#small-business
Financial management strategies and tools for small business owners
Section 197 requires buyers in a taxable asset acquisition to amortize acquired intangibles — goodwill, customer lists, workforce in place, covenants not to compete — straight-line over 180 months. This guide walks through Form 8594 purchase price allocation, the anti-churning rules for related-party deals, the no-loss rule on dispositions, and Form 4562 reporting across the full 15-year cycle.
Section 199A's 20% QBI deduction phases out entirely for high-income doctors, lawyers, consultants, and other specified service trades or businesses (SSTBs) — costing a married surgeon at $700,000 of K-1 income roughly $52,000 a year. This guide covers the 2026 income thresholds (~$394,600 MFJ phase-in, ~$544,600 fully phased out), the de minimis safe harbor at 10% / 5% of receipts, the anti-"crack and pack" rules under Reg. §1.199A-5(c)(2), and practical strategies like defined-benefit plans and W-2 wage planning to preserve the deduction.
Section 199A's SSTB rule denies the 20 percent qualified business income deduction to high-earning doctors, lawyers, consultants, and financial advisors. In 2026 the joint-filer phase-out runs from $403,500 to $553,500, and OBBBA added a permanent $400 minimum deduction for active business owners.
Section 263A forces producers and resellers above the $32 million 2026 gross-receipts threshold to capitalize warehouse rent, purchasing, and mixed service costs into inventory. Here is how the exemption, simplified methods, and Form 3115 method changes actually work.
How U.S. states divide multistate corporate income using single sales factor, three-factor, and market-based sourcing rules — including throwback and throwout traps, P.L. 86-272 limits, and the bookkeeping detail required to file accurately.
A statutory notice of deficiency gives a small business owner exactly 90 days to petition the U.S. Tax Court — the only path to challenge an IRS adjustment without paying first. This guide explains CP3219A, the Section 6213 deadline, the $50,000 small tax case election, and the records that decide outcomes.
A Statutory Notice of Deficiency gives a small business 90 days to petition the U.S. Tax Court before the IRS assesses additional tax. This guide explains the CP3219A deadline, Form 5564 waiver, S-case election, and the four realistic responses every owner should weigh.
How U.S. shareholders of foreign corporations are taxed on undistributed profits in 2026: the 10 percent threshold, Section 958 constructive ownership, Form 5471 filing duties, and the OBBBA rewrite that replaced GILTI with Net CFC Tested Income (NCTI).
A practical 2026 playbook for small businesses using a Treasury-bill ladder to earn ~3.66% on idle operating cash, capture the state and local tax exemption on Treasury interest, and keep the bookkeeping clean.
A practical guide for small employers comparing the three IRS safe harbor 401(k) formulas — basic match, enhanced match, and 3% nonelective — alongside QACA auto-enrollment rules, SECURE 2.0 startup and contribution tax credits, notice deadlines, and the vesting and bookkeeping details that decide whether ADP, ACP, and top-heavy testing actually go away.
CMMC 2.0 took effect November 10, 2025, and Level 2 third-party assessments begin November 10, 2026. A practical guide to scope, cost ($80K–$250K over three years), the 14 control families, the POA&M rule, and a 90-day path for small DoD contractors.
A practical guide to the three audits every cost-reimbursable federal contractor faces — the SF 1408 pre-award accounting system survey, daily timekeeping compliance, and the Incurred Cost Submission due six months after fiscal year-end — with a 90-day preparation plan and the five most common audit findings.
