Illinois Freelance Worker Protection Act: What Hiring Businesses Must Put in Writing
Illinois FWPA: freelance deals of $500+ (aggregated over 120 days) need a written contract and payment within 30 days — or owe double damages plus fees.
Mike Thrift
Marketing Manager
IRS2Go Is Gone: What the New IRS App Means for Your Refunds, Payments, and Tax Records
The IRS app replaced IRS2Go on Sept. 25, 2026: sign in to check refunds, pay balances, pull transcripts and your IP PIN — business accounts stay on IRS.gov.
The IRS Doesn't Need Your Books to Audit You: How Examiners Reconstruct Cash-Business Income
With missing records, the IRS rebuilds income from bank deposits, net worth, markup and unit volume — reconciled books keep the audit on specific items.
IRS Letter 12C: Why Your Return Is On Hold and How to Respond in 20 Days
IRS Letter 12C is a processing hold, not an audit — fax or mail the requested forms within 20 days and skip Form 1040-X; refunds follow in 6–8 weeks.
2026 IRS Mileage Rate Midyear Change: How to Split Your Deduction
The IRS raised the 2026 business mileage rate from 72.5 to 76 cents for miles driven from July 1 — date every log entry or you cannot prove the higher rate.
Juice Bar and Smoothie Shop Bookkeeping: Track Produce Spoilage per Ingredient to Protect Your Margins
A 70% smoothie margin can be 45% after spoilage. Log waste per ingredient, cost recipes on yielded produce, and book abnormal loss outside COGS.
Lost Track of an Old 401(k)? How the DOL's Lost and Found Database Reunites You With Forgotten Money
The DOL's Lost and Found database lets workers search for forgotten 401(k)s by SSN — $2.1 trillion sits unclaimed. Here's how to search and claim yours.
The PACA Trust: How Produce Sellers Get Paid First When a Buyer Goes Bankrupt
Under 7 U.S.C. 499e(c), unpaid produce sellers are paid from a buyer's trust assets before other creditors — if terms stay ≤30 days and notice is timely.
Podcast Studio Rental Bookkeeping: Price Your Hourly Rate From Real Costs
Price podcast studio rentals from fixed costs, Section 179 depreciation and 25–40% first-year utilization, not competitor rates — then book each revenue stream.
Pricing a Tiny Home Build So It Actually Makes Money: The True-COGS Playbook
Price a tiny home from true COGS: burdened labor at 1.35x wages plus overhead turns a $40,000 quote into a 4% job; a 40% margin needs about $58,000.
AI Close Agents Draft Your Month-End Books — How to Review and Sign Off Safely
Puzzle AI Close drafts reconciliations and schedules; one firm closes by business day 4. Your approval is now the control — use this 6-step sign-off checklist.
Real Estate Wholesaling in 2026: Assignment Fees, State Disclosure Laws, and Bookkeeping for Deals That Never Close in Your Name
Wholesale assignment fees are IRS ordinary income on Schedule C plus 15.3% SE tax, and 2026 state disclosure laws can void deals missing written notice.