Update on the State of the PPP

Blogs

Oct 01, 2020

As the pace of changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has relaxed, many are wondering about the current status and potential changes yet to come. We wanted to share with you some of the discussions occurring at the federal level about possible next steps. While there appears to be strong bipartisan support for these additional actions in concept, the specific details will likely change throughout the process.

What is the status of PPP and forgiveness?

$525 billion was lent to 5.2 million businesses.
Most lenders are now accepting forgiveness applications.
As of 9/24, the SBA had received 96k forgiveness applications but had not completed the processing of any of them.

What is the latest guidance related to PPP forgiveness?

On 8/24, additional guidance was released regarding the following:

C or S Corporation owners with less than 5% ownership are not subject to the compensation caps
Expenses attributable to a tenant are not eligible for forgiveness.
Rent payments to a related party are capped at the amount of mortgage interest owed on the property.
Related party mortgage interest is not eligible for forgiveness.

What changes might still be coming to the PPP?

There continues to be bipartisan support in Congress for blanket forgiveness of “small” loans – typically discussed as $150,000. The exact terms and dollar amount still need to be negotiated.
There continues to be some bipartisan support for tax-deductibility of expenses related to forgiveness.
Congress has been slow to act, and it is likely we will not see movement on these items until after the election.

Will there be a second PPP?

Maybe. Again, this is a topic that Congress continues to discuss. Eligible businesses would likely be much more targeted in this round. We are likely to see a lower cap on the size of business (as measured by the number of employees) and it is likely that businesses will need to demonstrate they have been significantly negatively impacted.

What should I be doing now?

Continue to monitor our WVC COVID-19 Resource Center.
Calculate your loan forgiveness amount using a tool such as our forgiveness calculator.
Understand your lender’s process and timeline for forgiveness applications.
In most cases, it makes sense to sit tight and wait for the final changes to work their way through Congress. Your forgiveness application is due 10 months after the end of your Covered Period, so you have time.
Reach out to your WVC Advisor or our WVC PPP Loan Task Force leader, Kate Matz to discuss the above and plan for your specific situation.

Connect with the author:

Kate Matz, CPA, CEPA, CVGA, CGMA
Value Growth Practice Leader, William Vaughan Company
kate.matz@wvco.com | 419.891.1040

Categories: COVID-19, Other Resources