“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees” -Amelia Earhart
SBSD’s update this week includes updated Frequently Asked Questions for the Payroll Protection Program (PPP). Information is current as of April 29, 2020.
The Small Business Administration has resumed accepting PPP loan applications on Monday, April 27 at 10:30 AM EDT from approved lenders on behalf of any eligible borrower. This will ensure that SBA has properly coded the system to account for changes made by the legislation.
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PPP Updated Frequently Asked Questions and Guidance as of April 29, 2020
The information provided and the guidance provided in this document are SBA’s interpretation of the CARES Act and of the Paycheck Protection Program Interim Final Rule (“PPP Interim Final Rule”).
PPP Interim Final Rule April 15, 2020
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The information provided below is accurate, to the best of our agency’s knowledge as of April 28, 2020. The $484 Billion stimulus plan earmarks $320 Billion to the PPP program ($310 Billion to replenish the loan program and $10 Billion for administrative costs), $60 Billion is earmarked for Banks ($30 million for banks with less than $10 Billion in Assets), $75 Billion to Hospitals and Health Care Providers and $25 Billion for COVID-19 testing.
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QUESTION:
Paragraph 3.b.iii of the PPP Interim Final Rule states that lenders must “[c]onfirm the dollar amount of average monthly payroll costs for the preceding calendar year by reviewing the payroll documentation submitted with the borrower’s application.” Does that require the lender to replicate every borrower’s calculations? (this question was published April 3, 2020)
Answer:
No. Providing an accurate calculation of payroll costs is the responsibility of the borrower, and the borrower attests to the accuracy of those calculations on the Borrower Application Form. Lenders are expected to perform a good faith review, in a reasonable time, of the borrower’s calculations and supporting documents concerning average monthly payroll cost. For example, minimal review of calculations based on a payroll report by a recognized third-party payroll processor would be reasonable. In addition, as the PPP Interim Final Rule indicates, lenders may rely on borrower representations, including with respect to amounts required to be excluded from payroll costs. If the lender identifies errors in the borrower’s calculation or material lack of substantiation in the borrower’s supporting documents, the lender should work with the borrower to remedy the issue.
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QUESTION:
Are small business concerns (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632) required to have 500 or fewer employees to be eligible borrowers in the PPP?
Answer:
No. Small business concerns can be eligible borrowers even if they have more than 500 employees, as long as they satisfy the existing statutory and regulatory definition of a “small business concern” under section 3 of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632. A business can qualify if it meets the SBA employee-based or revenue-
based size standard corresponding to its primary industry.
Go to
www.sba.gov/size for the industry size standards.
Additionally, a business can qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program as a small business concern if it met both tests in SBA’s “alternative size standard” as of March 27, 2020: (1) maximum tangible net worth of the business is not more than $15 million; and (2) the average net income after Federal income taxes (excluding any carry-over losses) of the business for the two full fiscal years before the date of the application is not more than $5 million. A business that qualifies as a small business concern under section 3 of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632, may truthfully attest to its eligibility for PPP loans on the Borrower Application Form, unless otherwise ineligible.
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QUESTION:
Does my business have to qualify as a small business concern (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632) in order to participate in the PPP?
Answer:
No. In addition to small business concerns, a business is eligible for a PPP loan if the business has 500 or fewer employees whose principal place of residence is in the United States, or the business meets the SBA employee-based size standards for the industry in which it operates (if applicable). Similarly, PPP loans are also available for qualifying tax-exempt nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), tax-exempt veterans organization described in section 501(c)(19) of the IRC, and Tribal business concerns described in section 31(b)(2)(C) of the Small Business Act that have 500 or fewer employees whose principal place of residence is in the United States, or meet the SBA employee-based size standards for the industry in which they operate.
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QUESTION:
Are lenders required to make an independent determination regarding applicability of affiliation rules under 13 C.F.R. 121.301(f) to borrowers?
Answer:
No. It is the responsibility of the borrower to determine which entities (if any) are its affiliates and determine the employee headcount of the borrower and its affiliates. Lenders are permitted to rely on borrowers’ certifications.
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QUESTION:
Are borrowers required to apply SBA’s affiliation rules under 13 C.F.R. 121.301(f)?
