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Corporate Transparency Act: Business Owners Must Act Now

Client Alert

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) has been in effect since January 1, 2024. It is vital for reporting companies to file their beneficial ownership information (BOI) report before the year ends. Reporting companies formed prior to January 1, 2024, have less than six (6) months left to file. It is important to act now in order to avoid facing steep penalties for failing to comply with the CTA. Business owners should identify whether their company must report and if so, which individuals within the business entity are required to disclose the personal information designated under the CTA.

The CTA requires reporting companies to file a BOI report. Reporting companies must provide information regarding their entity, beneficial owners, and in some cases, the professional advisor(s) that helped form the entity. Reporting companies must submit the information to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Domestic reporting companies include corporations, LLPs, LLCs, and other similar entities that were formed through a filing with the secretary of state or similar office under the law of a state. Foreign reporting companies are those formed under the law of another country and are registered to do business in any U.S. state through filing with a secretary of state or any similar office under the law of a state.

Under the CTA, reporting companies that were formed prior to January 1, 2024, have one (1) year to comply and file their beneficial ownership information report. Reporting companies formed in 2024, must file their report within ninety (90) days of their formation. Reporting companies formed on or after January 1, 2025, will have only thirty (30) days to file their report following their formation.

The purpose of the CTA is to safeguard the U.S. financial system from fraud, money laundering, and other illegal activities. There has been a concern in recent years that the U.S. has become a jurisdiction of choice for bad actors to create shell companies that hide the ultimate beneficiaries. Through the CTA, a national registry will be created that will allow the U.S. to obtain all relevant ownership information regarding reporting companies. The registry will enable the U.S. to crack down on illegal activity such as tax fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, and more.

There are harsh penalties for reporting companies that fail to file a timely report to FinCEN. Civil and criminal penalties may result in fines up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to two (2) years, or both. Any person who (i) willfully provides or attempts to provide false/fraudulent information, or (ii) fails to report and/or update a report previously made, may be subject to the aforementioned penalties.

For more information about the CTA or how to comply, please contact BMD Member Blake Gerney at brgerney@bmdllc.com.


Florida Super Lawyers® Recognizes Brennan Manna Diamond Attorneys to the 2026 Lists

BRENNAN, MANNA & DIAMOND is proud to announce that three of our attorneys have been designated to the 2026 Florida Super Lawyers® and Florida Rising Stars® lists. Super Lawyers is based on multiple categories of independent research and peer evaluation to identify outstanding lawyers.

Supreme Court Clears Path for TPS Terminations: What Employers Need to Know

The U.S. Supreme Court's June 25, 2026 decision in Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Miot removed legal obstacles that had delayed the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and Syria. The ruling also reinforces the administration's authority to terminate other TPS designations currently under review. Employers should immediately identify workers whose employment authorization is tied to affected TPS programs, review Form I-9 records, and prepare for forthcoming USCIS guidance before taking any employment action.

The Risks of Outsourcing Medical Billing and the Importance of State-Law Compliance

Offshoring medical billing and other administrative functions can reduce costs, but it also raises significant compliance, operational, and contractual risks. Although HIPAA does not explicitly prohibit protected health information from being accessed or stored outside the United States, healthcare providers and their vendors remain responsible for safeguarding patient information and complying with state-specific restrictions that may limit or prohibit offshore subcontracting.

Risks of Using AI-Generated, Implied Celebrity Endorsements in Advertising

Businesses using AI-generated celebrity images, videos, or voice simulations in advertising may face significant legal risks if the content falsely implies an endorsement, affiliation, or sponsorship. This article discusses potential exposure under false advertising, right of publicity, consumer protection, and professional conduct laws, and explains why disclaimers may not be enough to avoid liability.

CMS Requires Providers to Use an Updated Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN) Form by May 12, 2026

CMS has released an updated Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN), Form CMS-R-131, that all providers and suppliers must begin using by May 12, 2026. The revised form includes clearer language and formatting updates intended to improve patient understanding and compliance.