Main Street News
Main Street · LaborMinimum wage increases hit January 1. Here's what local owners need to plan for.
At least 11 states raise their minimum wage on January 1, 2027, from 40 cents in Ohio to $1.27 in Michigan. What changes, where, and how owners are adjusting prices and schedules.
MoneyCard swipe fees: what you're really paying and how owners cut them
U.S. merchants paid a record $198 billion in card fees in 2025. The line item most owners never read, and what the new Visa and Mastercard settlement could change.
InsuranceBusiness insurance is getting cheaper, except the two policies local owners can't skip
Commercial premiums fell in mid-2026 for the first time in years. Commercial auto and umbrella still rose. What's driving it and what you can control at renewal.
HiringHiring is still hard. What local owners are doing about it.
Nearly 9 in 10 small businesses trying to hire report few or no qualified applicants. Pay, schedules and the perks that actually work.
TaxesEvery 2027 tax deadline a business owner needs on the calendar
Federal due dates for 1099s, W-2s, business returns, payroll and estimated taxes, plus the new $2,000 1099 threshold that starts with 2026 payments.