Frank Granatino, Partner, Author at GG Advisors LLC

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) has been signed into law by President Biden and makes significant updates to several tax provisions to alleviate some of the pandemic's financial burdens for individual taxpayers and businesses. Updates include expansions and extensions of various tax credits such as the employee retention credit (ERC), COBRA continuation coverage, Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, and more. The bill also includes $1.46 billion for the IRS to manage the additional responsibilities on top of the annual tax filing season. Here are the critical tax updates.

Form 1040, Schedule C taxpayers received an updated interim final rule (IFR) on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) from the Small Business Association (SBA). The IFR clarifies guidance released on Feb. 22 that made changes to how self-employed and sole proprietors could calculate their maximum loan amount to help expand the program for these groups. Approximately 2.6 million sole proprietors have applied for PPP loans, and it is estimated there are about 25 million sole proprietors across the country.

The nation’s smallest businesses are getting revamped Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) rules and a special filing period announced in recent changes from the Biden-Harris administration. Small businesses with fewer than 20 employees make up 98% of the small businesses in the U.S. but have not received much assistance from the PPP so far and have accounted for a significant portion of business closures during the pandemic. These new rules seek to remedy that. Here’s what you should know.

The employee retention tax credit (ERTC) is intended to provide liquidity to employers during the pandemic and was greatly expanded in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 thanks to Sections 206 and 207 of the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Relief Act portion. It opens the doors to more businesses facing significant financial hardship to qualify for and receive this credit.

The Internal Revenue Service recently issued the 2021 optional standard mileage rates. These rates, which adjust every year to account for inflation of fuel costs, vehicle cost and maintenance, and insurance rate increases, will once again affect the way a company reimburses their mobile workers.

Two new interim final rules for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) have been released from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Treasury in response to the changes and second round of funding enacted by the relief portion of the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed at the end of December.

The pandemic created by the novel coronavirus has drastically changed the way we live and work. As more businesses are forced to send their employees home, work-from-home life has become a mainstay especially in knowledge-based jobs (jobs that do not require physical labor), and many of these industries are not going back to the workplace anytime soon. This can create wrinkles for both employers and employees when it comes to their tax situations.

This year has been unique and beyond comparison in many ways, and tax planning is just one of the implications of current events. Both individual and business taxes have the potential to be significantly impacted by the various legislation that has passed like the FFCRA and the CARES Act, the loan programs made available like the PPP and the EIDL, and the unemployment/stimulus programs that touched many Americans.

Reviewing your tax situation each year prior to filing is essential to ensuring your compliance is up to date and opportunities have been optimized. This guide contains strategies to help you save on your taxes if enacted before year-end. For assistance or further detail, contact your Goering & Granatino team member at (913) 396-6225.

On Aug. 24, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Treasury issued the latest interim final rule update to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that seeks to clarify guidance related to owner-employee compensation and non-payroll costs. This guidance has been long-awaited and clears up several questions borrowers have had about forgiveness. Here are the main points.

Frank Granatino, Partner, Author at GG Advisors LLC - Page 7 of 9

Key tax provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act

New PPP calculation released for Form 1040, Schedule C filers

Smallest businesses get PPP updates, special filing period

Everything you need to know about the expanded ERTC

IRS announces 2021 standard mileage rates for business, charitable, medical, and moving purposes

Treasury issues interim final rules on updated PPP guidance

Work-from-home tax implications: What employers and employees need to know

2020 tax planning considerations for businesses, individuals

2020 Individual Tax Planning Guide

Latest update to PPP provides guidance on owner-employee compensation, non-payroll costs