Persistent economic uncertainty, changing interest rates, market volatility, and concerns about long-term returns have pushed many investors to look beyond publicly traded securities for growth opportunities. Increasingly, that search is leading to private markets.

Economists sometimes describe this environment as “labor equilibrium.” In economic terms, a labor market is in equilibrium when the supply of labor and employers’ demand for labor are broadly aligned. According to recent data, employers may now have more flexibility to hire thoughtfully, control labor costs and build stronger teams.

Most business owners rely on backward-looking financials that tell them where they have been, not where they are going. A cash flow forecast fills that gap by projecting future inflows and outflows, helping leaders spot problems early and make smarter decisions about hiring, investing, and financing. Updated consistently and tied to real business decisions, it shifts leadership from reactive to proactive.

The IRS just made it easier for families to fund Trump accounts without triggering an unexpected gift tax filing requirement. In Revenue Procedure 2026-25, the IRS established a safe harbor that allows qualifying donors to contribute cash to a child’s Trump account and skip Form 709 entirely, as long as key conditions are met. Here’s what you need to know before making contributions.

As home values rise, the federal home sale exclusion may no longer be enough to eliminate capital gains tax when a property is sold or inherited. The difference between a large tax bill and a smaller one can come down to how well a homeowner documented capital improvements over the years. Keeping a permanent record of qualifying expenses is one of the simplest steps homeowners can take to protect themselves.

Your first profitable year in business is worth celebrating. But it can also bring expensive tax surprises, especially if you’re still managing the business like you did when revenue was lower. Here are the most common mistakes new business owners make and what to do instead.

Higher wages, elevated borrowing costs, supply chain adjustments, and continued pressure on essential expenses have created a financial environment where careful budgeting is more important than ever. In times like these, relying on last year’s spending patterns as a budgeting baseline can lead to unnecessary expenses and crimped cash flow. Instead, many financial professionals recommend a budgeting method known as zero-based budgeting.

Finding qualified workers is a common challenge employers are facing. Rather than relying solely on an increasingly competitive hiring market, many organizations are discovering another solution, investing in the employees they already have. By helping current staff develop new skills and expand their capabilities, businesses can address talent shortages from within while strengthening employee engagement and long-term performance.

Nonprofits are disproportionately vulnerable to occupational fraud due to small administrative teams, part-time board oversight, and heavy reliance on cash-based transactions. Asset misappropriation schemes such as skimming, billing fraud, and expense reimbursement abuse are among the most common threats, and the typical scheme goes undetected for over a year. By implementing practical internal controls, strengthening board oversight, and engaging a CPA proactively, nonprofits can significantly reduce their exposure before a loss occurs.

Selling a business, rental property, or other large asset triggers a range of tax consequences, including capital gains tax, depreciation recapture, and the net investment income tax, that can result in a significantly larger bill than most sellers anticipate. Tools like installment sale elections, deal structure adjustments, and strategic closing timing can reduce that exposure, but most of them require action before the transaction is finalized. A conversation with your CPA before you enter active negotiations is the most reliable way to protect your after-tax proceeds.

Most business owners carry a rough estimate of what their company is worth, but that mental number is not a valuation, and the gap between the two can be costly. A formal, methodology-based business valuation is required in a wide range of situations, including selling or transferring a business, estate planning, lending, divorce, equity compensation, and shareholder disputes. Working with a credentialed valuator and involving your CPA early ensures the resulting number is defensible when it matters most.

Business owners who move money, goods, or services between commonly controlled entities are subject to IRS transfer pricing rules, which require that intercompany transactions be priced as if they were conducted between unrelated parties. When those prices are not set correctly, the IRS has authority under IRC Section 482 to reallocate income and assess back taxes, interest, and penalties that can reach 20% to 40% of the resulting underpayment. With the right documentation and a deliberate approach to pricing, most small and mid-size business owners can manage this exposure without complex or costly studies.

As America marks its 250th anniversary, there is no shortage of remarkable innovations to celebrate. From the cotton gin and the telegraph to the airplane and the microchip, American ingenuity has transformed lives around the world and expanded our very notion of what’s possible in the future.

America is 250 years young. Beyond America’s textbook history lies another enduring story. It’s a story that has unfolded on Main Streets in communities large and small during all those two and a half centuries, from blacksmiths and candle makers to web designers and dropshippers. It is the story of the small business owner.

When Americans think about the nation’s Founding Fathers, that many of these leaders were entrepreneurs is a defining characteristic often overlooked. Their endeavors contributed to the massive economic bet made on hopes and dreams for a successful future of enterprise.

America’s economic story is often told through the rise of major industries and breakthrough innovations. But beneath those milestones is a more practical reality: from the beginning, the nation’s growth has been driven by entrepreneurs who approached problems differently and made better decisions because of it.

Failure is often viewed as something to avoid. In many environments, business setbacks carry lasting stigma, discouraging future risk-taking. Yet one of America’s enduring entrepreneurial advantages has been a different mindset: the ability to recover, learn, and come back stronger.

Today’s founders are building in a fundamentally different environment than any generation before them. Artificial intelligence, global markets, venture capital ecosystems, and digital distribution have erased or greatly diminished traditional barriers to entry and raised expectations for speed and scale. They move quickly, but they build on principles that have defined successful enterprises for generations.

Filing a tax extension buys you time, but only if you use it wisely. From revisiting your April payment estimate to gathering missing documents and staying on top of current-year obligations, the months between now and October 15th are a valuable planning window. Read on to learn how to make the most of your extension and avoid a costly repeat of the same tax challenges next year.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs have been reauthorized and extended through September 30, 2031. The reauthorization includes several notable changes, including higher funding ceilings, expanded agency participation, new foreign-entity security screening requirements, and a new large-award allocation for qualifying businesses. Small businesses engaged in applied research and development across a broad range of industries should take note of these programs as a potential source of non-dilutive grant funding.

Effective financial planning isn’t a one-time event, it’s an ongoing process that must adapt as your life, income, and goals change over time. From building early savings to navigating tax strategy in peak earning years to preparing a sustainable retirement income, each life stage brings new challenges and opportunities that a static plan simply can’t address. Read on to learn how a lifecycle-based approach to financial planning can help you make smarter, more coordinated decisions at every stage of the journey.

Getting married triggers significant tax changes that catch many couples off guard, from a new filing status that takes effect the moment you say “I do,” to withholding gaps that can result in an unexpected tax bill in April. Beyond filing and withholding, newlyweds also need to address name and address updates, healthcare coverage decisions, HSA eligibility changes, and dependent-related credits before year-end. Tackling these adjustments proactively, rather than waiting until tax season, helps couples avoid penalties, protect their refunds, and start their financial life together on solid footing.

For many businesses, customer growth is often viewed as the primary driver of revenue improvement. While attracting new customers is important, companies often short-change an important discipline: regularly evaluating existing customer performance and identifying opportunities to strengthen profitability through better customer analysis and targeted strategies. Reviewing your customer roster can provide valuable insight into additional revenue opportunities.

Businesses that fail to regularly evaluate their compensation and retention strategies risk losing valuable team members to competitors offering stronger incentives, more flexibility, and clearer growth opportunities. For business leaders, the seam between 1H and 2H is a fine time to review staff compensation and retention plans to ensure they remain competitive, sustainable, and aligned with long-term goals.