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August 19, 2026

IFA26 Advocacy Summit Is Next Month

The IFA26 Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., brings the entire franchise community together next month with one goal: passing the American Franchise Act to protect the next generation of franchising!

Go Deeper: A new article from MSA Worldwide Managing Director Michael Seid makes the case for why the AFA is critical to preserving the distinction between franchisors and franchisees – the foundation of the franchise model. With 151 cosponsors and a major House committee hurdle cleared, the legislation has momentum heading to the House floor this fall.

Take Action: Register today to be part of IFA's most important advocacy event of the year – telling Congress to pass the American Franchise Act. Use the Advocacy Playbook to start your advocacy efforts now. 

Treasury Ends Domestic Reporting Requirements

In a significant win for franchise businesses, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) finalized a revised rule that permanently exempts U.S. companies and people from needing to comply with Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting requirements under the IFA-opposed Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) of 2021.

Go Deeper: The 2021 CTA law, enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021, required nearly every franchisee to file complex reports to the Treasury Department describing its ownership structure, so it is an excellent development that the Treasury Department has rescinded the CTA.

What Else: In addition to U.S. companies no longer needing to submit initial, updated, or corrected BOI filings, FinCEN committed to permanently deleting the sensitive personal data prematurely collected from millions of U.S. business owners.

Senate Clears Early Childhood Education Provision

Last week, the U.S. Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act by an 86-11 vote, which included the Supporting Early-Childhood Educators' Deductions or ‘SEED’ Act (H.R. 5334), a bill that would expand eligibility for a tax deduction for school supplies.

Dig Deeper: The SEED Act is designed to provide tax parity for early childhood educators at franchise businesses nationwide, as K-12 teachers can currently deduct up to $300 (indexed for inflation, likely reaching $350 for the upcoming tax year) of their own money spent on classroom supplies.

What’s Next: Since the Senate passed the SEED Act as part of a broader legislative package, the measure heads back to the House for final approval when Congress reconvenes in September.

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SBA Makes SOP Changes

The SBA has issued SOP 50 10 8(1), which leaves the Franchise Directory and Franchisor Certification framework intact but makes other changes that will affect franchise lending.

Why It Matters: The SBA made two changes that will materially affect franchise transfers: (1) 7(a) loans may no longer be used for any change of ownership transaction, pushing routine single-unit resales into the standard 7(a) process, and (2) for a complete change of ownership involving a new owner, the SOP requires at least a 10% equity injection and does not provide lender discretion to reduce that minimum.

What’s Next? IFA is reviewing the revised citizenship and residency provisions, which appear to narrow the categories of eligible ownership.

IFA Joins Landmark North American Franchise Agreement

IFA joined the Mexican Franchise Association (AMF) and Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) in signing a historic Trilateral Cooperation Agreement, creating the first permanent framework for collaboration among the leading franchise organizations in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

Why It Matters: Together, the three associations represent more than one million franchise establishments, 6,600 brands, and 500 million consumers. The partnership will help franchise businesses expand across North America by increasing access to market intelligence, regulatory information, training, research, and best practices.

What’s Next: The three associations are already developing market-entry roadmaps for brands looking to expand into the U.S., Mexico, or Canada, along with a shared resource library covering regulatory frameworks and other cross-border considerations. IFA’s Alan Catlett represented the association in Mexico City for the signing and will help advance the partnership’s work.