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.
Jeremy Barbee is a Commercial Lines Risk Consultant focusing on Aviation Insurance. He works with clients on all types of aviation insurance needs, including personal, commercial, aerial applicators, flight schools, drones and more. Jeremy has a true passion for aviation and loves talking about flying with his clients. He is a private instrument-rated pilot whose preferred plane is a Cherokee 6, but he loves talking about all types of airplanes. One of his favorite parts of his job is working with clients as they get new airplanes because of the opportunity it presents to learn more about aviation.
Carol Adams is a professor of accounting at Durham University Business School in Durham, U.K. She is an internationally recognized researcher in corporate accounting and reporting and its role in the relationships between business, society and the environment. She is founding editor and editor-in-chief of the Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal.
Sue Marcus is managing director of Randstad Sourceright North America.
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.