#766 What’s going on with the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) for Small Businesses?
Nov 11, 2023
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Jay Woods, Founder & President of Omega Accounting Solutions, discusses the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) program for small businesses, including the IRS's concerns about potential fraud. He also talks about the timeline and process of claiming the ERC from the IRS, as well as the benefits of using AnswerConnect's customer service support for small businesses.
The IRS has suspended new applications for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) due to potential fraud in the system, leaving over 600,000 refund requests from small businesses pending.
The ERC program has provided substantial refunds to small businesses, but businesses should be prepared for potential audits even after receiving their refund.
Deep dives
IRS Stops Accepting New ERC Requests
The IRS has announced that it will no longer accept new requests for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) due to a backlog of over 600,000 refund requests from small business owners. The IRS suspects potential fraud in the system, leading to the temporary halt of new claims. The ERC program was intended to provide COVID-related relief to small businesses, with some receiving substantial refunds from the government. However, the IRS has raised concerns about the emergence of fraudulent ERC mills charging fees to assist businesses with their applications.
Existing ERC Applications and Audits
For those who have already applied for the ERC, their applications will still be considered valid. However, it is important to note that even if businesses have received their refund, they are not exempt from potential IRS audits. The process of receiving ERC funds has taken anywhere from three to six months, but with the halt on new requests, it remains uncertain if the timeline will be extended. Small businesses are advised to be patient and prepared for potential audits. The program has been helpful for many small business owners during the pandemic, despite the presence of fraudulent activities.
A lot of small businesses have applied for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) from the IRS and received hundreds of thousands and sometimes even millions of dollars. The IRS recently took the unusual step of announcing it was suspending any new applications for the ERC program because they believe it is filled with small businesses fraudulently applying and many don’t actually qualify for the program.
Here to discuss the new developments in the ERC program is Jay Woods who is the Founder & President of Omega Accounting Solutions.