Small businesses that manage to get their Paycheck Protection Program loans forgiven may find themselves losing valuable tax breaks, according to new guidance from the Internal Revenue Service.
Companies that qualify for loan forgiveness under legislation Congress approved won’t be able to deduct the wages or other businesses expenses they paid for using the loan, according to an IRS notice published Thursday.
“This treatment prevents a double tax benefit,” the agency said in the notice. “This conclusion is consistent with prior guidance of the IRS.”
The guidance clarifies a point of confusion in the $670 billion small business loan program to help businesses struggling as the coronavirus has brought the economy to a standstill. The law states that the forgiven loan won’t be taxed, but didn’t specify whether companies could still write off the expenses they covered with that money.
Andrea Ramirez is the senior director of the care team at Empathy, where she leads a dedicated group of professionals helping families navigate the challenges of bereavement. With a background in people operations and a commitment to compassionate leadership, Andrea is passionate about fostering work environments that prioritize well-being and empathy.
Matt Chisholm is senior vice president of business solutions at Commonwealth Financial Network, working to ensure that advisors have access to the consultants, programs and resources needed to build scalable, sustainable businesses. Previously, he was senior vice president of practice management and consulting at Fidelity Investments.
Angela Abbott has spent over 20 years in the billing and payments industry and has dedicated more than half of that time to the insurance market. In her current role as AVP, Insurance at InvoiceCloud, Angela works closely with carriers and providers to ensure successful integrations of InvoiceCloud's cutting-edge electronic bill presentment and payment solution.
The tax code permits companies to write off businesses expenses, such as wages, rent and transportation expenses, but generally doesn’t allow write-offs for tax-exempt income.
The ruling adds to the list of stumbling blocks facing businesses as they try to qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Small businesses have reported technical issues in trying to apply for the funds, which restarted Monday after the first round of funding ran out after just 13 days.
The program, run by the Small Business Administration, provides funds to cover eight weeks of payroll costs and the loans are forgiven if the employers keep workers on the job or quickly rehire laid-off workers.