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Newsletter

May 2026

COLORADO AI DECISIONING LAW REPLACED Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 26-189 on May 14, 2026, repealing and replacing the state's earlier AI law with a narrower framework governing automated decision-making technology used in consequential decisions. Effective January 1, 2027, the law applies when automated tools materially influence decisions involving consumer access, eligibility, pricing, [...]

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Newsletter

April 2026

NY BNPL LICENSING FRAMEWORK ADVANCES WITH DETAILED REQUIREMENTS Following earlier movement to regulate Buy Now, Pay Later products, New York regulators are now advancing a proposed rule that outlines how the framework would operate in practice. The rule would require most BNPL providers to obtain a state license and comply with detailed requirements covering disclosures, [...]

Cornerstone Editorial
Compliance

15 Licensing Application Process Facts That Delay Approvals

Most licensing delays come from small misses. A payment method that does not work, a stale certificate, the wrong signature, a missing ownership detail. These are the things that slow down filings, trigger deficiencies, and force teams to redo work they thought was finished. We pulled these from the webinar because they came up naturally [...]

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Compliance

California Delete Act: DROP Deadline and Data Broker Rules

Property managers in Maryland are running into a question that is getting more attention and creating real operational risk. Does collecting rent, especially when a tenant is past due, trigger Maryland's collection agency licensing requirements?

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Newsletter

March 2026

FCC PROPOSES CALL CENTER ONSHORING, ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, AND ANTI-ROBOCALL MEASURES On March 26, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission voted to launch a new rulemaking focused on offshore call centers and the role they play in customer service, data security, and illegal robocall activity. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comment on a range of proposals [...]

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Newsletter

February 2026

NYC ADOPTS SWEEPING DEBT COLLECTION RULE AMENDMENTS New York City has finalized a broad set of changes to its local debt collection rules, expanding obligations for collection agencies, debt buyers, and original creditors once they engage in "debt collection procedures." The final rule, effective Sept 1, clarifies several long-debated areas, including communication limits (applied per account), [...]

Cornerstone Editorial
Licensing

Maryland Rent Collection in 2026: 7 Licensing Risks Property Managers Must Avoid

Property managers in Maryland are running into a question that is getting more attention and creating real operational risk. Does collecting rent, especially when a tenant is past due, trigger Maryland's collection agency licensing requirements?

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Newsletter

January 2026

NY STATEWIDE DEBT COLLECTION LICENSING BILLS RETURN New bills in New York, Assembly A5537 and Senate S4271, would create a statewide licensing requirement for third-party collection agencies, debt buyers, and other covered entities collecting consumer debt from New York residents. Covered companies would need to apply for and maintain a license, provide ownership and control [...]

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Newsletter

December 2025

CA DATA BROKER REGISTRATION AND DELETION RULES TIGHTENED California's Privacy Protection Agency has issued an enforcement advisory clarifying how data brokers must register under the Delete Act ahead of the launch of the state's new Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP) on January 1, 2026. Any business that operated as a data broker in the [...]

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Newsletter

November 2025

MA DEBT COLLECTION AND SERVICING RULES REVISED The Massachusetts Division of Banks has updated its debt collection and servicing regulation, which is now fully reorganized and incorporates key portions of CFPB Regulation F. Debt collectors who follow the specified sections of Regulation F will be considered compliant in Massachusetts, but the state is keeping stricter [...]

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Newsletter

October 2025

MULTISTATE PRIVACY ENFORCEMENT SWEEP TARGETS NONCOMPLIANT BUSINESSES Attorneys general from California, Colorado, and Connecticut, along with the California Privacy Protection Agency, have launched a coordinated investigation into companies failing to honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signal. Regulators are demanding immediate compliance from businesses that ignore consumer opt-out requests related to the sale or sharing of personal data. [...]

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Debt Collection & Buying

Business Liquidation: A Practical Exit Strategy for Small and Mid-Size Business Owners

Learn how business liquidation works, when to use it, and the steps to close a company effectively.

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Licensing

Sole Proprietorship vs LLC: Deciding the Right Business Structure for U.S. Entrepreneurs

Compare LLC and sole proprietorship structures, taxes, and liability to choose the right one for your business.

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Licensing

Licensing Challenges for Mortgage Servicers

Mortgage servicers play a central role in the housing finance system. They collect borrower payments, manage escrow accounts, respond to customer inquiries, and step in with loss mitigation or foreclosure processes when borrowers fall behind. Servicers act as the day-to-day managers of loans after origination, ensuring that cash flows properly between borrowers and investors. Since [...]

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Licensing

The Pros and Cons of Outsourcing Debt Collection for Startups and Small Businesses

Cash flow is the lifeblood of every startup. When customers delay or default on payments, even the most innovative ideas can stall. Founders often face a critical challenge: Should we collect overdue invoices ourselves, or hand them off to a third-party debt collection agency? Outsourcing debt collection - sometimes called debt recovery outsourcing - has become increasingly common for [...]

Cornerstone Editorial
Licensing

Specialty Licensing Services: How Agencies and Financial Firms Grow with Compliance-First Support

Financial services companies and insurance agencies grow by expanding into new markets and product lines, which often requires specialized regulatory approvals: surety bond licensing, debt collection licenses, lender licensing, mortgage licensing support, and money transmitter licensing. Here is how specialty licensing services turn compliance into an engine for growth.

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Lending

Who Qualifies as a Supervised Lender?

Learn who qualifies as a supervised lender, licensing requirements, and compliance obligations.

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Compliance

The Changing Compliance Landscape for Consumer Lenders

Explore evolving compliance rules for consumer lenders, CFPB updates, and strategies to stay compliant in 2025 and beyond.

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Licensing

2025 IRA Contribution Limits: What You Need to Know

Knowing the 2025 IRA contribution limits is crucial for retirement planning, tax savings, and staying compliant with IRS rules. Whether you're an individual saver or a small business owner, these annual limits determine how much you can set aside for long-term financial security. Staying updated ensures you maximize tax advantages while building a stronger retirement [...]

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Newsletter

September 2025

NY LLC TRANSPARENCY ACT TAKES EFFECT IN 2026 Starting January 1, 2026, the New York LLC Transparency Act (NY LLCTA) will require most LLCs formed in or registered to do business in New York to disclose detailed beneficial ownership information (BOI) annually to the New York Department of State. The law is modeled after the [...]

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Licensing

TIN vs EIN: What's the Difference and Which Do You Need?

A TIN is any taxpayer identification number used by the IRS for individuals and businesses, while an EIN is a specific type of TIN assigned only to business entities. Many new entrepreneurs ask: Is a TIN the same as an EIN? The terms are closely related and often confused, but they are not identical. If [...]

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Licensing

First-Party vs. Third-Party Collections: Key Differences in Licensing

Learn key differences in licensing for first-party vs. third-party debt collections, compliance rules, and state regulations.

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Licensing

LLC vs Inc: Understanding the Differences Between an LLC and a Corporation

Starting a business is one of the most exciting steps you can take as an entrepreneur. But before you launch, you'll need to choose the right legal structure. For most small businesses in the United States, the decision usually comes down to forming a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation (Inc.). At first glance, [...]

Cornerstone Editorial
Bonds

Surety Bond Brokers: How They Help Agents and Businesses Thrive

Discover how surety bond brokers support insurance agents, simplify compliance, and strengthen business relationships.

Cornerstone Editorial