Trying to stay focused. I can hear the news continually in the background and none of it’s good. Working from home is difficult when you want to sit with your family and reach out to others that you can’t be with.

Video conferencing and online services are working well. Praise God! Century Link is actually working. This may be a new normal for many of our clients who are trying these new technologies for the first time. It’s convenient and, hey, you only have to dress from the waste up.

My clients are all scrambling, adapting to the constantly changing markets and conditions. With forced closings, many are laying off, not knowing when their doors will reopen. We desperately need congress to finalize the stimulus package so we can stop trying to hit a moving target. Here’s what I know so far.

Proposed: Small Business Loans and Economic Impact Payments to Individuals

As of this morning, congress is still working out the details and has not passed the bill. The treasury department’s proposal would guarantee small business interruption loans up to 100% of 6 weeks of payroll for a wide range of eligible small businesses.

Two equal economic impact payments would be issued on April 6th and May 18th to eligible individuals. These payments are predicted to be $1,000 to $2,000 each.

In Effect: April 15th Tax Relief

Federal individual and corporate tax payments due on April 15th, 2020 are automatically deferred for up to 90 days without incurring penalty and interest. The deferral includes both 2019, and 1st quarter 2020, income and self-employment taxes. The deferral is expected to add an estimated $300 billion in liquidity to the economy in the near term. The deferral amounts are limited, so call us or check the IRS website for details: Payment Deadline Extended to July 15, 2020 and Notice 2020-17 (PDF), Relief for Taxpayers Affected by Ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic.

See also: Hunkered Down, day 2

In Effect: Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program

Small business owners in the following designated states are currently eligible to apply for a low-interest loan due to Coronavirus (COVID-19): California, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Utah, and Washington. Click here to apply. Find more information on the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans at: SBA.gov/Disaster.

~Mitzi E. Sullivan, CPA

Mitzi E. Sullivan, CPA is a cloud based professional services provider specializing in cloud accounting.

Free Tax Resources Provided by the IRS

• Free File – prepare and file your federal income tax return for free using tax preparation and filing software.
• Where’s My Refund? – is an online tool that will track your tax refund. You will need your Social security number or ITIN, your filing status and your exact refund amount to use the tool.
• Online Payment Agreements – you can apply for a payment plan online to pay off your balance over time.
• IRS2Go mobile app – Check your refund status, make a payment, find free tax preparation assistance, sign up for helpful tax tips, and more!
• Online Account – use this tool to view: Your payoff amount, updated for the current calendar day, the balance for each tax year for which you owe, up to 24 months of your payment history and key information from your current tax year return as originally filed.