#consumer-protection
Consumer protection laws, unfair trade practices, and customer rights compliance
Banks tied roughly $27 billion in suspicious activity to elder financial exploitation in the year ending June 2023, per FinCEN. A practical guide for business owners — the five scams draining parents' accounts, the warning signs to watch in their finances, how to get read-only visibility without starting a family fight, and the bookkeeping rules that protect you if you end up holding the power of attorney.
Starting July 1, 2027, California's SB 919 requires franchise brokers to register annually with the DFPI, deliver a standardized disclosure document — including how they are paid — before pitching any franchise, and keep five years of auditable records. Here is what the law changes, why broker commissions of 40–50% of the franchise fee matter to buyers, and how to vet a broker before the rules take effect.
Since July 1, 2026, Washington homeowners can collect up to $25,000 of an unpaid contractor judgment from the state's Homeowner Recovery Program, after which L&I can pursue the contractor for reimbursement with interest on payment plans of up to 36 months. This guide explains the eligibility rules, the post-2024 bond levels of $30,000 general and $15,000 specialty, and how a residential contractor should log disputes, accrue probable losses under ASC 450, fund a separate cash reserve, and amortize a state repayment plan in a plain-text ledger.
Connecticut's S.B. 3 takes effect July 1, 2026: every business advertising to Connecticut must show an all-in price that includes all mandatory fees. Learn who must comply, the tax and shipping exceptions, how it compares to the FTC rule, and the bookkeeping checklist to align your price tags, POS, and ledger.