Answer:
Yes. Borrowers must apply the affiliation rules set forth in SBA’s Interim Final Rule on Affiliation. A borrower must certify on the Borrower Application Form that the borrower is eligible to receive a PPP loan, and that certification means that the borrower is a small business concern as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632), meets the applicable SBA employee-based or revenue-based size standard, or meets the tests in SBA’s alternative size standard, after applying the affiliation rules, if applicable. SBA’s existing affiliation exclusions apply to the PPP, including, for example the exclusions under 13 CFR 121.103(b)(2).
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QUESTION:
The affiliation rule based on ownership (13 C.F.R. 121.301(f)(1)) states that SBA will deem a minority shareholder in a business to control the business if the shareholder has the right to prevent a quorum or otherwise block action by the board of directors or shareholders. If a minority shareholder irrevocably gives up those rights, is it still considered to be an affiliate of the business?
Answer:
No. If a minority shareholder in a business irrevocably waives or relinquishes any existing rights specified in 13 C.F.R. 121.301(f)(1), the minority shareholder would no longer be an affiliate of the business (assuming no other relationship that triggers the affiliation rules).
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QUESTION:
The CARES Act excludes from the definition of payroll costs any employee compensation in excess of an annual salary of $100,000. Does that exclusion apply to all employee benefits of monetary value?
Answer:
No. The exclusion of compensation in excess of $100,000 annually applies only to cash compensation, not to non-cash benefits, including:
- employer contributions to defined-benefit or defined-contribution retirement plans
- payment for the provision of employee benefits consisting of group health care coverage, including insurance premiums
- Payments of state and local taxes assessed on compensation of employees.
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QUESTION:
Do PPP loans cover paid sick leave?
Answer:
Yes. PPP loans covers payroll costs, including costs for employee vacation, parental, family, medical, and sick leave. However, the CARES Act excludes qualified sick and family leave wages for which a credit is allowed under sections 7001 and 7003 of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 116–127). The Paid Sick Leave Refundable Credit
covid-19-related-tax-credits-small-and-midsize-businesses
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QUESTION:
My small business is a seasonal business whose activity increases from April to June. Considering activity from that period would be a more accurate reflection of my business’s operations. However, my small business was not fully ramped up on February 15, 2020. Am I still eligible?
Answer:
In evaluating a borrower’s eligibility, a lender may consider whether a seasonal borrower was in operation on February 15, 2020 or for an 8-week period between February 15, 2019 and June 30, 2019.
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QUESTION:
What if an eligible borrower contracts with a third-party payer such as a payroll provider or a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) to process payroll and report payroll taxes?
Answer:
SBA recognizes that eligible borrowers that use PEOs or similar payroll providers are required under some state registration laws to report wage and other data on the Employer Identification Number (EIN) of the PEO or other payroll provider. In these cases, payroll documentation provided by the payroll provider that indicates the amount of wages and payroll taxes reported to the IRS by the payroll provider for the borrower’s employees will be considered acceptable PPP loan payroll documentation. Relevant information from a Schedule R (Form 941), Allocation Schedule for Aggregate Form 941 Filers, attached to the PEO’s or other payroll provider’s Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, should be used if it is available; otherwise, the eligible borrower should obtain a statement from the payroll provider documenting the amount of wages and payroll taxes. In addition, employees of the eligible borrower will not be considered employees of the eligible borrower’s payroll provider or PEO.
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QUESTION:
May lenders accept signatures from a single individual who is authorized to sign on behalf of the borrower?
Answer:
Yes. However, the borrower should bear in mind that, as the Borrower Application Form indicates, only an authorized representative of the business seeking a loan may sign on behalf of the business. An individual’s signature as an “Authorized Representative of Applicant” is a representation to the lender and to the U.S. government that the signer is authorized to make the certifications, including with respect to the applicant and each owner of 20% or more of the applicant’s equity, contained in the Borrower Application Form. Lenders may rely on that representation and accept a single individual’s signature on that basis.
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QUESTION:
I need to request a loan to support my small business operations in light of current economic uncertainty. However, I pleaded guilty to a felony crime a very long time ago. Am I still eligible for the PPP?
Answer:
Yes. Businesses are only ineligible if an owner of 20 percent or more of the equity of the applicant is presently incarcerated, on probation, on parole; subject to an indictment, criminal information, arraignment, or other means by which formal criminal charges are brought in any jurisdiction; or, within the last five years, for any felony, has been convicted; pleaded guilty; pleaded nolo contendere; been placed on pretrial diversion; or been placed on any form of parole or probation (including probation before judgment)
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QUESTION:
Should payments that an eligible borrower made to an independent contractor or sole proprietor be included in calculations of the eligible borrower’s payroll costs?
