Did you keep your payroll through the COVID-19 shutdowns? If so, you might be due a $26,000 credit for each employee.
Employee Retention Credit (ERC) is a government relief stimulus program intended for business owners who retained W2 employees during the Covid-19 pandemic. The only way to claim the ERC is on a federal employment tax return. While the credit is no longer available for future tax years, there is still time to file for the periods 2020 and 2021.
Does your business qualify for $26,000 per employee through ERC?
If your business has no employees, you do not qualify to receive a credit. Also, as business owner, wages are excluded. The requirements are different depending on the time period for which you claim the credit.
If your business kept its employees, there are two different ways to qualify for ERC:
- Your company must report the required decline in gross receipts during the eligibility periods, OR
- If your business was mandated by the government to shut down operations. These mandated shutdown periods were published by the government and these exact periods of time would qualify for the credit (not the entire quarter)
How to calculate if your business qualifies for ERC money
It is critical that you speak to a qualified tax representative about the calculations and qualifications for ERC to your business. We look at the company’s gross receipts to determine if the business reported a 50% (2020 vs 2019) or 20% (2021 vs 2019) decline in gross receipts (not profit) on a quarterly basis, compared to the corresponding quarter in 2019.
Schedule a free consultation with a qualified tax representative at Bernstein Financial Services about the calculations and qualifications for ERC to your business. We specialize in offering financial and accounting services for business owners.
Be careful with ERC—you don’t want to be misled
Beware of consulting firms trying to solicit your business with misleading information about ERC. Unfortunately, scammers are taking advantage of the tax credit’s complexity by soliciting business owners and creating misconceptions about how to qualify. Anyone who improperly claims the credit has to pay it back and may owe penalties and interest.
Bernstein Financial Services Inc. has helped guide business owners through the complexities of the tax code since 1989. Our team of experts help business owners improve their cash flow and profit margins while minimize your taxes. Learn more about our accounting and financial consulting firm.