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Business Banking

Choose and manage business banking relationships

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16 min read

Credit Union vs. Bank for Small Business: Fees, Loan Rates, and the 12.25% Cap

Credit union business checking averages about $4.15 a month against $12 to $15 at large banks, overdrafts run roughly $26.61 versus $31.24, and new-auto rates sit near 5.44% versus 7.41% — but federal credit unions may lend only 12.25% of assets to member businesses, so facilities above $500,000 usually still route to banks. A line-by-line comparison of fees, approval odds, membership eligibility, and a 60-day parallel-account switch that does not miss payroll.

Mike Thrift

bankingbusiness-bankingsmall-business
9 min read

Should Your Point-of-Sale App Be Your Bank? A Small-Business Guide to Embedded Finance

Embedded finance grew from a $148 billion market in 2025 to roughly $197 billion in 2026, putting bank accounts, cards, and lending inside software like Shopify, Square, and Toast. Here's how these products work, what the 2024 Synapse collapse revealed about FDIC-insurance gaps, and a practical framework for splitting money between embedded products and a traditional bank.

Mike Thrift

fintechbankingbusiness-banking
7 min read

Business Savings Accounts in 2026: What Idle Cash Actually Costs You

With the Fed holding rates at 3.5%–3.75% through mid-2026, a business keeping $100,000 in a 0% checking account forgoes roughly $3,500–$4,000 a year. This guide compares top business savings APYs (Axos ~3.60%, Bluevine up to ~3.75%, Live Oak, Lili, Grasshopper), explains Insured Cash Sweep coverage beyond the $250,000 FDIC limit, and shows how to split operating, reserve, and surplus cash.

Mike Thrift

small-businessbusiness-bankingbanking
8 min read

The SAFE Banking Act Is Back in 2026: What Cannabis Operators Should Do While Congress Stalls

The SAFE Banking Act was reintroduced in June 2026 with bipartisan Senate and House sponsors, after passing the House seven times since 2019 and dying in the Senate each time. Roughly 70% of U.S. cannabis businesses still operate in cash, paying $2,000–$7,500 in monthly banking fees when they can find a bank at all. Here's what the bill would change, why it keeps failing, and how operators can protect themselves now with cannabis-friendly banks, reduced cash exposure, and audit-ready books under Section 280E.

Mike Thrift

cannabisbankingbusiness-banking
8 min read

Debanking in 2026: What the End of 'Reputational Risk' Means for Your Business Bank Account

Federal regulators eliminated "reputational risk" from bank supervision in 2026 — a joint OCC-FDIC rule effective June 9, an SBA lender audit, FTC warnings to payment processors, and new state disclosure laws now limit when banks can close accounts. Here's who remains exposed and what to do if your business account is frozen or terminated.

Mike Thrift

bankingbusiness-bankingsmall-business
10 min read

Commingling Personal and Business Funds: How One Bad Habit Kills Deductions, Invites Audits, and Pierces Your LLC Shield

Mixing personal and business money in one account can void your LLC's liability shield, get legitimate deductions disallowed for lack of substantiation under IRC Section 162, and turn a routine audit into a full transaction pull. Here's what commingling looks like, why courts and the IRS punish it, and a five-step cleanup plan.

Mike Thrift

small-businessllcliability-protection
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