Answer:
No. Any amounts that an eligible borrower has paid to an independent contractor or sole proprietor should be excluded from the eligible business’s payroll costs. However, an independent contractor or sole proprietor will itself be eligible for a loan under the PPP, if it satisfies the applicable requirements
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QUESTION:
How should a borrower account for federal taxes when determining its payroll costs for purposes of the maximum loan amount, allowable uses of a PPP loan, and the amount of a loan that may be forgiven?
Answer:
Under the Act, payroll costs are calculated on a gross basis without regard to (i.e., not including subtractions or additions based on) federal taxes imposed or withheld, such as the employee’s and employer’s share of Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and income taxes required to be withheld from employees. As a result, payroll costs are not reduced by taxes imposed on an employee and required to be withheld by the employer, but payroll costs do not include the employer’s share of payroll tax. For example, an employee who earned $4,000 per month in gross wages, from which $500 in federal taxes was withheld, would count as $4,000 in payroll costs. The employee would receive $3,500, and $500 would be paid to the federal government. However, the employer-side federal payroll taxes imposed on the $4,000 in wages are excluded from payroll costs under the statute
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The definition of “payroll costs” in the CARES Act, 15 U.S.C. 636(a)(36)(A)(viii), excludes “taxes imposed or withheld under chapters 21, 22, or 24 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 during the covered period,” defined as February 15, 2020, to June 30, 2020. As described above, the SBA interprets this statutory exclusion to mean that payroll costs are calculated on a gross basis, without subtracting federal taxes that are imposed on the employee or withheld from employee wages. Unlike employer-side payroll taxes, such employee-side taxes are ordinarily expressed as a reduction in employee take-home pay; their exclusion from the definition of payroll costs means payroll costs should not be reduced based on taxes imposed on the employee or withheld from employee wages. This interpretation is consistent with the text of the statute and advances the legislative purpose of ensuring workers
.
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QUESTION:
I filed or approved a loan application based on the version of the PPP Interim Final Rule published on April 2, 2020. Do I need to take any action based on the updated guidance in these FAQs?
Answer:
No. Borrowers and lenders may rely on the laws, rules, and guidance available at the time of the relevant application. However, borrowers whose previously submitted loan applications have not yet been processed may revise their applications based on clarifications reflected in these FAQs.
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QUESTION:
The amount of forgiveness of a PPP loan depends on the borrower’s payroll costs over an eight-week period; when does that eight-week period begin?
Answer:
The eight-week period begins on the date the lender makes the first disbursement of the PPP loan to the borrower. The lender must make the first disbursement of the loan no later than ten calendar days from the date of loan approval.
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QUESTION:
Do businesses owned by large companies with adequate sources of liquidity to support the business’s ongoing operations qualify for a PPP loan?
Answer:
In addition to reviewing applicable affiliation rules to determine eligibility, all borrowers must assess their economic need for a PPP loan under the standard established by the CARES Act and the PPP regulations at the time of the loan application. Although the CARES Act suspends the ordinary requirement that borrowers must be unable to obtain credit elsewhere (as defined in section 3(h) of the Small Business Act), borrowers still must certify in good faith that their PPP loan request is necessary. Specifically, before submitting a PPP application, all borrowers should review carefully the required certification that “[c]urrent economic uncertainty makes this loan request necessary to support the ongoing operations of the Applicant.” Borrowers must make this certification in good faith, taking into account their current business activity and their ability to access other sources of liquidity sufficient to support their ongoing operations in a manner that is not significantly detrimental to the business. For example, it is unlikely that a public company with substantial market value and access to capital markets will be able to make the required certification in good faith, and such a company should be prepared to demonstrate to SBA, upon request, the basis for its certification. Lenders may rely on a borrower’s certification regarding the necessity of the loan request. Any borrower that applied for a PPP loan prior to the issuance of this guidance and repays the loan in full by May 7, 2020 will be deemed by SBA to have made the required certification in good faith
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QUESTION:
Does the cost of a housing stipend or allowance provided to an employee as part of compensation count toward payroll costs?
Answer:
Yes. Payroll costs includes all cash compensation paid to employees, subject to the $100,000 annual compensation per employee limitation.
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QUESTION:
Is there existing guidance to help PPP applicants and lenders determine whether an individual employee’s principal place of residence is in the United States?
