Many of our small business clients ask if they can reimburse their employees for health insurance. Although you cannot give your employees money directly for their healthcare expenses, there is a tax advantaged health benefit that allows employers to reimburse their employees for their healthcare expenses. This benefit is called a Health Reimbursement Arrangement or an HRA.
Before employers rush to ask for forgiveness on their Small Business Interruption Loans issued under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) they may want to check their eligibility for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) first. New legislation from the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CCA) 2021 created the opportunity for businesses to take advantage of both the PPP and the ERC.
As borrowers approach the end of their 24 weeks for the Payroll Protection Program (PPP), the question “What do I need to do to apply for forgiveness?” goes through their minds. Many borrowers scrambled getting items put together to apply for the PPP loan because funds were limited, but they do not need to rush when applying for forgiveness. The borrower must apply for forgiveness within ten months following the end of the covered period of 24 weeks. If forgiveness is not applied for, loan payments will begin at the end of this 10-month period. Once forgiveness is applied for, the lender has up to 60 days to review the forgiveness application.
We get a lot of questions from small business owners about paying for their employees’ health insurance premiums. Many believe they can pay for employees’ health insurance premiums tax free. The reality is that as of July 1, 2015, employers are no longer allowed to reimburse employees for health insurance or pay for individual health insurance premiums. All healthcare premium payments must be paid through a group healthcare plan. Violations could result in a penalty of $100 per day per employee.
On December 20, 2019 President Trump signed into law what is known as the SECURE Act, or the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement. This legislation is intended to increase Americans’ readiness for retirement. The objective is to help hard working Americans secure their financial future. One way the SECURE Act helps to accomplish this is by incentivizing small businesses to set up employer-sponsored retirement plans.
It all starts with an idea, a dream, a determination like no other. I have been amazed at the creativity and courageousness of entrepreneurs I have had the pleasure to work with. While most have easily conceptualized their vision to provide an amazing product or service, they struggle to understand financial statements and develop useful ways to measure the condition and sustainability of their small business. Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, can be extremely useful and comprehensive tools to gauge how effectively a company is accomplishing its business objectives, as well as compare its operations to others in the industry.
Few have ever said that being an entrepreneur and starting your own small business is easy. Having worked with small business owners my entire career, I can honestly say many of these entrepreneurs are some of the most creative and brave people I have ever met. The following are some tips that every small business owner should consider.