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IRS Guidance Says No Deduction is Allowed

for Business Expenses Paid with Forgiven PPP

Loans



May 6, 2020
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act; P.L. 116-136) created Small
Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Pmoteuion Program (PPP) loans to provide short-term,
economic relief to certain small businesses and nonprofits.
PPP loans can be used to cover payroll expenses and other enumerated operating costs (e.g., rent, utilities)
and can be forgiven if the borrower meets certain payroll and employment retention criteria. The loans are
capped at $ I 0 nillion per borrowx er.
The initial authorization of $349 billion for PPP loans was exhausted by April 16, 2020. Congress
authorized another $310 billion ($659 billion total) for PPP loans in the Paycheck Protection Program and
Health Care Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-139).
On April 30, 2020, IRS issued Notice 2020-32, which clarifies the IRS position, under Internal Revenue
Code (IRC) Section 265(a)(1), that PPP-recipients cannot claim a deduction for expenses funded from the
forgiven PPP loans.
IRS's guidance could reduce the perceived economic benefit of PPP loans, and require some taxpayers to
alter how they compute their taxes for 2020 compared to previous years. With this said, many businesses
could still find that the economic benefits of PPP loans outweigh the potential costs.


Background on PPP Forgiveness

By rcgulation, payments on interest and principal are deferred for the first six months of the loan. Before
that deferment period is over, borrowers can apply for forgiveness on the principal and accrued interest
for eight weeks of expenses. According to the CARES Act, full forgiveness of eight weeks of expenses is
available as long as the borrower: (1) maintains the same number of full-time equivalent employees
during defined time periods and (2) does not decrease salaries and wages by more than 25% for
employees that make less than $100,000 in annualized compensation. By rcgulatlon, at least 75% of the


                                                              Congressional Research Service
                                                                https://crsreports.congress.gov
                                                                                   IN11378

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