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Corporate Transparency Act Reporting Deadline: December 31

Client Alert

The Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”), which became effective January 1, 2024, imposes strict reporting guidelines on small business owners throughout the country. The deadline for non-exempt businesses to submit reporting is December 31, 2024.

The civil penalty for failing to file reporting required under the CTA if $591 per day, up to a total of $10,000. Also note that criminal penalties are authorized for any person who willfully (i) provides or attempts to provide false/fraudulent information or (ii) fails to report and/or update a report previously made.

If you are the beneficial owner of an entity formed pursuant to a filing with a state secretary of state’s office (i.e., an LLC or a corporation), your entity must report. There are a few exemptions to this reporting requirement. If an entity meets an exemption, it does not need to presently report.  However, if an exemption ever becomes inapplicable to the entity, the entity then has 30 days to report. 

Completed reports are not public record; reporting is maintained by the financial crimes wing of the Department of the Treasury in a database that’s only accessible by state and federal law enforcement.

To avoid facing a potential steep fine to kick of your 2025 fiscal year, or to better understand whether your entity needs to report, please do not hesitate to contact BMD Attorney Jacob R. Davis (jrdavis@bmdllc.com).

For a more detailed overview on the CTA, click here.


DOT Non-Domiciled CDL Rule

A new rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will significantly narrow eligibility for non-domiciled Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDLs) beginning March 16, 2026. The rule limits eligibility to holders of H-2A, H-2B, and E-2 visas and eliminates Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) as qualifying proof of work authorization. As a result, many lawfully present and work-authorized immigrants, including refugees, asylees, DACA recipients, and Temporary Protected Status holders, will no longer be able to obtain or renew a non-domiciled CDL. The change is expected to affect roughly 194,000 drivers nationwide and has prompted multiple legal challenges, including a pending emergency stay request before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule Now in Effect

FinCEN’s new Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule, effective March 1, 2026, requires certain real estate transfers to be reported to combat financial crimes. Transfers of residential property to entities or trusts without financing may require a Real Estate Report.

Department of Education Proposes Redefinition of “Professional Degree,” Excluding Nursing and Limiting Graduate Loan Borrowing

The U.S. Department of Education has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would redefine “professional degree” programs under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The proposal excludes nursing from the recognized list and would impose new borrowing limits for graduate students while eliminating the Grad PLUS program. Public comments are due by March 2, 2026.

First-of-Its-Kind Federal Ruling Finds Use of Consumer AI Tool May Destroy Attorney-Client Privilege

On February 10, 2026, Judge Jed Rakoff of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a first-of-its-kind ruling finding that documents generated by a criminal defendant using a consumer AI platform were not protected by attorney-client privilege after being shared with counsel. The court treated the AI tool as a third party, concluding that entering sensitive information into a publicly available platform may waive confidentiality. The ruling also suggests that the work product doctrine may not apply where AI-generated materials are created independently by a client rather than at counsel’s direction. The decision signals that parties should exercise caution when using consumer AI tools in connection with legal matters.

Your Golden Chance for H-1B Lottery Registration - March 2026

USCIS H-1B registration opens March 4–19, 2026. U.S.-based employees on valid nonimmigrant status are exempt from the $100,000 fee for change of status petitions. The new weighted lottery favors higher-skilled and higher-paid employees, improving odds for advanced degree holders and Wage Level 3 or 4 workers.