Mike Thrift
Marketing Manager
The Sloan Ratio: How to Tell If Your Profits Are Real Cash or Just Accounting Accruals
The Sloan ratio divides the gap between net income and operating cash flow by total assets to show how much reported profit is accruals rather than cash. Includes the formula, the ±10% caution bands, and a worked example of a profitable agency where only 40 cents of each profit dollar arrived as operating cash.
Small Business Bankruptcies Hit a Decade High: Why Subchapter V Filings Jumped 67% and What the $7.5 Million Debt Limit Fight Means for You
Business bankruptcies hit 24,737 filings in the year through December 2025 and Subchapter V cases jumped about 67% year-over-year in January 2026. This guide explains why filings are rising, how Subchapter V differs from traditional Chapter 11, what the $7.5 million versus $3 million debt limit fight means for eligibility, and the five-number dashboard that surfaces trouble months before a filing.
Small-Group Health Insurance Is Up 11% for 2026: What KFF's 318-Insurer Survey Means for Your Renewal Budget
KFF's review of 318 insurers found ACA small-group premiums rising a median 11% for 2026. Learn the five drivers behind the increase, why the smallest employers feel it most, and how to budget your renewal without dropping coverage.
Translation and Interpreter Agency Bookkeeping: Per-Word and Per-Session Job Costing, Freelance Linguist 1099s, and the Utilization Rate That Separates 5% From 20% Margins
How translation and interpreting agencies should cost jobs by billable versus payable words and door-to-door session time, pay freelance linguists and file 1099-NECs, track utilization and overhead, and reconcile multi-currency and retainer cash flow to hold 30-50% gross margins and 15-25% net.
Truffle Orchard Bookkeeping: Capitalizing a 5-to-10-Year Preproductive Period for a Crop the USDA Doesn't Even Classify Yet
A practical guide to truffle orchard accounting — why a 5- to 10-year preproductive period triggers Section 263A capitalization, when the small-farmer election lets you expense instead, how to track costs by block, and when a block becomes productive and starts 10-year depreciation.
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: Half of UK Sole Traders Missed the First Quarterly Update — What to Do Before 7 November 2026
Only about 437,000 of the 864,000 UK sole traders and landlords in scope filed their first Making Tax Digital quarterly update by 7 August 2026 — close to half missed it. No penalty points apply this tax year, but HMRC begins forced enrolment in September 2026 and the next quarterly update is due 7 November 2026.
Wedding DJ and Mobile Entertainment Bookkeeping: Deposits, Gear Depreciation, and Off-Season Cash Flow
How wedding DJs and mobile entertainers should classify booking deposits and retainers under cash versus accrual accounting, depreciate sound and lighting gear under Section 179 or MACRS, track revenue and cost per event, issue 1099-NECs for second DJs, and survive the off-season cash crunch when most revenue compresses into a few months.
When Excel Becomes a Liability: 7 Warning Signs It's Time to Switch to Accounting Software
Nearly 9 in 10 spreadsheets contain errors — learn the 7 warning signs your Excel bookkeeping is costing you time and accuracy, what accounting software fixes, and a migration checklist that keeps your history intact.
Women-Owned Small Business Certification, Explained: The 51% Test, Annual Attestation, and Set-Asides Worth Billions
WOSB certification requires unconditional, direct 51% ownership and genuine control by women who are U.S. citizens, and must now come from SBA or an approved third-party certifier — it unlocks set-aside competition in 733 industries and sole-source awards up to $6.5 million.
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.
The 110% Safe Harbor for Estimated Tax: What High Earners Over $150K Must Pay to Avoid Penalties
High earners over $150K AGI ($75K MFS) must pay 110% of prior-year tax to meet estimated-tax safe harbor — 100% for others, 90% of current year as alternative.
401(k) Alternative Investments Are Coming: What the DOL Safe Harbor and Trump Executive Order Mean for Your Plan
Executive Order Aug 7 2025 and DOL March 30 2026 safe harbor would let 401(k) plans add private equity, crypto and real assets — risks, fees, and fiduciary checklist.