Photo of Bijal Vira

Bijal Vira is a partner in the corporate and finance practice areas in the firm's New York office.

*This post was updated on July 10, 2020.

Below please find a link to the Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP (Sheppard Mullin) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Estimator Workbook (the Workbook), which was created by and is the property of Sheppard Mullin.
Continue Reading Paycheck Protection Program: Loan Forgiveness Estimator Workbook

On May 15, 2020, the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued the Loan Forgiveness Application for borrowers to complete in order to apply for loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, including, without limitation, by the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, applicable federal regulations and interpretive guidance issued by the SBA and Treasury, the CARES Act).  The Loan Forgiveness Application includes a loan forgiveness calculation form and related Schedule A worksheet as well as an optional PPP borrower demographic information form.

Highlights of what we believe to be material new guidance or clarification of existing guidance regarding PPP loan forgiveness are as follows:
Continue Reading Paycheck Protection Program: Key Features of the Loan Forgiveness Application

On May 13, 2020, the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued an updated Frequently Asked Questions fact sheet (FAQ)[1], which provides interpretative guidance on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).[2]
Continue Reading Paycheck Protection Program: SBA Issues Further Guidance on its Review of the Economic Uncertainty Certification made by PPP Borrowers

The U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued further interpretative guidance on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), via (i) an updated Frequently Asked Questions fact sheet (FAQ)[1], which was last published on May 6, 2020 and (ii) the distribution of the Eighth Interim Final Rule[2] on May 5, 2020.[3]
Continue Reading Paycheck Protection Program: SBA Extends Prepayment Safe Harbor To May 14, 2020 and Issues Further Interpretive Guidance on Employee Head Count and Affiliation

On April 30, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued its Seventh Interim Final Rule[1] with respect to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).[2]
Continue Reading Paycheck Protection Program: SBA Issues an Aggregate $20 Million Limit for Entities within a “Single Corporate Group”

On April 28, 2020, U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administrator Jovita Carranza issued a Joint Statement stating that a “review” will be conducted for businesses seeking loan forgiveness for loans in excess of $2 million under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).  Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and SBA administrator Carranza added that “regulatory guidance implementing this procedure will be forthcoming.”
Continue Reading The SBA and U.S. Treasury Announce Full “Review” of Businesses Receiving PPP Loans Greater than $2 Million

On April 24, 2020, the U.S. President signed into law the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (PPP Enhancement Act), which appropriates an additional $321 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).  The $321 billion infusion under the PPP Enhancement Act replenishes the PPP after the program utilized the entire $349 billion commitment that was originally authorized under the CARES Act.  Of the $321 billion, the SBA is obligated to set aside and guarantee $30 billion for (i) insured depository institutions with consolidated assets between $10 billion and $50 billion and (ii) credit unions with consolidated assets between $10 billion and $50 billion, and another $30 billion for (i) community financial institutions, (ii) insured depository institutions with consolidated assets of less than $10 billion and (iii) credit unions with consolidated assets of less than $10 billion.
Continue Reading Enactment of the Paycheck Protection Program And Healthcare Enhancement Act and Further Interpretive Guidance on The Economic Uncertainty Certification And PPP Eligibility

The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), as enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, provides federally-guaranteed loans up to a maximum amount of $10 million to qualified businesses, which can be fully forgivable, to encourage businesses to retain employees through the COVID-19 crisis by assisting in the payment of certain operational costs.
Continue Reading Computational Framework for Determining Number of Employees for Eligibility, Qualifying Loan Amount and Forgiveness for a PPP Loan

On April 14, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued its Third Interim Finale Rule[1]   with respect to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Third Interim Final Rule is supplemental to the (i) First Interim Final Rule issued by the SBA on April 2, 2020, (ii) Second Interim Final Rule issued by the SBA on April 4, 2020 and (iii) Applicable Affiliation Rules fact sheet that was issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) on April 4, 2020 and (iv) the Frequently Asked Questions fact sheet (FAQ)[2] issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury), which was last updated on April 15, 2020 at the time of this publication.
Continue Reading Further Expansion Of Eligibility And Additional Guidance On The Paycheck Protection Program: The SBA’s April 14, 2020 Interim Final Rule

On April 7, 2020, the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) released a 4/7/2020 Frequently Asked Questions sheet (FAQ)[1] with respect to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as enacted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The FAQ is supplemental to the (i) First Interim Final Rule issued by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) on April 2, 2020, (ii) Second Interim Final Rule issued by the SBA on April 4, 2020 and (iii) Treasury’s Applicable Affiliation Rules fact sheet that was issued on April 4, 2020.
Continue Reading Expansion of Eligibility and Additional Guidance on the Paycheck Protection Program (Title I of the CARES Act)