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Legal

Legal considerations for business finance and accounting compliance

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August 14, 202614 min read

Small Business Bankruptcies Hit a Decade High: Why Subchapter V Filings Jumped 67% and What the $7.5 Million Debt Limit Fight Means for You

Business bankruptcies hit 24,737 filings in the year through December 2025 and Subchapter V cases jumped about 67% year-over-year in January 2026. This guide explains why filings are rising, how Subchapter V differs from traditional Chapter 11, what the $7.5 million versus $3 million debt limit fight means for eligibility, and the five-number dashboard that surfaces trouble months before a filing.

Mike Thrift

small-businessbankingfinancial-management

August 13, 20264 min read

Could Your AI Content Land Your Business in Court? Copyright, Hallucinations, and Disclosure Traps

AI content risks in 2026: copyright suits against AI trainers, hallucinated citations sanctioned by courts, and securities claims for overpromising AI.

Mike Thrift

small-businesslegaltechnology

August 13, 20264 min read

Knocking at the Fed's Door: What Executive Order 14267 and the FTC-DOJ Deregulation Lists Mean for Regulated Businesses

EO 14267 directed FTC and DOJ to identify anticompetitive regulations — they returned 125+ rules for review. What it changes and what it doesn't for compliance.

Mike Thrift

small-businesscompliancelegal

August 13, 20263 min read

Federal Policy in the 119th Congress: What CRS Says About the Fed's Four Responsibilities and Current Debates

CRS R48380 and 2025–26 reports frame Fed duties — monetary policy, bank regulation, payments, and lender of last resort — and 2026 oversight debates.

Mike Thrift

small-businesseconomylegal

August 13, 20263 min read

ISO Generative AI Exclusions Start Jan 1, 2026: What CG 40 47 Means for Your CGL Policy

Verisk/ISO CG 40 47, CG 40 48, CG 35 08 exclude generative AI losses from CGL from Jan 1 2026 — what is excluded and how to close the gap.

Mike Thrift

small-businessinsurancelegal

August 13, 20264 min read

New York Expanded Wage Theft Enforcement in 2026: Liens, Seizures, and Stop-Work Orders Employers Must Understand

Governor Hochul's FY2025-26 budget gave NYSDOL power to lien property, seize assets, and issue stop-work orders for unpaid wage-theft judgments — what it means for employers.

Mike Thrift

small-businesspayrollcompliance

August 13, 20264 min read

State Commercial Financing Disclosure Laws Keep Spreading: What Lenders and Brokers Must Disclose in 2026

California, New York, Utah, Florida and more now require cost disclosures for commercial loans, MCA and factoring — what triggers disclosure and how to comply.

Mike Thrift

small-businesscompliancelegal

August 13, 20264 min read

State Employee Data Privacy Laws Are Expanding in 2026: HR's New Risk Assessments and Notice Duties

From Jan 1 2026, CCPA requires HR data risk assessments and new state privacy laws in IN, KY, RI take effect — what HR must map, disclose and minimize.

Mike Thrift

small-businesscompliancelegal

August 13, 202613 min read

Used-Vehicle Dealer Compliance in 2026: FTC Buyers Guide, Warranty Disclosure, and the Inventory Costing That Keeps Gross Profit Honest

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.

Mike Thrift

compliancebusinessfinance

August 13, 20264 min read

Washington Bans Non-Competes Starting June 30, 2027: What ESHB 1155 Means for Past and Existing Agreements

Washington ESHB 1155 bans all non-competes from June 30 2027 — including existing agreements — with Oct 1 2027 notice and $5,000 penalty. What remains enforceable.

Mike Thrift

small-businesslegalcompliance

August 5, 20268 min read

Independent Contractor Misclassification: Why One Parking-Spot Company Paid $6 Million and What the 2026 DOL Rules Mean for Your Hiring

Contractor misclassification can cost over $100,000 per worker. Learn how the 2026 DOL rules tighten classification requirements and why industries from delivery services to healthcare tech are facing major reclassification lawsuits.

Mike Thrift

payrollsmall-businesshiring

August 5, 20269 min read

Kentucky HB 185: How the New Occupational License Predetermination Law Affects Small Business Hiring

Kentucky's HB 185, in effect statewide since July 15, 2026, lets applicants with a conviction history request a binding predetermination from a licensing board before paying for training, and bars boards from treating any felony as automatically disqualifying — a change that directly affects the labor pool for small businesses hiring cosmetologists, HVAC techs, real estate agents, and other licensed trades.

Mike Thrift

small-businesshiringcompliance

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