Answer:
PPP applicants and lenders may consider IRS regulations (26 CFR § 1.121-1(b)(2)) when determining whether an individual employee’s principal place of residence is in the United States.
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QUESTION:
A
re agricultural producers, farmers, and ranchers eligible for PPP loans?
Answer:
Yes. Agricultural producers, farmers, and ranchers are eligible for PPP loans if: (i) the business has 500 or fewer employees, or (ii) the business fits within the revenue-based sized standard, which is average annual receipts of $1 million.
Additionally, agricultural producers, farmers, and ranchers can qualify for PPP loans as a small business concern if their business meets SBA’s "alternative size standard." The As of April 26, 2020, "alternative size standard" is currently: (1) maximum net worth of the business is not more than $15 million, and (2) the average net income after Federal income taxes (excluding any carry-over losses) of the business for the two full fiscal years before the date of the application is not more than $5 million.
For all of these criteria, the applicant must include its affiliates in its calculations.
Affiliation Rules
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QUESTION:
Are agricultural and other forms of cooperatives eligible to receive PPP loans?
Answer:
As long as other PPP eligibility requirements are met, small agricultural cooperatives and other cooperatives may receive PPP loans.
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QUESTION:
To determine borrower eligibility under the 500-employee or other applicable threshold established by the CARES Act, must a borrower count all employees or only full-time equivalent employees?
Answer:
For purposes of loan eligibility, the CARES Act defines the term employee to include "individuals employed on a full-time, part-time, or other basis." A borrower must therefore calculate the total number of employees, including part-time employees, when determining their employee headcount for purposes of the eligibility threshold. For example, if a borrower has 200 full-time employees and 50 part-time employees each working 10 hours per week, the borrower has a total of 250 employees.
By contrast, for purposes of loan forgiveness, the CARES Act uses the standard of "full-time equivalent employees" to determine the extent to which the loan forgiveness amount will be reduced in the event of workforce reductions.
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PPP
How to Calculate Maximum Loan Amounts-By Business Type
As of April 24, 2020
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QUESTION:
I am self-employed and have no employees, how do I calculate my maximum PPP loan amount? (Note that PPP loan forgiveness amounts will depend, in part, on the total amount spent during the eight-week period following the first disbursement of the PPP loan.)
Answer:
The following methodology should be used to calculate the maximum amount that can be borrowed if you are self-employed and have no employees, and your principal place of residence is in the United States, including if you are an independent contractor or operate a sole proprietorship (but not if you are a partner in a partnership):
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Step 1:
Find your 2019 IRS Form 1040 Schedule C line 31 net profit amount (if you have not yet filed a 2019 return, fill it out and compute the value). If this amount is over $100,000, reduce it to $100,000. If this amount is zero or less, you are not eligible for a PPP loan.
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Step 2:
Calculate the average monthly net profit amount (divide the amount from Step 1 by 12).
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Step 3:
Multiply the average monthly net profit amount from Step 2 by 2.5.
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Step 4:
Add the outstanding amount of any Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) made between January 31, 2020 and April 3, 2020 that you seek to refinance, less the amount of any advance under an EIDL COVID-19 loan (because it does not have to be repaid).
Your 2019 IRS Form 1040 Schedule C must be provided to substantiate the applied-for PPP loan amount. You must also provide a 2019 IRS Form 1099-MISC detailing nonemployee compensation received (box 7), invoice, bank statement, or book of record establishing you were self-employed in 2019 and a 2020 invoice, bank statement, or book of record establishing you were in operation on February 15, 2020.
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QUESTION:
I am self-employed and have employees, how do I calculate my maximum PPP loan amount (up to $10 million)? (Note that PPP loan forgiveness amounts will depend, in part, on the total amount spent during the eight-week period following the first disbursement of the PPP loan.)
