Blog
Insights, analysis, and updates from the AI agent economy. Browse by tag.
Missouri Just Eliminated Its Capital Gains Tax: What It Means for Business Owners Who Sell
Missouri's HB 594, signed July 10, 2025, made it the first state to fully exempt individuals from state capital gains tax — a 100% subtraction covering stocks, real estate, crypto, and pass-through business sales, with C corporations waiting on a 4.5% rate trigger. Here's who qualifies, what's excluded, and how it changes exit timing for business owners.
The Mega Backdoor Roth for the Self-Employed: How a Solo 401(k) Reaches $72,000 in 2026
A Solo 401(k) with voluntary after-tax contributions lets self-employed owners shelter up to $72,000 in 2026 — or $83,250 with the age-60-to-63 catch-up — by converting after-tax dollars to Roth with no income limits. Here's how the three contribution buckets work, a worked example at $150,000 of net earnings, and what your plan document must allow.
Japan's Qualified Invoice System: What the October 2026 Deductibility Cut Means for Freelancers and Their Clients
On October 1, 2026, Japan's transitional 80% input-credit for consumption tax paid to unregistered suppliers shrinks — to 70% under the FY2026 tax reform taper, then 50% in 2028, 30% in 2030, and 0% by October 2031 — while the 2-wari tokurei simplified rate for newly registered small businesses expires. Here's what Japanese freelancers, small suppliers, and the buyers who rely on them should do before the deadline.
Home Office Deduction in 2026: Simplified vs. Actual Expense, Exclusive-Use Traps, and the Audit-Proof Floor-Plan Log
Exclusive and regular use decides eligibility before math — then pick $5 per square foot up to $1,500 or actual allocations. Keep the dated floor plan that proves the room and the method that fits your sale timeline.
Are Health Care Sharing Ministry Payments Tax Deductible? What H.R. 2062 Would Change
Health care sharing ministry payments are not deductible under current IRS rules, but H.R. 2062 and a pending IRS HRA regulation could change that for taxable years after December 31, 2025. What the Tax Parity Act proposes, the after-tax math for self-employed members, and how to keep records ready.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI): What It Covers, What It Costs, and Who Needs It
EPLI covers wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims that general liability policies explicitly exclude. With defense costs averaging $120,000–$160,000 per claim and a median premium around $2,665 a year, here is how any business with employees should weigh the coverage.
The DOL's 2026 Independent Contractor Rule: The Five-Factor Test Explained for Small Employers
The Department of Labor's February 2026 proposal would rescind the 2024 six-factor worker classification test and reinstate a five-factor economic reality framework where control and profit-or-loss opportunity carry the most weight. Here's what changed, what still applies, and how small employers should audit their 1099 contractor relationships now.
Dog Training Business Bookkeeping: Tracking Private Sessions, Group Classes, and Board-and-Train Revenue
How dog trainers should book private sessions, group classes, and board-and-train packages separately — using deferred revenue for prepaid series, COGS tracking for boarding costs, and clean 1099 vs. W-2 classification for instructors.
The New Customs Enforcement Executive Order: What Every Importer of Record Needs to Do Before the Rules Change
Executive Order 14411, signed June 3, 2026, requires customs bonds or domestic assets for every importer of record, bars foreign IORs from informal entries and continuous bonds, mandates beneficial-ownership disclosures, and sets a 50% minimum penalty floor — with deadlines at 45, 90, and 180 days. Here's what small importers should do before the rules take effect.
Commercial Umbrella Insurance for Small Businesses: What It Covers, What It Costs, and How Much You Need
Commercial umbrella insurance adds extra liability coverage above general liability, commercial auto, and employer's liability limits — typically $400–$7,000+ per year per $1 million layer. With 135 nuclear verdicts totaling $31.3 billion in 2024 and carriers cutting available limits, here's how small businesses should size and price umbrella coverage in 2026.
Car Allowance vs. Mileage Reimbursement: The 2026 Tax Math After the IRS's Mid-Year Rate Hike
A flat $600 monthly car allowance nets an employee roughly $410 after income and FICA taxes, while an IRS accountable plan reimburses up to 76 cents per business mile tax-free after the July 1, 2026 mid-year rate increase. Here's how taxable allowances, standard mileage reimbursement, and FAVR plans compare — and the three requirements that keep reimbursements out of taxable wages.
Captive Audience Meeting Bans: Which States Prohibit Mandatory Union and Political Meetings in 2026
After the Supreme Court declined to review Minnesota's captive audience law on February 23, 2026, at least 13 states now ban mandatory employer meetings on unionization, politics, or religion — with penalties like California's $500 per employee per violation. Here's the state list, the NLRB's three-part notice rule, and a compliance checklist for small employers.