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The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, 
The CARES Act” provides tax relief to individuals and businesses

After days of furious negotiations, Congress has passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The $2.2 trillion price tag for tax relief and incentives for individuals and businesses makes it the most expensive piece of legislation ever passed. It includes the greatly anticipated provision for recovery rebate credits to individuals.  Here are some of the major aspects of The CARES Act. 

You may have many questions about how this will affect you and your taxes.
If you have any questions, please give us a call.

We are here to help.

Anderson, Spector and Co PC


 

ASPECTS of The CARES ACT: Employee Retention Credit for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

Posted by Admin Posted on Apr 06 2020

Does my business qualify to receive the Employee Retention Credit?

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service have launched the Employee Retention Credit, designed to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll. The refundable tax credit is 50% of up to $10,000 in wages paid by an eligible employer whose business has been financially impacted by COVID-19. 

The credit is available to all employers regardless of size, including tax-exempt organizations. There are only two exceptions: State and local governments and their instrumentalities and small businesses who take small business loans. 

Qualifying employers must fall into one of two categories:

  • The employer’s business is fully or partially suspended by government order due to COVID-19 during the calendar quarter.
  • The employer’s gross receipts are below 50% of the comparable quarter in 2019. Once the employer’s gross receipts go above 80% of a comparable quarter in 2019, they no longer qualify after the end of that quarter. 

    How is the credit calculated? The amount of the credit is 50% of qualifying wages paid up to $10,000 in total. Wages paid after March 12, 2020, and before Jan. 1, 2021, are eligible for the credit. Wages taken into account are not limited to cash payments, but also include a portion of the cost of employer provided health care.

    How do I know which wages qualify?  Qualifying wages are based on the average number of a business’s employees in 2019. Employers with less than 100 employees: If the employer had 100 or fewer employees on average in 2019, the credit is based on wages paid to all employees, regardless if they worked or not. If the employees worked full time and were paid for full time work, the employer still receives the credit.

    Employers with more than 100 employees:  If the employer had more than 100 employees on average in 2019, then the credit is allowed only for wages paid to employees who did not work during the calendar quarter. 

     I am an eligible employer. How do I receive my credit?  Employers can be immediately reimbursed for the credit by reducing their required deposits of payroll taxes that have been withheld from employees’ wages by the amount of the credit.

    Eligible employers will report their total qualified wages and the related health insurance costs for each quarter on their quarterly employment tax returns or Form 941 beginning with the second quarter. If the employer’s employment tax deposits are not enough to cover the credit, the employer may receive an advance payment from the IRS by submitting Form 7200, Advance Payment of Employer Credits Due to COVID-19.

    Please call our office if you have any questions related to the employee retention credit and how you may qualify.

 

Any accounting, business or tax advice contained in this communication, including attachments and enclosures, is not intended as a thorough, in-depth analysis of specific issues, nor a substitute for a formal opinion, nor is it sufficient to avoid tax-related penalties. If desired, Anderson, Spector & Co., P.C. would be pleased to perform the requisite research and provide you with a detailed written analysis. Such an engagement may be the subject of a separate engagement letter that would define the scope and limits of the desired consultation services.