November 19,2020

Grassley, Wyden: Treasury Misses the Mark on PPP Loan Expense Deductibility Guidance

WASHINGTON – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today released the following joint statement regarding the Department of the Treasury’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan expense deductibility guidance.
 
“Since the CARES Act, we’ve stressed that our intent was for small businesses receiving Paycheck Protection Program loans to receive the benefit of their deductions for ordinary and necessary business expenses. We explicitly included language in the CARES Act to ensure that PPP loan recipients whose loans are forgiven are not required to treat the loan proceeds as taxable income. As we’ve stated previously, Treasury’s approach in Notice 2020-32 effectively renders that provision meaningless.  
 
“Regrettably, Treasury has now doubled down on its position in new guidance that increases the tax burden on small businesses by accelerating their tax liability, all at a time when many businesses continue to struggle and some are again beginning to close. Small businesses need help maintaining their cash flow, not more strains on it. 
 
“While we continue our efforts to clarify in any end-of-year legislation the intended relief in the CARES Act, we have an opportunity to provide meaningful relief to small businesses at this critical time. We encourage Treasury to reconsider its position on the deductibility of these expenses, and the timing of those deductions, to provide relief to the small businesses that need it most.”