#payments

Payments

Manage payment processing, tracking, and reconciliation efficiently

170 postsView all tags Back to All Posts

August 15, 202617 min read

The Federal 1099-K Threshold Is $20,000 Again — But Your State May Still Require One at $600: A State-by-State Guide for Online Sellers and Gig Platforms

Federal 1099-K filing reverted to $20,000 and more than 200 transactions for 2026, but Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, Virginia, DC, Montana and North Carolina still require it at $600 — learn which states keep the lower threshold, how payment-card and TPSO rules differ, and how to book gross, fees, and sales tax so your books tie to every form you receive.

Mike Thrift

taxtax-complianceirs-reporting

August 15, 202615 min read

The New 1% Remittance Transfer Tax: What Small Businesses Paying Overseas Contractors Need to Know in 2026

Since January 1, 2026, cash-funded remittance transfers sent abroad are subject to a 1% federal excise tax collected by providers and reported on Form 720. This guide explains what triggers the tax, which bank-funded transfers are exempt, and how small businesses should record the tax, fees, and contractor payments.

Mike Thrift

taxtax-compliancesmall-business

August 14, 202611 min read

App Store Payout Reconciliation: Why Your Take-Home Is ~60% Below Gross Revenue

App-store payouts land roughly 60% below sticker price after VAT, store commission, refunds, tax withholding, and currency conversion. This guide traces each deduction from gross sales to the bank deposit and lays out a 30-minute monthly reconciliation workflow for indie developers.

Mike Thrift

reconciliationindie-hackersbookkeeping

August 14, 202616 min read

Micro-SaaS and API Bookkeeping: Usage-Based Billing, Processor Reconciliation, and Why 70% Margins Still Need Real Books

Micro-SaaS and API businesses at 70%+ gross margins still need accrual accounting — how to structure hybrid subscription-plus-overage and credit-pack billing, reconcile Stripe and Merchant of Record payouts to gross revenue, and keep deferred revenue, COGS, and processor fees audit-ready.

Mike Thrift

saasbookkeepingreconciliation

August 14, 202616 min read

PayPal's Bank Transfer Fee Jumps 51% on August 1: How to Rebudget Your Invoices Before You Pay More

PayPal's instant transfer fee rises from 0.99% to 1.50% on August 1, 2026 — a 51% increase. Learn what it costs on real invoice sizes, when instant is still worth it, and how to rebudget recurring invoices and book gross versus net correctly.

Mike Thrift

small-businessbookkeepingcash-flow

August 14, 202613 min read

Xero's $2.5 Billion Melio Deal: What Bundled Bill Pay Means for Your AP Workflow in 2026

Xero will acquire Melio for $2.5B plus up to $500M earn-out; Melio processed $30B in payments with 80,000 customers — bundling bill pay into accounting software promises fewer logins and tighter approvals, but adds card fees and FX spreads that need separate bookkeeping.

Mike Thrift

xeroaccounting-softwareaccounts-payable

August 13, 20263 min read

FV Bank Becomes the First US-Chartered Bank to Offer Stablecoin Settlement: What the 2026 Unified Fintech Platform Means for Small Businesses

FV Bank launched a unified fintech platform June 18, 2026 — stablecoin settlement, digital asset custody, and programmable payments in one regulated US bank. Learn how USDT/USDC/PYUSD direct deposits work.

Mike Thrift

small-businessfintechbanking

August 13, 20264 min read

Mastercard's Specialty Merchant Registration Overhaul, Explained: What the $1,000 Fee Plus Per-Transaction Charges Mean for High-Risk Merchants in 2026

Mastercard doubled the specialty merchant registration fee to ~$1,000 May 1 2026, plus $0.02 per transaction and 0.10% of sales weekly. Learn who is covered and how to stay off the program.

Mike Thrift

small-businesspaymentscompliance

August 13, 20266 min read

Square vs. Shopify POS vs. Clover vs. Helcim: How Small Businesses Should Actually Choose a POS in 2026

Square is free and simple, Shopify wins for ecommerce, Clover lets you choose a processor, Helcim is interchange-plus. Learn the fee, hardware, and bookkeeping differences that decide the right POS in 2026.

Mike Thrift

small-businesspoint-of-salepayments

August 12, 202613 min read

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.

Mike Thrift

tax-compliancefinancesmall-business

August 4, 20268 min read

Nacha's 2026 ACH Fraud Monitoring Rule: What Every Business Must Do

Nacha's Phase 2 ACH fraud monitoring rule took effect June 19, 2026, requiring nearly every business that originates ACH payments to run a documented, risk-based fraud monitoring process covering account ownership verification, change monitoring, anomaly detection, and audit trails.

Mike Thrift

paymentsfraud-preventionfraud-detection

August 4, 20269 min read

New York's 2026 Cash Acceptance Law: Penalties, Exceptions, and Compliance Guide

New York's General Business Law § 396-ii took effect March 21, 2026, requiring statewide retailers and restaurants to accept cash and barring cash surcharges, with civil penalties up to $1,000 for a first violation and $1,500 for each one after.

Mike Thrift

small-businesspaymentspoint-of-sale

Start Free→Documentation