Opinion | The Coming Deluge for Small Business

Small businesses are often hit hardest by regulation, and the latest federal dragnet is no exception. Under a statute aimed at reducing money laundering, millions of small businesses may soon be snared by onerous reporting requirements and fines for noncompliance.

In 2021 Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) in a broad effort to tighten money-laundering laws. The CTA assigns the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) with identifying shell companies used for illegal transactions and creating a registry of businesses with less than $5 million in annual sales and fewer than 20 employees.