Small business owners are being encouraged to get familiar with new tax and health care regulations or they could end up paying fines in the future.

To help, the Small Business Development Center Program of Ohio and the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce held a seminar on Wednesday morning at Froehlich’s Classic Corner in Steubenville.

The seminar helped small business owners get up to date about changes in the law regarding labor forces that will take effect in 2014.  Scott Pipes, president of Pipes Insurance, helped to do just that.  

"One of the misnomers in the world right now under this law is that this is going to be a free system, and it’s not. There's a cost to it, and you will be penalized if you don't purchase insurance. If you have 50 or more employees, then you will have to play penalties as an employer if you do not purchase insurance for the employee,” Pipes said.

Every U.S. citizen will have to purchase qualified health insurance under the health care reform law.

Pipe said the law has been on the books since 2010, but the full extent of the law is just coming to fruition. He advised small business owners to become aware and familiar with the new regulations so they don't end up paying a larger amount of penalties later on.