#finance
Essential finance concepts and practical insights for modern accounting
Purchase-based cash back, points, and miles are non-taxable rebates that reduce your deductible expense — but referral bonuses, no-purchase sign-up bonuses, and bank account bonuses are taxable income reported on 1099-MISC, now only when $2,000 or more from one payer in 2026 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Noncash gifts over $500 require Form 8283 and over $5,000 require a qualified appraisal — and every single gift of $250 or more needs a contemporaneous acknowledgment letter before the return is filed.
Corporate card and expense platforms in 2026 now auto-match receipts via OCR, enforce spend controls at authorization, and sync to your books — with free tiers funded by interchange and paid plans at $5–$15 per user unlocking advanced approvals and ERP mapping.
Business credit is not one score but three bureaus plus FICO SBSS. Learn how PAYDEX, Intelliscore Plus, and Equifax Risk scores work, why the SBA sunset the mandatory SBSS for 7(a) small loans on March 1, 2026, and how to build all three profiles before you apply.
The FBI attributes over $3 billion in losses to business email compromise. Learn how BEC wire fraud works — vendor impersonation, CEO fraud, payroll diversion — and the verification controls that stop payments before they leave.
The CFPB's $8 late-fee rule was blocked in court. Now the bureau is revisiting late fees via an advance notice — 15-day grace, 25% of minimum, and tighter immunity. Learn what small businesses carrying balances should expect.
FICO will include BNPL loans in two new FICO Score 10 models this fall. Learn how on-time BNPL can lift thin files by 13-21 points, how missed BNPL now hurts, and what it means for the personal credit behind your next SBA or bank loan.
The SBA suspended 7,800 Wisconsin borrowers tied to $375M in suspected PPP/EIDL fraud — part of a $10B+ nationwide sweep. Learn what legitimate borrowers should verify now and how to respond if flagged.
Every used vehicle needs its FTC Buyers Guide on the window with one warranty box checked — and each VIN's ACV plus recon, floorplan curtailment, and F&I reserve must tie to the guide the deal delivered.
Agentic AI platforms like Wesley now promise to cut bookkeeping turnarounds from two weeks to under 24 hours for CPA firms. Learn what the agents actually draft, where human review still lives, and the controls that keep speed from becoming inaccuracy.
Three AI assistants promise to automate small business accounting in 2026. Learn how QuickBooks Intuit Assist, Xero JAX, and Zoho Zia differ on draft vs. post, audit trail, and the bookkeeping controls that keep AI from posting for you.
Argentina redesigned monotributo categories for 2026 with higher ceilings and fewer parameters. Learn the new category limits, what changes for freelancers invoicing in dollars, and the bookkeeping that keeps AFIP from recategorizing you mid-year.
