Upcoming Changes to Federal Sentencing Guidelines

Beginning in November 2026, some individuals convicted of federal crimes will face new sentencing guidelines. The goal with these changes is to streamline the recommendations that judges use when sentencing defendants.

For convicted defendants, these changes may result in lower or more consistent sentences.

If you’re facing federal charges, contact the LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team. We work with our clients to understand their options. We assist with building strong defenses and ensuring that, if a case ends in a conviction or plea, the sentencing isn’t overly punitive.

For assistance with Pennsylvania or federal criminal charges, call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online form.

What is the United States Sentencing Commission?

An independent, bipartisan agency of the federal judicial branch, the Commission sets sentencing guidelines. It publishes an annual manual and also issues revisions throughout the year.

The Commission uses a wide range of data when creating, developing, and revising sentencing guidelines for federal crimes. The goal is for consistent sentencing nationwide.

What Are The Revised Sentencing Guidelines?

Published on April 30, the amendments to federal sentencing will go into effect on November 1, 2026. They cover:

• Simplifying certain types of sentencing
• Inflationary adjustments for several crimes
  • This includes white-collar crimes, such as embezzlement and fraud.
  • The amendments also change the minimum range for certain types of burglary and robbery.
• Drug offenses
• Convictions with multiple counts
• Updates to the sentencing table

All of these changes apply to federal crimes and convictions. Pennsylvania sets its own policies for sentencing.

How Will Sentencing for White-Collar Crimes Change?

The Commission, which is bipartisan, voted unanimously for revisions to sentencing guidelines for convictions related to white-collar crimes. This follows attorneys, judges, and academics arguing that the current sentencing guidelines were overly harsh and sometimes resulted in excessive punishments.

The guidelines have been revised to account for inflation. They’ll still factor in victims’ losses.

The table calculating victims’ losses now begins at $9,000 with a ceiling at $750 million. The previous range was $6,500 ⁠to $550 ​million.

While these amendments aren’t significant changes to the loss table, experts expect these revisions to result in lower sentencing ranges for some defendants. These changes will be the first adjustment in over a decade.

Do the Amendments Include the HALT Fentanyl Act?

In 2025, the president signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law. Under the new law, fentanyl-related substances are classified as Schedule I ​drugs under the Controlled Substances Act. The law defines what qualifies as a fentanyl-related substance and expands mandatory minimum sentences for the distribution of fentanyl-related substances.

What are the Revisions for Multiple Counts?

In an effort to reduce confusion and simplify procedures, the Commission amended the process for determining a single offense level for cases that involve multiple counts. The previous guidelines had created confusion that resulted in sentencing disparities.

In place of five guidelines, the Commission now has a single guideline. This change is not expected to alter sentencing outcomes, other than creating more uniformity.

Protect Your Future

The LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team understands that minor revisions to laws or guidelines can have major implications for our clients. We keep abreast of any upcoming or potential changes to the law to better advise our clients when crafting defense strategies.

If you’re facing federal or Pennsylvania criminal charges, call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online form.