William Byrnes' Tax, Wealth, and Risk Intelligence

Looks like we have more guidance from the IRS on PPP forgiveness and deductibility of expenses. This is getting more complicated as we approach the end of the year and many taxpayers are anticipating, but have not yet received, the forgiveness of their PPP loans. The new guidance helps deal with a couple of potential types of situations that companies may find themselves in while they wait for forgiveness applications to be reviewed.

Prof. William H. Byrnes

Robert Bloink, J.D., LL.M.

IRS Releases Safe Harbors to Allow Certain PPP Loan Recipients to Deduct Business Expenses One controversial element of the PPP loan rules involves whether taxpayers who receive loan forgiveness qualify to deduct otherwise deductible business expenses.  To date, IRS’ guidance has confirmed that otherwise eligible deductions will be denied.  However, the agency has now released a safe harbor for certain taxpayers whose application for forgiveness was denied or who opted to forgo applying for forgiveness.  The safe harbors allow a taxpayer to claim a deduction in the 2020 tax year for certain otherwise deductible eligible expenses.  For more information on the safe harbor requirements, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

IRS Confirms Position on Non-Deductibility of Business Expenses for PPP Loan Recipients Who Expect Loan ForgivenessThe IRS has released guidance confirming that PPP loan recipients who have a reasonable expectation that they will have loan amounts forgiven cannot deduct otherwise eligible business expenses.  A taxpayer that received a covered loan guaranteed under the PPP and paid or incurred certain otherwise deductible expenses may not deduct those expenses in the tax year in which the expenses were paid or incurred if, at the end of such taxable year, the taxpayer reasonably expects to receive forgiveness of the covered loan on the basis of the expenses it paid or accrued during the covered period.  That’s true even if the taxpayer has not yet submitted an application for forgiveness of the covered loan by the end of the tax year.  For more information on the implications of PPP loan forgiveness, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Complex Contribution Limits for Employees Participating in Multiple Employer-Sponsored Retirement PlanAs we approach the end of the year, many taxpayers may have questions about their 2020 retirement plan contribution limits.  Employees who participate in more than one plan are subject to two sets of limits: the annual additions limit and the deferral limit.  The deferral limit maxes out at $19,500, or $26,000 for clients 50 and older, in 2020.  Each participant is limited in contributing $19,500 across all retirement plans.  The annual additions limit in 2020 is $57,000 ($63,500 for those 50 and up).  The annual additions limit includes all employer and employee contributions.  Each employer-based plan gets its own annual additions limit.  Therefore, if you have two employers, each employer can contribute up to the $57,000 limit.  In other words, contributions from unrelated employers aren’t aggregated.  For more information on the 401(k) contribution limits, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

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• Ranked in top 20 public universities by Wall Street Journal / Times Higher Education (2020)
• #1 endowment for U.S. public universities, #7 overall
• #1 of U.S. public universities for a superior education at an affordable cost
• #1 for most CEOs employed by Fortune 500
• Rank 11th “Best Public Colleges” Money’s Best Colleges Report, 2019
• Texas A&M ranks #1 in Texas, #1 in the SEC, and #12 in the U.S. in Washington Monthly’s 2020 overall college rankings based on the quality of education, accessibility, graduation rates, student involvement, and research: see tx.ag/WashMonth20