In response to the financial impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on many businesses, the U.S. Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March of 2020. One of the key provisions of this act was the ability for businesses to apply for forgivable loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). However, the restrictions and requirements for these loans had caused some difficulties for small business owners, and in response, Congress passed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, and it was signed into law by President Trump on June 5. This act implemented a number of changes that will give businesses more options for using loan funds, obtaining forgiveness, and repaying loans.

Changes to the Paycheck Protection Program

Under the CARES Act, businesses could apply for a PPP loan, and they were required to spend the funds from these loans within eight weeks after receiving a loan. This time period has been modified to allow businesses to choose a reporting period of either 8 or 24 weeks. However, the 24-week period is from the loan origination date or until December 31, 2020, whichever is earlier (which may result in less than 24 weeks). This period can be used to restore a business’s workforce to pre-COVID-19 levels, and the deadline for doing so has been moved from June 30, 2020 to December 31, 2020. However, the deadline for applying for a PPP loan has not changed, and applications must be submitted by June 30, 2020.

If a business is unable to fully restore its workforce, there are some new exceptions that may apply that will still allow for forgiveness of PPP loans. These include provisions for businesses that are unable to rehire previous employees or other people with similar qualifications, as well as businesses that were unable to return to their previous level of business activity due to restrictions related to COVID-19.

Over the weekend, the United States Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provides new programs and initiatives intended to assist small businesses, as well as certain non-profits and other employers.

Do You Need:

1. Capital to cover the cost of retaining employees?

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans will provide cash-flow assistance to employers through 100% federally-guaranteed loans. The loans are available for employers are who maintaining their payroll during the coronavirus emergency and are eligible to be forgiven if the payroll is maintained. Borrowers are eligible for loan forgiveness for up to eight weeks of their payroll, depending on employee retention and salary levels. 

On Jan. 1, 2018, Section 199A was inserted into the Internal Revenue Service tax code as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. As stated in the code, Sec. 199A says sole proprietors, business partnerships, S corporations, and many trusts and estates could be eligible for a qualified business income (QBI) deduction. This lets qualifying taxpayers deduct a maximum of 20 percent of their QBI, in addition to 20 percent of qualified publicly traded partnership (PTP) income and real estate investment trust (REIT) dividends.

When the new law was announced, uncertainty remained as to what kinds of businesses would qualify for the deduction and the scope of its limitations. In January of this year, the IRS issued Publication 535, in which Chapter 12 addresses the QBI deduction. 

Here are some of the key points that answered questions which had lingered since the introduction of Sec. 199A last year. For a full examination of how Sec. 199A affects your business and taxes, contact an experienced business law attorney. 

In mid-2017, a 112-page bill from the Illinois General Assembly significantly altered the Illinois Limited Liability Company Act. Its purpose was to align Illinois law with the Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act adhered to in most states. In addition to affecting the formation of future companies, the law also applied to LLCs already in existence. Changes that significantly impacted Illinois business entities and individuals starting a new company include:

Clarification of Procedures for Records Inspection and Copying

If an LLC member wishes to assess the business’ transactions and financial status, the company must provide the necessary records within 10 days of the request, unless it is understood the individual already knows the information contained therein. Disassociated members also maintain these rights, and any denial of access must be made in writing by the company.

Verbal and Inferred Agreements Now Accepted 

While this reverses the previous standard regarding oral and implied operating agreements, a written operating contract is still the preferred method. In some situations, a court may decide there is no proof of an oral agreement, but persons who neglected to draft a written agreement now have an avenue to assert their rights.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump last December, made a wide variety of sweeping changes to the United States Tax Code. In addition to reducing the corporate tax rate, the tax reform law implemented some changes which can benefit small business owners, and people should be aware of how they can take advantage of these changes and minimize their tax burden by establishing themselves as a LLC.

Pass-Through Entities and LLCs

One significant change that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made was in how pass-through entities are treated. With pass-through businesses, such as sole proprietorships or LLCs, profits are taxed at the owner’s individual tax rate rather than the corporate tax rate. Under the tax reform law, owners of pass-through entities can now deduct 20% of their qualified business income. 

The pass-through deduction is a “below the line” deduction which is taken from a taxpayer’s adjusted gross income (AGI). This means that it will apply to a person’s taxable income after other deductions have been made, such as retirement plan contributions, health insurance premiums, alimony, and interest on student loans.