covid19 - Linkenheimer LLP CPAs & Advisors

New California Relief Grant Program For Small Businesses Opens Today

California small businesses can now begin applying for some extra relief as part of a $475 million grant program the state is offering. Round 1 for applications starts Wednesday, December 30th and runs through Friday, January 8th at 11:59pm. These grants are limited to small businesses with gross revenue under $2.5 million.

Some highlights of the grant program include:

• $475 million of funding administered by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate will be distributed by Lendistry as the Intermediary, with certain third-parties designated by Lendistry to provide additional support (“Partners”).
• Anticipate issuing grants in the following two (2) rounds of distributions:
o Round 1 – approximately $237.5 million
o Round 2 – approximately $237.5 million
• The program is not on a “first come, first served” basis.
• The application portal for each round will open for applicants for a Open to active For-Profit businesses and Non-Profits.
• Grants will range from $5,000 to $25,000 per eligible business (based on gross revenue).
• Yearly Gross revenue must be at minimum $1,000 and maximum $2.5 million.

Funds from the grant can be used to pay for an establishment’s rent, utilities, resources, employee expenses and other relevant costs.

Eligibility requirements include:

• […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-12-31T01:12:49+00:00December 31st, 2020|ca, california, covid-19, New Tax Laws, small business|0 Comments

Tax Responsibilities If Your Business Is Closing Amid The Pandemic

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to shut down. If this is your situation, we’re here to assist you in any way we can, including taking care of the various tax obligations that must be met.

Of course, a business must file a final income tax return and some other related forms for the year it closes. The type of return to be filed depends on the type of business you have. Here’s a rundown of the basic requirements.

Sole Proprietorships. You’ll need to file the usual Schedule C, “Profit or Loss from Business,” with your individual return for the year you close the business. You may also need to report self-employment tax.

Partnerships. A partnership must file Form 1065, “U.S. Return of Partnership Income,” for the year it closes. You also must report capital gains and losses on Schedule D. Indicate that this is the final return and […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-11-05T17:49:44+00:00November 5th, 2020|business, disaster, employer, New Tax Laws, small business|0 Comments

Now More Than Ever, Carefully Track Payroll Records

The subject of payroll has been top-of-mind for business owners this year. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered economic changes that caused considerable fluctuations in the size of many companies’ workforces. Employees have been laid off, furloughed and, in some cases, rehired. There has also been crisis relief for eligible businesses in the form of the Paycheck Protection Program and the payroll tax credit.

Payroll recordkeeping was important in the “old normal,” but it’s even more important now as businesses continue to navigate their way through a slowly recovering economy and ongoing public health crisis.

Four years

Most employers must withhold federal income, Social Security and Medicare taxes from their employees’ paychecks. As such, you must keep records relating to these taxes for at least four years after the due date of an employee’s personal income tax return (generally, April 15) for the year in which the payment was made. This is often referred to as the “records-in-general rule.”

These records include your Employer Identification Number, as well as your employees’ names, addresses, occupations and Social Security numbers. You should also keep for four years the total amounts and dates of payments of compensation and amounts withheld for […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-11-03T17:12:43+00:00November 3rd, 2020|business, small business, social security|0 Comments

Reviewing Your Disaster Plan In A Tumultuous Year

It’s been a year like no other. The sudden impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in March forced every business owner — ready or not — to execute his or her disaster response plan.

So, how did yours do? Although it may still be a little early to do a complete assessment of what went right and wrong during the crisis, you can take a quick look back right now while the experience is still fresh in your mind.

Get specific

When devising a disaster response plan, brainstorm as many scenarios as possible that could affect your company. What weather-related, environmental and socio-political threats do you face? Obviously, you can now add “pandemic” to the list.

The operative word, however, is “your.” Every company faces distinctive threats related to its industry, size, location(s), and products or services. Identify these as specifically as possible, based on what you’ve learned.

There are some constants for nearly every plan. Seek out alternative suppliers who could fill in for your current ones if necessary. Fortify your IT assets and functionality with enhanced recovery and security capabilities.

Communicate optimally

Another critical factor during and after a crisis is communication, both internal and external. Review whether […]

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-10-29T22:04:51+00:00October 29th, 2020|disaster, liability, small business|0 Comments

PPP Flexibility Act Eases Rules For Borrowers Coping With COVID-19

As you may recall, the Small Business Administration (SBA) launched the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) back in April to help companies reeling from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Created under a provision of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the PPP is available to U.S. businesses with fewer than 500 employees.

In its initial incarnation, the PPP offered eligible participants loans determined by eight weeks of previously established average payroll. If the recipient maintained its workforce, up to 100% of the loan was forgivable if the loan proceeds were used to cover payroll expenses, certain employee health care benefits, mortgage interest, rent, utilities and interest on any other existing debt during the “covered period” — that is, for eight weeks after loan origination.

On June 5, the president signed into law the PPP Flexibility Act. The new law makes a variety of important adjustments that ease the rules for borrowers. Highlights include:

Extension of covered period.

By Linkenheimer LLP|2020-09-03T20:02:41+00:00June 10th, 2020|business, New Tax Laws|0 Comments