#finance
Finance
Essential finance concepts and practical insights for modern accounting
Auction House Bookkeeping: How the Buyer's Premium Becomes Revenue While the Hammer Price Stays a Liability You Owe the Consignor
An auction house that books the hammer price as revenue will overstate sales by 4× and create an IRS mismatch. Learn how the buyer's premium is revenue, the hammer is a liability, and how to settle and 1099 the consignor correctly.
B2B Buy Now, Pay Later for Suppliers: How Inflation Is Pushing Small Businesses Toward Deferred-Payment Financing on Purchase Orders
B2B buy now, pay later is moving from consumer checkout to supplier invoices. Learn how B2B BNPL on purchase orders works, what it costs vs. traditional terms, and the bookkeeping that keeps deferred payments visible.
Backup Withholding in 2026: When 24% Applies, How to Avoid It With Valid W-9s, and the CP2100 Notice Response
Backup withholding is 24% flat on reportable payments when the TIN is missing or the CP2100 says it is wrong — cured by a W-9 before payment and two B-notices within 15 business days, reported on Form 945.
How Barter Exchanges Report on Form 1099-B in 2026: Valuation, Trade Dollars, and the $600 Threshold
Barter exchanges file Form 1099-B for members with $600+ in trade dollars. Learn how barter income is valued at FMV, when trade dollars are taxable, and how to book barter without double-counting.
Do You Still Need to File a Beneficial Ownership Report? FinCEN's 2026 Rule Change and the New York LLC Transparency Act, Explained
FinCEN removed BOI reporting for domestic U.S. companies in 2026 while New York created its own transparency act for LLCs. Learn who still files where, deadlines, and the $500 daily penalty that still applies.
Brazil's MEI Revenue Cap Could Jump From R$81,000 to R$140,000: What Lula's 2026 Microentrepreneur Reform Bill Means for Freelancers
Brazil's government proposed raising the MEI revenue limit from R$81,000 to R$140,000 in 2026. Learn what the reform means for freelancers, the DAS tax, and when a microentrepreneur should migrate to Simples Nacional.
The California LLC Franchise Tax at $800/Year: Why Dissolving in December Still Owes January 1
California's $800 LLC franchise tax is due for any year the LLC exists on January 1. Learn why December dissolutions still owe, the short-year trap, and how to time formation and cancellation.
California's 2026 Privacy Law Now Covers Your Payroll: What the CRD's Expanded Pay Data Reporting Template Means for Employers
California's expanded pay data reporting template for 2026 adds contractor and privacy-covered fields. Learn what CRD now requires, the May filing deadline, and the payroll bookkeeping that keeps the report from becoming a $10K penalty.
California's Wildfire Insurance Crisis Just Got New Rules: What SB 547's Non-Renewal Moratorium Means for Commercial Property Owners
California's SB 547 imposes a non-renewal moratorium after wildfires for commercial property. Learn what the moratorium covers, how long it lasts, and the documentation that keeps a small business insured.
Candle and Soap Maker Bookkeeping: Turning Wax, Fragrance, and Lot Numbers Into an IRS-Defensible COGS When a CPSC Recall Hits Your Batch
Candle and soap makers turn wax and fragrance into COGS by lot, not by month. Learn how to build batch costing with lot numbers, track WIP and finished goods, and keep a recall-ready ledger that proves which batch went to which customer.
Candle and Soap Making Bookkeeping: Batch Costing Wax, Fragrance, and Lye, Inventory Shrinkage From Testing, and Pricing a Handmade Product Above the Craft-Fair Discount Trap
Candle and soap makers lose margin to untracked shrinkage from testing and giveaways. Learn batch costing by wax and fragrance, how to value WIP, and pricing that covers the craft-fair discount that eats profit.
The Cash Balance Pension Plan, Explained: How Business Owners Who've Maxed Out a 401(k) Can Shelter $150,000–$290,000 More a Year
A cash balance plan stacked on a 401(k) can let a business owner 50+ shelter $150,000–$290,000 a year. Learn how the hybrid defined-benefit plan works, who qualifies, and the contribution and PBGC math most advisors skip.