By supporting a commonsense fix to the technical glitch in the tax law allowing for immediate depreciation on the costs of eligible remodels, renovations, and improvements, IFA seeks to improve the bottom-lines of thousands of franchise businesses throughout the United States.

Tax reform improves the business environment for franchisors, franchisees, and prospective investors. IFA frequently engages with Congress and Department of Treasury officials in addressing tax concerns facing franchise businesses. Most recently, IFA secured $8 billion in federal tax savings for franchise businesses each year as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

In recent years, the federal and several state governments have introduced legislation that would codify franchise contracts into law, which would increase regulation on small business owners, reduce franchisee equity, damage brand standards and public safety, and insert the federal and/or state government into all preexisting and future contracts.

IFA not only advocates for the interests of its members at the federal level, it also advocates at the state and local levels including, opposing discriminatory minimum wage increases and predictive scheduling laws.

The Trademark Licensing Protection Act (TLPA) will resolve a “catch-22” regarding brand standards in federal law: trademark law requires franchisors to enforce their brand standards, but at the same time, employment law penalizes them for enforcing those same brand standards.