#compliance
Navigate regulatory compliance and maintain audit-ready financial records
The FTC's 2026 Clayton Act Section 8 thresholds are $54,402,000 in capital, surplus, and undivided profits and $5,440,200 in competitive sales. With regulators now counting board observers, investment funds, and LLCs, here is a practical checklist for VC- and PE-backed boards to spot illegal interlocking directorates.
In July 2026 the FTC mailed $2.7 million in refund checks to 62,893 Handy Technologies gig workers after finding that over 90% of them earned $20+ less than the advertised "up to $45/hour" rate. Here is what the settlement requires, why "up to" earnings claims are now an FTC enforcement priority, and how to reconcile advertised pay against actual payout data in your own books.
GAO report GAO-26-107828 found the SBA froze nearly all AI work in March 2025 and took six years to publish its legally required AI use-case inventory. Here's what AI-assisted market research, proposal screening, and fraud detection mean for federal contractors and SBIR/STTR awardees — and the records to keep now.
On October 1, 2026, Greece's myDATA e-invoicing mandate extends to every Greek-established business, and non-compliant invoices carry a penalty of 50% of the VAT involved. US companies aren't required to file through myDATA, but their Greek customers' input-VAT credits now depend on clean digital reporting — here's who's in scope, what changes for cross-border invoices, and a practical checklist.
How a sightseeing helicopter operator's books differ from other small businesses — Part 91.147 vs. Part 135 certificates drive $5–25M liability premiums, helicopters depreciate over 5 years under MACRS only if business use stays above 50%, weather cancellations complicate ASC 606 deferred revenue, and NYC's December 2029 Stage 3 noise ban turns non-compliant airframes into an asset-impairment problem today.
Idaho's HB 583, effective July 1, 2026, bans cities from requiring STR licenses, owner-occupancy, night caps, or mandatory property managers — but hosts must still register with the State Tax Commission and remit lodging taxes on stays of 30 days or fewer.
Illinois' attorney general settled with staffing app GigSmart for roughly $95,000 after finding 479 workers misclassified as independent contractors — denied overtime, minimum wage, and Illinois' four-hour minimum shift pay. Here's the ABC test regulators apply, why client businesses can share joint-employer liability, and the labor-cost records that protect you.
Minnesota AG Keith Ellison and four other states settled with John Deere on July 8, 2026, forcing 10 years of dealer-equivalent repair access for farmers and independent shops. Here's what dealer-locked equipment costs small businesses beyond agriculture, and how to budget preventive maintenance instead of absorbing emergency repair markups.
Massachusetts's House passed the Secure Choice Savings Program 148-2 on July 8, 2026, mandating auto-enrollment Roth IRAs for employers with 25+ workers — 6% default contributions, $250-per-employee penalties, and a qualifying-plan exemption small businesses can use to opt out entirely.
Minnesota's HB 4188 redefines 'arranging' small-dollar and short-term consumer loans to include marketing, lead generation, underwriting, and collections. Starting August 1, 2026, lead generators, affiliates, and referral partners handling loans of $1,300 or less may need a Regulated Loan license — Connecticut has already fined an unlicensed mortgage lead generator $50,000 under a similar regime.
Missouri's HB 974, signed July 2, 2025 and effective January 1, 2026, applies the NAIC Insurance Data Security Model Law to nearly every insurance licensee in the state — requiring a written security program, annual risk assessments, an incident response plan, vendor oversight, and breach notification to regulators within four business days.
The NFIP's authority to issue and renew flood insurance expires September 30, 2026 unless Congress reauthorizes it. During a lapse, existing policies stay in force and claims are still paid, but no new or renewal policies can be written — a risk for small businesses closing on property, refinancing, or renewing coverage in flood zones. Here's what happens in a lapse and how to prepare.
