Streamlined forgiveness application for PPP loans up to $50,000

Late last week, the Department of Treasury (Treasury) and Small Business Administration (SBA) jointly announced that borrowers of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans of $50,000 or less (to include self-employed borrowers) are eligible for a streamlined loan forgiveness application process. Pursuant to an interim final rule, such borrowers can apply using a new pared-down SBA Form 3508S and will not need to reduce their forgiveness amount for any reductions in employee headcounts or salaries.

The application still requires the borrower make certain certifications to the accuracy of the information reported and submit documentation to support the use of the loan proceeds was for eligible costs. Borrowers who together with their affiliates (as determined under SBA rules) received loans of $2 million or more are ineligible to use the streamlined application. For example, if an entity has a loan of $50,000 and its parent corporation has a loan of $1.95 million, the former would not be able to use Form 3508S to apply for loan forgiveness.

Treasury and the SBA cited the need to relieve the compliance burden on both borrowers and lenders by affording them the use of this comparatively straightforward process for determining forgiveness of “de minimis” loans.

Form 3508S and its accompanying instructions are posted on the SBA’s website.

Please contact your Baker Tilly advisor regarding how the above may affect your situation.

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