capital contribution as small as $1 triggers the requirement, and a missed filing carries a $25,000 minimum penalty plus uncapped $25,000 continuation fees every 30 days after IRS notice.
Section 1042 of the IRC lets a C-corporation owner selling shares to an ESOP defer federal capital gains tax indefinitely — and potentially eliminate it through step-up at death. This guide covers the five qualifying conditions, what counts as Qualified Replacement Property, the floating-rate-note diversification strategy, and the trade-offs founders should weigh against a strategic sale.
US OBBBA's 0.5% AGI floor and 35% cap hit in 2026 — how donor-advised fund bunching still clears the federal charitable hurdle.
S&P forecasts a 15–20% rise in cyber insurance premiums for 2026 after a 126% jump in ransomware incidents. A guide to the controls underwriters now require, typical small business pricing ($1,000–$7,500 for $1M of coverage), and the exclusions behind the 40%+ claim denial rate.
ASC 842 requires private companies to capitalize nearly every lease longer than 12 months as a right-of-use asset and a lease liability. This guide walks through the five-criteria classification test, the six-step calculation, the risk-free rate and short-term lease expedients, and the audit findings that most often trigger restatements.
An IRS-compliant accountable plan lets S-Corp owners reimburse home office, 72.5¢/mile, internet, and travel tax-free, converting personal spending into
SECURE 2.0 lets the beneficiary of a 529 plan roll up to $35,000 of unused college savings into a Roth IRA tax-free and outside Roth income limits, provided the account is 15+ years old, contributions are 5+ years seasoned, and the beneficiary has earned income. This guide walks through the five federal tests, the state tax clawbacks that can erase the benefit, and a clean five-year execution plan.
A record 6% of 401(k) participants took a hardship withdrawal in 2025. This guide compares hardship withdrawals, plan loans, and SECURE 2.0 penalty-free distributions—with the actual tax math, deemed-distribution traps, and a decision framework for when to tap retirement funds.
A practical playbook for building a 13-week rolling cash flow forecast using the direct method—how to model receipts, disbursements, and weekly variance so small businesses spot liquidity gaps four to twelve weeks before they hit.