Answer:
The following methodology should be used to calculate the maximum amount that can be borrowed if you are self-employed with employees, including if you are an independent contractor or operate a sole proprietorship (but not if you are a partner in a partnership):
•
Step 1:
Compute your 2019 payroll costs by adding the following: o 2019 IRS Form 1040 Schedule C line 31 net profit amount (if you have not yet filed a 2019 return, fill it out and compute the value); if this amount is over $100,000, reduce it to $100,000; and if this amount is less than zero, set this amount at zero;
o 2019 gross wages and tips paid to your employees whose principal place of residence is in the United States, which can be computed using 2019 IRS Form 941 Taxable Medicare wages & tips (line 5c-column 1) from each quarter plus any pre-tax employee contributions for health insurance or other fringe benefits excluded from Taxable Medicare wages & tips, subtracting any amount paid to any individual employee in excess of $100,000 and any amounts paid to any employee whose principal place of residence is outside the U.S;
o 2019 employer contributions for employee health insurance (portion of IRS Form 1040 Schedule C line 14 attributable to health insurance);
o 2019 employer contributions to employee retirement plans (IRS Form 1040 Schedule C line 19); and
o 2019 employer state and local taxes assessed on employee compensation, primarily state unemployment insurance tax (from state quarterly wage reporting forms).
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Step 2:
Calculate the average monthly payroll costs amount (divide the amount from Step 1 by 12).
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Step 3:
Multiply the average monthly payroll costs amount from Step 2 by 2.5.
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Step 4:
Add the outstanding amount of any EIDL made between January 31, 2020 and April 3, 2020 that you seek to refinance, less the amount of any advance under an EIDL COVID-19 loan (because it does not have to be repaid).
Your 2019 IRS Form 1040 Schedule C, IRS Form 941 and state quarterly wage unemployment insurance tax reporting form from each quarter (or equivalent payroll processor records or IRS Wage and Tax Statements), along with documentation of any retirement or health insurance contributions, must be provided to substantiate the applied-for PPP loan amount. A payroll statement or similar documentation from the pay period that covered February 15, 2020 must be provided to establish you were in operation and had employees on that date.
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QUESTION:
I am a self-employed individual who reports my income on IRS Form 1040 Schedule F. What documentation must I provide in place of Schedule C and how should my maximum loan amount be determined (up to $10 million)?
Answer:
Self-employed farmers (i.e., those who report their net farm profit on IRS Form 1040 Schedule 1 and Schedule F) should use IRS Form 1040 Schedule F in lieu of Schedule C, and Schedule F line 34 net farm profit should be used to determine their loan amount in place of Schedule C line 31 net profit. The calculation is otherwise the same as for Schedule C filers above. The 2019 IRS Form 1040 Schedule 1 and Schedule F must be included with the loan application.
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QUESTION:
How do partnerships apply for PPP loans and how is the maximum PPP loan amount calculated for partnerships (up to $10 million)? Should partners’ self-employment income be included on the business entity level PPP loan application or on separate PPP loan applications for each partner? (Note that PPP loan forgiveness amounts will depend, in part, on the total amount spent during the eight-week period following the first disbursement of the PPP loan.)
Answer:
T
he following methodology should be used to calculate the maximum amount that can be borrowed for partnerships (partners’ self-employment income should be included on the partnership’s PPP loan application, individual partners may not apply for separate PPP loans):
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Step 1:
Compute 2019 payroll costs by adding the following: o 2019 Schedule K-1 (IRS Form 1065) Net earnings from self-employment of individual U.S. based general partners that are subject to self-employment tax, computed from box 14a (reduced by any section 179 expense deduction claimed, unreimbursed partnership expenses claimed, and depletion claimed on oil and gas properties) multiplied by 0.9235,up to $100,000 per partner (if 2019 schedules have not been filed, fill them out);
o 2019 gross wages and tips paid to your employees whose principal place of residence is in the United States, if any, which can be computed using 2019 IRS Form 941 Taxable Medicare wages & tips (line 5c-column 1) from each quarter plus any pre-tax employee contributions for health insurance or other fringe benefits excluded from Taxable Medicare wages & tips, subtracting any amounts paid to any individual employee in excess of $100,000 and any amounts paid to any employee whose principal place of residence is outside the U.S;
o 2019 employer contributions for employee health insurance, if any (portion of IRS Form 1065 line 19 attributable to health insurance);
o 2019 employer contributions to employee retirement plans, if any (IRS Form 1065 line 18); and
o 2019 employer state and local taxes assessed on employee compensation, primarily state unemployment insurance tax (from state quarterly wage reporting forms), if any.
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Step 2:
Calculate the average monthly payroll costs (divide the amount from Step 1 by 12).
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Step 3:
Multiply the average monthly payroll costs from Step 2 by 2.5.
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Step 4:
Add any outstanding amount of any EIDL made between January 31, 2020 and April 3, 2020 that you seek to refinance, less the amount of any advance under an EIDL COVID-19 loan (because it does not have to be repaid).
