If watching the pioneers in the Cannabis industry has taught us anything, it’s that getting businesses up and running and maintaining compliance has been a rocky road with plenty of tax and regulation pitfalls. It’s a lucrative industry slated for exponential growth. Experts predict the industry will breach $89 billion in the next two years – but those aren’t the only numbers that should concern new Cannabis business owners.

Along with growth in this industry comes...

In order to apply for a Cannabis business license, state and local agencies often have similar (but different) requirements and hoops that hopeful operators must jump through in order to make it through the process. The licensing process is daunting and expensive for the simple fact that states' and local jurisdictions' requirements make it so that the prospective license holders may have to shell out thousands (or even millions) of dollars, and/or be on the hook for that much in...

Did you know that finding a location and going through the permitting process is one of the first things that Cannabis licensing authorities are asking for from applicants? One of the greatest challenges that Cannabis business owners face is finding a place to operate. Just because Cannabis is legal doesn’t mean that local authorities will allow operators in their jurisdiction. Then there’s zoning and dealing with the community at large to approve an incoming Cannabis business.

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Ever since the green wave of Cannabis started sweeping the nation, the state of bookkeeping and accounting has been changed as we know it. With more and more states legalizing both recreational and medicinal marijuana, the need for experienced accounting professionals is higher than ever.

But Cannabis Accounting isn’t as simple as one may hope. You may be familiar with some of the rules and regulations put in place from 280e and 471, but do you know the extent of legal trouble you could...

When it comes to cannabis record-keeping, not every dispensary wants to spend the fees on an accountant specific to the niche. That’s what happened to one dispensary owner in Colorado, who owes $391K in tax deficiencies and an additional $78K in accuracy-related penalties.

But how exactly did this happen?

According to the notice of deficiency for tax years 2010 and 2011, the IRS found poor record-keeping, lack of check registers, no physical inventory counts, reduction of COGS, and the...

As states across our country continue to legalize Cannabis every year, CPAs, bookkeepers, and accounting professionals are steadily encountering new clients who want to serve the Cannabis industry. The AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants} has now recognized the need for providing guidance and support to accountants who may support the quickly growing Cannabis market. 

Calling on industry leaders, the AICPA held its first 2-day Cannabis education conference, the...

Due to the fact that Cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug (in spite of the fact that the majority of states in this country have voted to legalize Cannabis in some form or fashion), ALL Cannabis companies must comply with 280E. There’s little grey area here, but if you’re in the business of harvesting, producing, manufacturing, or selling Cannabis in any way, shape, or form, your business is not able to legally take deductions.

Cannabis startups are much more complicated than traditional startups. They face a set of unique challenges that require accountants to be clear on state licensing rules and federal regulations regarding controlled substances, making Cannabis companies 10x more likely to fail than non-Cannabis.

We’re not talking about not being successful in business -- we mean getting audited and paying massive fines, criminal charges against CEOs for illegal market activity, loss of licensure, and...

Cannabis accounting software is hard to come by, and options that do exist are abysmal at best. Most vendors won’t come near the federally illegal industry. Also, the software that is available tends to be buggy and won’t typically integrate well with your clients’ existing accounting software. 

Without efficient “out-of-the-box” software solutions in place, you’d have to resort to pen and paper and archaic spreadsheets. Not only is that method...

If you’re a Cannabis accounting professional, or are working towards learning how to serve clients in this space, you may have already experienced the frustrations of trying to reach out to Cannabis clients, only to be told that you’re not needed because they “already have an in-house bookkeeper” and that they’re sure their current accounting system is just fine. Until Cannabis CEOs understand that their practices are often inaccurate and self-damaging (as they...