William Byrnes - Covid -19 Tax Legislation

More on the COVID-19 legislation and related administrative guidance from the DOL. This week we have updates on business interest deductions, student loan payment info, and DOL guidance on the PTO that was mandated by the new legislation. Are you keeping up?

CARES Act: Business Interest Deduction Relief
The CARES Act increases the 30% of adjusted taxable income (ATI) limit on the business interest deduction (as imposed under the 2017 tax reform law) to 50% for corporations in 2019 and 2020. All entities (corporations and pass-throughs) can elect to use 2019 ATI instead of 2020 ATI in determining the 2020 business interest expense deduction, which could increase the business interest deduction for businesses who are likely to see reduced income levels in 2020. For more information, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

CARES Act Offers Tax-Preferred Student Loan Repayment Assistance Option
The CARES Act includes a provision that gives employers a way to offer tax-preferred student loan repayment assistance to employees. The Act changes the definition of “educational assistance” in IRC Section 127 to also include employer payments to employees of student loan principal or interest. The payments must currently be made before January 1, 2021. The maximum benefit permitted is a $5,250 payment in 2020 (tax-free). For more information on the requirements for establishing a tax-preferred education assistance program, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

DOL Guidance on Notice Requirements Related to Expanded COVID-19 Paid Time Off
The DOL has released a notice that all employers must conspicuously post to give employees information about federal relief efforts related to COVID-19. The DOL FAQ notes that when employees are working remotely, employers can email or mail the relevant notices. The notice must be provided to all current employees, but only must be provided in English absent future guidance (a Spanish language notice is available on the DOL website). For more information on the COVID-19 relief efforts, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

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