Baltimore's New Security Guard Wage Law: What It Means for Your Payroll and Books
Baltimore's ordinance sets a roughly $18/hour wage plus $5.50 benefits floor for security guards from January 1, 2028 — payroll taxes don't count toward it.
Blog
Plain-text accounting insights, tutorials, and updates from the Beancount.io team.
Airwallex Takes On Stripe Billing: What Free Multi-Currency Billing Means for Your Business
Airwallex bundles billing at no added cost while Stripe Billing charges 0.7% of subscription volume — but the FX spread, 0.4–0.7 points wider, costs more.
Year-End Giving Season: How Your Nonprofit Can Handle the December Donation Surge
About a third of US giving lands in December. The IRS requires a written acknowledgment for gifts of $250 or more, and the postmark sets the gift's tax year.
UAE Small Business Relief Ends After 2026: Your Company's Final Election, the Loss-Year Trap, and the 9% Math Ahead
UAE Small Business Relief ends for tax periods after December 31, 2026 — elect it on your final return, but skip it in a loss year to keep the carryforward.
Tech E&O Insurance: What Software Developers and IT Consultants Are Actually Covered For
Tech E&O insurance pays your legal defense and damages when buggy code, bad advice, or missed deadlines cost a client money — solo policies run $60–$110/month.
Switching 401(k) Providers? The Blackout Notice You Owe Participants
Switching 401(k) recordkeepers freezes accounts — ERISA requires a blackout notice 30 to 60 days ahead, or the DOL can assess $173 per participant per day.
Sheep Farm Bookkeeping: Breeding Flock vs. Market Lambs, Wool Checks, and the Enterprise Budget That Tells You If Ewes Pay
Cull ewes held over 12 months qualify for Section 1231 gain on Form 4797 — not Schedule F — skipping self-employment tax.
Selling the Family Business to Your Children Without Handing the IRS a Second Payday
An IRS Section 453 installment sale spreads the gain across your retirement, while $19,000 annual gifts and 20-40% valuation discounts move value tax-free.
SBA Express Loans, Explained: $500,000 With a 36-Hour SBA Turnaround
SBA Express lends up to $500,000 with a 36-hour SBA response and a 50% guarantee — faster than standard 7(a), but lenders set a higher credit bar.
SaaS Price Localization: How PPP Tiers, Local Currency, and Regional Payments Lift Global Conversion
PPP pricing bands, local-currency checkout, and regional rails like Pix and UPI can lift emerging-market conversion 30 percent without discounting US plans.
The Real Cost of Returns: How Refunds, Restocking Fees, and Reverse Logistics Quietly Eat E-Commerce Margins
A single return costs 20-65% of the item's value. US sellers cut the loss with tiered fees, exchanges-first policies, and ASC 606 refund accounting.
QSEHRA for Small Employers: Reimburse Employee Health Premiums Tax-Free Without a Group Plan
A QSEHRA lets employers under 50 FTEs reimburse individual health premiums tax-free — up to $6,450 self-only in 2026, with the IRS 90-day notice filed.