The partnership’s 2019 IRS Form 1065 (including K-1s) and other relevant supporting documentation if the partnership has employees, including the 2019 IRS Form 941 and state quarterly wage unemployment insurance tax reporting form from each quarter (or equivalent payroll processor records or IRS Wage and Tax Statements) along with records of any retirement or health insurance contributions, must be provided to substantiate the applied-for PPP loan amount. If the partnership has employees, a payroll statement or similar documentation from the pay period that covered February 15, 2020 must be provided to establish the partnership was in operation and had employees on that date. If the partnership has no employees, an invoice, bank statement, or book of record establishing the partnership was in operation on February 15, 2020 must instead be provided.
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QUESTION:
How is the maximum PPP loan amount calculated for S corporations and C corporations (up to $10 million)? (Note that PPP loan forgiveness amounts will depend, in part, on the total amount spent during the eight-week period following the first disbursement of the PPP loan.)
Answer:
T
he following methodology should be used to calculate the maximum amount that can be borrowed for corporations, including S and C corporations:
•
Step 1:
Compute 2019 payroll costs by adding the following: o 2019 gross wages and tips paid to your employees whose principal place of residence is in the United States, which can be computed using 2019 IRS Form 941 Taxable Medicare wages & tips (line 5c-column 1) from each quarter plus any pre-tax employee contributions for health insurance or other fringe benefits excluded from Taxable Medicare wages & tips, subtracting any amounts paid to any individual employee in excess of $100,000 and any amounts paid to any employee whose principal place of residence is outside the U.S;
o 2019 employer health insurance contributions (portion of IRS Form 1120 line 24 or IRS Form 1120-S line 18 attributable to health insurance);
o 2019 employer retirement contributions (IRS Form 1120 line 23 or IRS Form 1120-S line 17); and
o 2019 employer state and local taxes assessed on employee compensation, primarily state unemployment insurance tax (from state quarterly wage reporting forms).
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Step 2:
Calculate the average monthly payroll costs (divide the amount from Step 1 by 12).
•
Step 3:
Multiply the average monthly payroll costs from Step 2 by 2.5.
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Step 4:
Add the outstanding amount of any EIDL made between January 31, 2020 and April 3, 2020 that you seek to refinance, less the amount of any advance under an EIDL COVID-19 loan (because it does not have to be repaid).
The corporation’s 2019 IRS Form 941 and state quarterly wage unemployment insurance tax reporting form from each quarter (or equivalent payroll processor records or IRS Wage and Tax Statements), along with the filed business tax return (IRS Form 1120 or IRS 1120-S) or other documentation of any retirement and health insurance contributions, must be provided to substantiate the applied-for PPP loan amount. A payroll statement or similar documentation from the pay period that covered February 15, 2020 must be provided to establish you were in operation and had employees on that date.
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QUESTION:
How is the maximum PPP loan amount calculated for eligible nonprofit organizations (up to $10 million)? (Note that PPP loan forgiveness amounts will depend, in part, on the total amount spent during the eight-week period following the first disbursement of the PPP loan.)
Answer:
“Eligible nonprofit organization” means an organization that is described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and that is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code. The following methodology should be used to calculate the maximum amount that can be borrowed for eligible nonprofit organizations (eligible nonprofit religious institutions, see the next question):
•
Step 1:
Compute 2019 payroll costs by adding the following:
o 2019 gross wages and tips paid to your employees whose principal place of residence is in the United States, which can be computed using 2019 IRS Form 941 Taxable Medicare wages & tips (line 5c-column 1) from each quarter plus any pre-tax employee contributions for health insurance or other fringe benefits excluded from Taxable Medicare wages & tips, subtracting any amounts paid to any individual employee in excess of $100,000 and any amounts paid to any employee whose principal place of residence is outside the U.S;
o 2019 employer health insurance contributions (portion of IRS Form 990 Part IX line 9 attributable to health insurance);
o 2019 employer retirement contributions (IRS Form 990 Part IX line 8); and
o 2019 employer state and local taxes assessed on employee compensation, primarily state unemployment insurance tax (from state quarterly wage reporting forms).
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Step 2:
Calculate the average monthly payroll costs (divide the amount from Step 1 by 12).
•
Step 3:
Multiply the average monthly payroll costs from Step 2 by 2.5.
