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.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and Treasury has announced that lenders with $1 billion or less in assets will be able to open applications for the next round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding starting Friday, Jan. 15 at 9 a.m. ET. Both first and second-draw loans will be able to apply at that time. For large lenders, the application opens on Tuesday, Jan. 19 for first and second-draw loans.
The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate passed, and the President has signed, the Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. The agreement comes after weeks of negotiations and two funding extensions to keep Congress open until a bill was passed with a $1.4 trillion government-wide funding plan. The $900 billion coronavirus relief portion includes another round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding, extended unemployment benefits, and direct payments to taxpayers. Here’s an overview of the key provisions in the bill.
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.
Wrap up the crazy year that is 2020 on the right foot with your business by reviewing your tax planning and implementing strategies to optimize opportunities. Provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) are still in play. For those involved in closely held entities, carefully pairing your business strategy with your personal strategy is essential this season.
On Nov. 18, the IRS and Treasury issued Revenue Ruling 2020-27 which provides long-awaited guidance on the tax treatment of expenses related to Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The guidance states that the expenses listed in section 1106(b) of the CARES Act that would otherwise be deductible will not be allowed in the taxable year that the expenses were paid or incurred and covered under a PPP loan that is forgiven or expected to be forgiven.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) and Treasury released an updated Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) FAQ on Aug. 4 in an effort to address PPP loan forgiveness issues that have arisen as borrowers begin to complete their applications. The 23 FAQs address various aspects of PPP forgiveness including general loan forgiveness, payroll costs, non-payroll costs, and loan forgiveness reductions. Here is a brief overview of some of the most notable clarified guidance.
In the midst of the uncertainty and instability that the COVID-19 pandemic has created for businesses and individuals, some relief is available for taxpayers in the form of deductible losses thanks to the preexisting Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 165(i).
While some recipients of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) may be breathing a sigh of relief at the extended covered period implemented by the PPP Flexibility Act (passed on June 5), borrowers should be taking a proactive approach to preparing documentation and developing a strategy for their forgiveness application.
