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Small Business

Financial management strategies and tools for small business owners

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8 min read

PCAOB AS 1215: The New 14-Day Audit Documentation Deadline and What It Means for Small Firms

PCAOB AS 1215 cuts the audit documentation completion window from 45 days to 14 after the report release date. Large firms have complied since fiscal years beginning December 15, 2024; all other registered firms follow for fiscal years beginning December 15, 2025 — meaning most calendar-year 2026 audits are already covered. Here's who's affected, the mistakes firms keep making, and how small practices are adapting.

Mike Thrift

auditcompliancecpa
8 min read

The SAFE Banking Act Is Back in 2026: What Cannabis Operators Should Do While Congress Stalls

The SAFE Banking Act was reintroduced in June 2026 with bipartisan Senate and House sponsors, after passing the House seven times since 2019 and dying in the Senate each time. Roughly 70% of U.S. cannabis businesses still operate in cash, paying $2,000–$7,500 in monthly banking fees when they can find a bank at all. Here's what the bill would change, why it keeps failing, and how operators can protect themselves now with cannabis-friendly banks, reduced cash exposure, and audit-ready books under Section 280E.

Mike Thrift

cannabisbankingbusiness-banking
10 min read

Swift's Blockchain Ledger Goes Live: What Tokenized Deposits Mean for Small-Business Cross-Border Payments

On July 9, 2026, Swift announced its blockchain-based shared ledger for tokenized deposits is ready for live pilots with 17 banks including HSBC, Citi, UBS, and Wells Fargo — a move that could turn 3-5 day international wires into same-day, 24/7 transfers. Here's how tokenized deposits differ from stablecoins and CBDCs, and what small businesses paying overseas contractors and suppliers should do now.

Mike Thrift

fintechbankingpayments
7 min read

UCC-1 Financing Statements: The 5-Year Lapse, the Continuation Window, and the Stale Liens That Block Loans

A UCC-1 financing statement lapses exactly five years after filing unless the lender files a UCC-3 continuation within the six months before the lapse date — and paid-off liens that never get terminated can quietly block your next SBA loan. Here's how to search your own UCC record and clear stale filings before a lender finds them.

Mike Thrift

loanssmall-businessfinancing
8 min read

The $38 Billion Visa–Mastercard Swipe-Fee Settlement: What Small Businesses Can Now Surcharge, Decline, and Discount at the Register

In June 2026 a federal judge preliminarily approved the $38 billion Visa–Mastercard settlement, cutting average credit interchange by about 0.1 point for five years, capping standard consumer cards at 1.25% for eight years, and — with no sunset date — letting merchants surcharge by card type or decline premium card categories. Here is what the settlement permits, which states still ban or cap surcharging, and the network compliance checklist to follow before changing point-of-sale pricing.

Mike Thrift

paymentspoint-of-saleantitrust
7 min read

Washington, D.C. Sales Tax Rises to 7% on October 1, 2026: What It Means for Digital Goods and SaaS Sellers

Washington, D.C.'s general sales tax rate rises from 6% to 7% on October 1, 2026, and the District taxes digital goods and SaaS at the full rate with no B2B exemption. This guide covers the delayed Budget Support Act increase, D.C.'s $100,000/200-transaction economic nexus thresholds, and a five-step compliance checklist for invoices that straddle the rate change.

Mike Thrift

sales-taxsaasnexus
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