Blog
Insights, analysis, and updates from the AI agent economy. Browse by tag.
Beancount MCP: Connect Your Ledger to Claude, Cursor, and Any AI Assistant
The Beancount MCP server connects your plain-text ledger to Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and any MCP-compatible AI client over OAuth 2.1 — ask questions, run BQL queries, and commit ledger edits without leaving your AI tool.
Beancount.io's Ask AI Can Now Write Entries and Read Receipts
Beancount.io expanded its Ask AI assistant from a read-only Q&A tool into an action-capable agent that drafts and writes ledger entries, reads uploaded receipts and bank-statement screenshots, and commits nothing without explicit user approval — live at /agent.
Passing Credit Card Fees to Customers: Surcharges, Cash Discounts, and Dual Pricing in 2026
Surcharging, cash discounts, and dual pricing are the three legal ways to pass card fees to customers in 2026—surcharges cap at 3% (Visa) and are banned in CT, ME, and MA, while cash discounts and dual pricing are legal in all 50 states and skip the 30-day network notice.
Buy Now, Pay Later Is Quietly Breaking Your Books: A Merchant's Guide to Accounting for Klarna, Affirm, and Afterpay
BNPL providers pay merchants the full sale price minus a fee, then report gross volume on a 1099-K — so recording only the net deposit understates revenue and triggers IRS underreporter notices. Record gross sales through per-provider clearing accounts to keep fees, reserves, and 1099-K totals reconciled.
Cash vs. Accrual Accounting: How to Choose the Right Method (and When the IRS Forces Your Hand)
Cash accounting records revenue when money is received and expenses when paid; accrual accounting records revenue when earned and expenses when incurred. IRS Section 448 mandates the accrual method once a business's three-year average gross receipts exceed the $32 million threshold for 2026, and changing methods later requires Form 3115 plus a Section 481(a) adjustment.
State Tax Residency Audit Defense After Moving to a No-Tax State
A practical guide to surviving California FTB and New York residency audits after moving to Florida, Texas, or Nevada — the domicile and statutory residency tests, day-count documentation, equity compensation traps, and the convenience-of-the-employer rule.
The Short-Term Rental Loophole in 2026: How W-2 Earners Offset Income with Material Participation and 100% Bonus Depreciation
A walkthrough of the Section 469 seven-day rule, the three realistic material participation tests, and how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act's permanent 100% bonus depreciation lets short-term rental owners offset W-2 income — plus the bookkeeping habits that survive an IRS audit.
Bookkeeping for Independent House Cleaners and Solo Maid Services: A Practical 2026 Guide
A 2026 bookkeeping playbook for solo and small residential cleaning operators — ASC 606 deferred revenue on recurring plans, OBBBA tip deductions up to $25,000, W-2 vs 1099 ABC-test pitfalls, care/custody/control insurance, and the KPIs that predict retention.
Cryptocurrency Miner, Staking Validator, and DeFi Yield Farmer Bookkeeping: The 2026 Tax and Recordkeeping Guide
A practical 2026 guide for independent crypto miners, Ethereum validators, and DeFi liquidity providers covering entity selection, Form 1099-DA basis reporting, Rev. Rul. 2023-14, OBBBA Section 174 R&D expensing, FBAR/Form 8938 thresholds, and KPI tracking.
Yacht Broker and Marine Service Yard Bookkeeping: ASC 606 Commissions, Trust Accounts, and Travel Lift Depreciation
Yacht brokerages recognize commissions at closing under ASC 606, segregate deposits in Chapter 326 trust accounts, and depreciate travel lifts with Section 179 — and the service yard runs on technician utilization, parts margin, and slip occupancy KPIs.
2026 W-2 Box 12 Code TT and Code TP: The Employer's Guide to No Tax on Tips and No Tax on Overtime Reporting
A configuration and compliance guide for payroll teams on the new 2026 W-2 Box 12 Code TT (qualified overtime premium) and Code TP (qualified tips), the Box 14b Treasury Tipped Occupation Code (TTOC), the redesigned Step 4(b) on Form W-4, and the OBBBA 2025–2028 sunset window for the No Tax on Tips and No Tax on Overtime federal income tax deductions.
Texas Data Privacy Act and the 20-State Patchwork: A 2026 Compliance Playbook
Twenty US states have comprehensive consumer privacy laws in effect by 2026, twelve require Global Privacy Control recognition, and cure periods are sunsetting in Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, and Montana. Here is the minimum viable compliance program for SaaS, e-commerce, and professional service operators.