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Legal

Legal considerations for business finance and accounting compliance

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August 14, 202610 min read

Anyone Can File a Fake UCC Lien Against Your Business. Rhode Island's SB 3212 Just Changed the Rules.

Rhode Island's SB 3212, signed in June 2026, lets business owners remove fraudulent UCC filings through an administrative complaint, authorizes the Department of State to refuse suspicious filings, and requires misleading "annual report" solicitation letters to disclose that they are advertisements. The same defenses — quarterly UCC searches, entity-record checks, and fee verification — work in every state.

Mike Thrift

fraud-preventionbusinesslegal

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, 20263 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, 20263 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, 20262 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, 20263 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

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