#california

California

California business regulations and tax considerations

June 4, 202612 min read

State EPR Packaging Laws Are Now a P&L Line Item: The 2026 Compliance Playbook for CPG Brands, Shopify Sellers, and Amazon FBA Operators

Six U.S. states now enforce Extended Producer Responsibility laws for packaging, with fee invoices arriving in 2025 and 2026. Here is how California SB 54, Oregon's Recycling Modernization Act, and Colorado's HB22-1355 reshape CPG brand P&L, plus the SKU-level bill of materials, ship-to-state allocation, and inventoriable vs. SG&A accounting treatment required for clean 2026 filings.

Mike Thrift

compliancesustainabilityesg

May 18, 202615 min read

California Proposition 19 and the End of the Old Parent-Child Property Tax Bargain: A 2026 Guide for Heirs of California Real Estate

How California's Proposition 19 replaced Section 63.1 for parent-child transfers after February 16, 2021 — the family home and farm rules, the one-year occupancy requirement, the BOE-19-P and BOE-266 filings, the $1,044,586 value cap floor, and the step-up-basis trade-off that determines whether to gift during life or transfer at death.

Mike Thrift

real-estateestate-planningtax

May 16, 202612 min read

California AB5 and the ABC Test: Classifying Workers, Using the B2B Exemption, and Surviving an EDD Audit

A working guide to California AB5, the three-prong ABC test, the Borello and business-to-business exemptions, and EDD audit exposure that can reach $25,000 per willful misclassification — plus a practical compliance workflow for small businesses.

Mike Thrift

californiaindependent-contractorcompliance

May 10, 202612 min read

California SB 253 and SB 261: The 2026 Climate Disclosure Compliance Playbook

California SB 253 and SB 261 require companies with $500M+ revenue doing business in California to disclose Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and publish TCFD-aligned climate risk reports. The first SB 253 emissions report is due August 10, 2026 — here is who is in scope, what to file, and how to prepare.

Mike Thrift

californiaesgsustainability

November 16, 202511 min read

How to Start a Business in California: Your Complete 2025 Guide

Navigate the complexities of starting a business in California with this comprehensive guide, detailing every essential step from crafting a business plan to legal establishment.

Mike Thrift

businessentrepreneurshipcalifornia

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