The knowledge you need

Federal grants play a major role in how nonprofits serve the community. They fund programs in education, healthcare, research, housing, and local services that reach millions of people each year. In recent months, several agencies have started ending some of those grants before the performance period is complete, citing changes in funding priorities and policy direction. For many organizations, that notice comes without warning. It can change budgets overnight and raise questions about what happens next. The first step is to understand what the termination notice means and what federal law requires. From there, staying organized, communicating with stakeholders, and documenting each step can protect the organization moving forward.

It’s been several weeks since the federal government shut down on October 1, 2025. Since then, many agencies have closed or are operating with only partial staff. Economists estimate that each week of the shutdown could trim about 0.1 percentage point from quarterly GDP growth, roughly $6-7 billion in lost activity across the economy.

The federal government shut down on October 1, 2025, after lawmakers couldn’t agree on a plan to fund operations for the new fiscal year. It’s the first shutdown since 2018-2019 and comes at a busy time for both taxpayers and businesses. It’s just two weeks before the October 15 filing deadline for extended individual returns. Concurrently, many Atlanta businesses are undergoing year-end tax planning.

The GENIUS Act, signed into law in July 2025, is the first federal law to regulate the payment of stablecoins. A payment stablecoin is a digital asset designed to keep a steady value, usually tied to the U.S. dollar and backed by cash or short-term Treasury securities. These assets are already widely used in payments, cross-border transfers, and cryptocurrency markets. The law defines who is allowed to issue stable coins, sets rules for reserves and reporting, and places oversight with federal and state regulators.

The Treasury Department and the IRS have issued final regulations on catch-up contributions under the SECURE 2.0 Act. The regulations confirm that certain higher-income employees who make catch-up contributions to workplace retirement plans will be required to designate those amounts as after-tax Roth contributions. These rules will affect plan sponsors, administrators, and participants as they prepare for the upcoming compliance dates.

Earlier this month, the Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR), issued an update to the sales & use tax exemption for computer equipment. Rule § 560-12-2-.107, Computer Equipment, outlines the computer and digital technology equipment exempt from certain state taxes. Originally issued in 2001, the purpose was to attract high tech companies to the state. However, with the growing popularity of data centers, the state created a new targeted exemption specifically for these businesses in 2018. Last year, the state passed a temporary suspension of the exemption which was ultimately vetoed. Acknowledging the concerns of lawmakers, the DOR made several adjustments

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed on July 4, 2025, makes several tax changes that affect independent auto dealers. Importantly, certain tax-saving provisions were made permanent, which may help lower tax liability and improve cash flow. It also creates new rules around payroll and reporting that dealers will need to keep in mind as they manage operations.

Employees often look first at their paycheck when they think about compensation. That makes sense, since salary and take-home pay are the numbers they see most often. Other parts of the package such as health insurance, paid time off, and employer contributions to retirement plans may not be as visible. Yet these benefits represent a large share of what employers provide. Recent reports show that wages and salaries account for about 70% of employer costs for private industry workers, while benefits make up the remaining 30%.

On March 17, 2025, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced its first major update to the Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program (VFCP) since 2006. The program, a familiar tool for retirement plan sponsors, has always offered a way to fix fiduciary errors before they lead to enforcement action. In practice, though, the process often required more paperwork than many sponsors felt was reasonable for small, routine mistakes. The new rules introduce a Self-Correction Component and modernize several existing provisions, giving employers a new path to compliance while keeping the accountability standards of ERISA in place.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law earlier this year, contains provisions that will directly affect construction companies. It offers new ways to lower taxable income, improve cash flow, and invest in equipment and property. Some benefits are already in place, and others take effect in later years. A number of popular energy-related incentives have short deadlines, which means companies will need to act quickly to take advantage of them.