Below is a summary of the stimulus relief for businesses that is part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133) which was signed into law on 12/27/2020.
Congress has created a PPP second draw available to smaller businesses that can show their business has been impacted by the pandemic. The second draw offers a similar package to the PPP offered out of the Cares Act earlier in 2020. There have been some changes and limitations put in place for the second draw including:
Calculation of loan: The loan calculation follows the same rules as it did under the Cares Act with the exception that you can choose to use payroll amounts from the calendar year 2019 or the 12 months immediately preceding the date of the loan application.
Borrowers with North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes starting with 72 (hotels and restaurants) can get up to three and one-half (3.5) times their monthly average payroll costs.
Under original guidance from the Department of Treasury, the expenses paid with funds from the PPP loans were not deductible. The passing of this new bill has clarified that the treatment of the forgiveness will be as tax-exempt income. The forgiveness amount will not add-back the forgiveness as income or result in any reduction in expenses paid.
A simplified application (one-page) will be released for loans of $150,000 or less in the coming weeks. Currently, applications exist for loans of $50,000 or less only. We will provide more details when the Department of Treasury releases the new application.
Currently, a business may take a tax deduction of 50% of business meals. Starting on January 1, 2021 and ending on December 31, 2022, all meals from restaurants will be 100% tax deductible.
Changes have been made to the Employee Retention Tax Credit including:
The FFCRA sick and leave pay has been extended for qualified employees until March 31, 2021. The original Act was set to expire on December 31, 2020. All the same requirements will remain in place with the exception of date extension.
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