"While a portion of the government will continue to function, even through a shutdown, there are numerous non-essential programs that will be shutdown or at least paused, meaning that the money that had been budgeted to be spent, will no longer be spent. This will equate to literally billions of dollars in spending just disappearing from small business coffers.

"As these small firms become negatively impacted by a government shutdown, the U.S. economy as a whole will also be negatively impacted. According to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, small businesses create over 90 percent of all net new jobs, employ over half of the private sector workforce and are responsible for over 50 percent of the nation's GDP.

"The U.S. economy has continued to suffer through this financial and economic crisis more than necessary, precisely because small businesses have not been getting the help and support they need to grow the economy and create jobs. A government shutdown that would freeze spending on billions of dollars of contracts could significantly stall small businesses and may be the tipping point we are all looking to avoid."

Paychex, the payroll/HR service provider, has been mulling the shutdown as well. Here's the Paychex impact list:

• While it's anticipated the IRS would still be able to accept tax payments during a shutdown, there could be procedural changes to the submission process. Small business owners should keep good records of their tax liabilities and be ready to react to possible temporary changes.
• Other filings may also fall by the wayside such as tax returns like the Forms 941 and 1099. In addition, the ability to negotiate tax abatements and other issues with the IRS would likely be delayed.
• For those small businesses just getting off the ground, they would potentially not be able to apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for the purposes of paying taxes.
• While small businesses should continue to be aware of the recent increased enforcement activity from federal government agencies, they may see a temporary slowdown in regulatory scrutiny.
• Visa approval processes could also trickle to a stop, delaying the process of hiring employees outside of the country to work in the U.S.
• Loans and other functions of the Small Business Administration intended to help spur small business growth could end for the duration of the shutdown.
• For small businesses that rely on revenue from federal government contracts, it may be time to do some belt-tightening. Payments from federal contracts are likely to stop.
• Small-business owners and employees who need to travel abroad on business may end up staying stateside as passport services will potentially come to a halt.
• Small businesses that cater to federal employees, especially in metro Washington, D.C., and other areas with high populations of federal workers, could see a dramatic decrease in sales as the majority of federal workers will be home throughout the shutdown.

USAToday chimed in with a Q&A series about the shutdown, several of which addressed issues that will wash over the small-business owner.

• Will the government still release economic data? Probably. The weekly unemployment claims number would still come out, and the September jobs report, due out Friday, probably will, too. The Department of Commerce reasons that some of its data is so economically sensitive that delaying it risks that it will be leaked.
   
• Would the government continue to enforce wage and hour laws? The laws will still be in effect, but the Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division would suspend operations.
   
• Will the Patent and Trademark Office be open? Yes. The office can continue to operate off user fees and other funds for at least four weeks before having to shut down.
   
• Would food safety inspections continue? Mostly. The Food Safety and Inspection Service would continue all safety-related activities. The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration would continue inspections to the extent they're paid by user fees, "but inability to investigate alleged violations could hamper corrective action in the long term and could have an immediate impact on members of industry." The Food and Drug Administration would limit its activities but continue to monitor recalls and conduct investigations.