#small-business
Financial management strategies and tools for small business owners
IRS and state auditors start with the gap between your POS Z report and your drawer count. Log paid-outs, deposit intact, book the rest to Cash Over and Short.
FRF for SMEs is the AICPA's accrual framework for owner-managed firms: amortized goodwill, no VIE analysis, no ASC 842. Check loan covenants first.
Hot sauce is an FDA acidified food, so most states bar it from home kitchens. Budget $500-$1,000 for process review and training before your first bottle.
Section 471(b) lets US retailers deduct estimated shrinkage without a year-end count — a three-year shrink-to-sales ratio times stub-period sales, on Form 3115.
IRS Free File is open to AGI of $89,000 or less for 2026, and Direct File is gone. Start at IRS.gov or your free return quietly becomes a paid one.
The IRS treats most joint ventures as partnerships: keep separate books, track capital accounts, and file Form 1065 by March 15.
Federal law requires jury-duty time off but no pay; 8 states plus DC mandate employer pay, and the FLSA bars docking exempt salaries.
Lemon laws cover work trucks in some US states but not others; use, weight, and fleet tests decide, and a Section 179 buyback triggers depreciation recapture.
Manufacturer coupons stay taxable because the vendor reimburses you; store coupons cut the base. US rules for BOGO, double coupons, and booking each.
The Marshall Islands exempts the first $8,320 of annual wages from withholding tax in 2026 — top rate 12%, plus 8% MISSA and 3.5% Health Fund employer matches.
The DOL expects certified mail, record checks, beneficiary contact, and free online searches — and IRS Rev. Rul. 2019-19 taxes a 401(k) check never cashed.
Mississippi's franchise tax falls to $0.50 per $1,000 of capital over $100,000 for 2026, then repeals in 2028 — S corps still owe it at the entity level.