•
Step 4:
Add the outstanding amount of any EIDL made between January 31, 2020 and April 3, 2020 that you seek to refinance, less the amount of any advance under an EIDL COVID-19 loan (because it does not have to be repaid).
The nonprofit organization’s 2019 IRS Form 941 and state quarterly wage unemployment insurance tax reporting form from each quarter (or equivalent payroll processor records or IRS Wage and Tax Statements), along with the filed IRS Form 990 Part IX or other documentation of any retirement and health insurance contributions, must be provided to substantiate the applied-for PPP loan amount. A payroll statement or similar documentation from the pay period that covered February 15, 2020 must be provided to establish you were in operation and had employees on that date.
Eligible nonprofits that do not file an IRS Form 990, typically those with gross receipts less than $50,000, should see the next question.
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QUESTION:
How is the maximum PPP loan amount calculated for eligible nonprofit religious institutions, veterans’ organizations, and tribal businesses (up to $10 million)? (Note that PPP loan forgiveness amounts will depend, in part, on the total amount spent during the eight-week period following the first disbursement of the PPP loan.)
Answer:
The following methodology should be used to calculate the maximum amount that can be borrowed for eligible nonprofit religious institutions, veterans organizations and tribal businesses:
•
Step 1:
Compute 2019 payroll costs by adding the following: o 2019 gross wages and tips paid to your employees whose principal place of residence is in the United States, which can be computed using 2019 IRS Form 941 Taxable Medicare wages & tips (line 5c-column 1) from each quarter plus any pre-tax employee contributions for health insurance or other fringe benefits excluded from Taxable Medicare wages & tips, subtracting any amounts paid to any individual employee in excess of $100,000 and any amounts paid to any employee whose principal place of residence is outside the U.S;
o 2019 employer health insurance contributions;
o 2019 employer retirement contributions and
o 2019 employer state and local taxes assessed on employee compensation, primarily state unemployment insurance tax (from state quarterly wage reporting forms).
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Step 2:
Calculate the average monthly payroll costs (divide the amount from Step 1 by 12).
•
Step 3:
Multiply the average monthly payroll costs from Step 2 by 2.5.
•
Step 4:
Add any outstanding amount of any EIDL made between January 31, 2020 and April 3, 2020 that you seek to refinance, less the amount of any advance under an EIDL COVID-19 loan (because it does not have to be repaid).
The entity’s 2019 IRS Form 941 and state quarterly wage unemployment insurance tax reporting form from each quarter (or equivalent payroll processor records or IRS Wage and Tax Statements), along with documentation of any retirement and health insurance contributions, must be provided to substantiate the applied-for PPP loan amount. A payroll statement or similar documentation from the pay period that covered February 15, 2020 must be provided to establish you were in operation and had employees on that date.
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QUESTION:
I am an LLC owner. Which set of instructions apply to me?
Answer:
LLCs should follow the instructions that apply to their tax filing situation, for example, whether they file as a sole proprietor, a partnership, or a corporation.
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QUESTION:
What other documentation can be provided for the purpose of substantiating the applied-for PPP loan amount?
Answer:
IRS Form W-2s and IRS Form W-3 or payroll processor reports, including quarterly and annual tax reports, can be used in place of IRS Form 941. Additionally, very small businesses that file an annual IRS Form 944 instead of quarterly IRS Form 941 should rely on and provide IRS Form 944. Similarly, records from a retirement administrator can be used to document employer retirement contributions while records from a health insurance company or third-party administrator for a self-insured plan can document employer health insurance contributions.
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PPP Additional Criterion for
Seasonal Employers as of April 27, 2020
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QUESTION:
What does this interim final rule apply to?
Answer:
This rule applies to PPP loans issued to seasonal employers
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QUESTION:
How does this rule affect the calculation of the maximum loan amount for seasonal employers?
Answer:
Under section 1102 of the CARES Act, a seasonal employer may determine its maximum loan amount for purposes of the PPP by reference to the employer’ average total monthly payments for payroll “the 12-week period beginning February 15, 2019, or at the election of the eligible [borrower], March 1, 2019, and ending June 30, 2019.” Under this interim final rule
issued pursuant to section 1109 of the Act, a seasonal employer may alternatively elect to determine its maximum loan amount as the average total monthly payments for payroll during any consecutive 12-week period between May 1, 2019 and September 15, 2019
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QUESTION:
If a seasonal business was dormant or not fully operating as of February 15, 2020, is it still eligible?
