• Scammers often target newly registered businesses.
• These scams often bear similarities to real communications from government agencies.
• The best defense is to stay alert and verify that such messages are legitimate.

Top 5 LLC Scams
A lot of new businesses find themselves targeted by LLC scams. The swindlers behind these LLC scams monitor the Illinois Secretary of State’s records looking for newly formed LLCs, PLLCs, and corporations and, when they find them, try to take advantage of what they perceive as a new business owner’s inexperience to run a quick con.
In this article we’ll cover the five most common

New year, new laws! In our 2025 annual legislative digest for Illinois’ small business community, we highlight seven new developments. Please note: This post covers only some of the new legislation taking effect this year and, while these laws certainly affect small businesses, there may be others as well. These laws make the following changes:

• The FTC’s battle to non-compete ban develops.
• Illinois updates how it regulates the collection of biometric information, like fingerprint and face scans.
• The state expands civil rights protections for reproductive decisions and family responsibilities.
• The state expanded protection for minors in the workforce.
• Employers must

Confused and overwhelmed by the BOI Report? You aren’t alone. The Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOI Report) is a newly required filing from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). In an effort to combat the use of shell and front companies for illicit financial activity, virtually all businesses in the United States now have to provide FinCEN with information about their owners. You can find more detail on FinCEN’s fact sheet.
But now that you know what it is, how do you actually file it? What information do you need to prepare, have on hand, and provide? You don’t

• Several laws take effect in Chicago starting on July 1st, 2024.
• Hiring parties will be required to provide more paid leave and sick leave to their workers.
• The city’s minimum wage in 2024 will increase.
• The tipped minimum wage will begin to be phased out.

State and federal governments usually write laws to take effect on January 1st, though under state law, Illinois laws can take effect on July 1st and municipalities can have their own rules about when laws take effect. In Chicago, for example, new laws and ordinances can take effect on almost any date. So in addition

New Paid Leave Laws for Illinois Employees

• Three new major paid leave laws will go into effect in Illinois in 2024.
• The Paid Leave for All Workers Act applies to any employer with an employee in the state.
• Cook County’s paid leave ordinance applies to any employer with an employee in Cook County.
• Chicago’s paid leave ordinance applies to any employer with an employee in Chicago.

Three new paid leave laws will go into effect in Illinois as we round the corner to 2024, impacting employers in a big way. It’s important to know which laws apply to your employees

The Paid Leave for All Workers Act
In March 2023, the Illinois legislature passed and Gov. Pritzker signed the Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA). This law introduces some big changes that will affect Illinois business’ vacation time, sick leave, paid time off (PTO) and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) policies.
All employers with employees in the state should review and update their leave policies to ensure they are complying with these new requirements. However, be aware that local governments may enact stricter requirements than the PLAWA – Chicago has already done so.
Small business owners across the

What are the new laws in Illinois for 2024?
New year, new laws! In our 2024 annual legislative digest for Illinois’ small business community, we highlight five new laws that take effect this year and one existing law getting an upgrade. Please note: This post covers only some of the new legislation taking effect this year and, while these laws certainly affect small businesses, there may be others as well. These laws make the following changes:

• The Corporate Transparency Act will require businesses to file new information reports about their owners.
• There are new paid leave requirements in Illinois and