Answer:
Yes, in evaluating eligibility, a seasonal business will be considered to have been in operation as of February 15, 2020, if the business was in operation for any 8-week period between May 1, 2019 and September 15, 2019. This approach aligns with guidance previously provided by the Small Business Administration concerning other seasonal businesses under section 1102.
See
Treasury, Paycheck Protection Program Loans: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), FAQ 9 (posted April 6, 2020)
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QUESTION:
Are any other SBA rules or guidance for the PPP affected by Treasury’s interim final rule?
Answer:
No. This interim final rule only provides certain employers with an alternative means of calculating the maximum loan amount. All other terms and conditions in the PPP remain unchanged. All PPP applicants, borrowers, and lenders should continue to use existing SBA forms and follow all requirements set forth in the CARES Act and SBA regulations, except for the alternative approach described above for calculating the maximum loan amount.
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QUESTION:
What lenders are authorized to offer terms in Treasury’s interim final rule to seasonal employers?
Answer:
All lenders authorized to originate PPP loans may offer the terms under this interim final rule to eligible applicants and borrowers. PPP loans under this interim final rule are eligible for an SBA guarantee to the same extent as PPP loans based on existing PPP rules.
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CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to COVID-19
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Grant and Initiative
Opportunities
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Facebook: Opportunity for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in more than 30 countries where Facebook operates to receive funding. Facebook is
prioritizing 50% of grants to eligible minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses due to the disproportionate negative impact that COVID-19 will have on these businesses, their employees and the communities that they serve
.
https://www.facebook.com/business/boost/
grants
?ref=alias
.
To be eligible, businesses must:
o
Have between 2 and 50 employees
o
Have been in business for over a year
o
Have experienced challenges from COVID-19
o
Be in or near a location where Facebook operates
Virginia is included in locations
Verizon:
launched
#PayItForwardLIVE
, a weekly livestream from big names to pay it forward for small businesses. Viewers can tune in every Tuesday and Thursday at 8PM ET/ 5PM PT on
@
Verizon
’s Twitter
, Yahoo, Twitch, and Fios Channel 501. As people support their favorite small businesses with #PayItForwardLIVE, Verizon will commit an additional $10 per use of the hashtag, up to $2.5 million, for a total of up to $5 million in support.
Salesforce Grant:
The Grant Program is intended to help support certain small businesses in the United States of America who need assistance due to adverse economic effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Information available at:
https://www.ureeka.biz/legal/salesforcegrantsterms
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Additional Loan Programs and Lending Tools
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Three Virginia organizations have launched a loan program to support small business sustainability in Wythe and Bland Counties during this challenging time.
The Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce, the Joint IDA of Wythe County, and Downtown Wytheville Incorporated have jointly funded a $60,000 loan pool to support small business needs during this time of economic uncertainty. This fund offers businesses loans up to $2,000 that will be repayable over two years at 0% interest. While this won’t likely make or break many businesses, the mission is to help offset expenses while cash flow is down.
Loan applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. Go to our website for a loan application.
www.wwbchamber.com
The Federal Reserve has announced that it is establishing a Main Street Lending Program (Program) to support lending to small and medium-sized businesses that were in good financial standing before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Program will operate through two facilities: the Main Street New Loan Facility (MSNLF) and the Main Street Expanded Loan Facility (MSELF).
- Structure. To implement the Program, a Reserve Bank will set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to purchase 95 percent participations in loans originated by eligible lenders. Lenders will retain 5 percent of the loans. As detailed further in the term sheets, U.S. businesses are eligible for loans if they meet either of the following conditions: (1) the business has 10,000 employees or fewer; or (2) the business had 2019 revenues of $2.5 billion or less. Loans would have a four year maturity, and principal and interest payments on the loans will be deferred for one year. Eligible lenders may originate new loans (under MSNLF) or increase the size of (or "upsize") existing loans (under MSELF) made to eligible businesses.
- Operational Status. The Federal Reserve is currently working to create the Program infrastructure and is considering the feedback provided by the public. More information will be posted here as it becomes available regarding program terms and how eligible lenders can sell eligible loan participations to the SPV. Once the Program is operational, small and medium-sized businesses interested in the Program should seek to apply for MSNLF or MSELF loans from an eligible lender.
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How COVID-19 is Affecting Main Street
Governor Northam COVID-19 Business Task Force
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Sincerely,
The Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity
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