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CPAs Ask IRS For Forgiven Virus Loan Deduction Guidance

By Theresa Schliep · 2020-08-20 17:28:07 -0400

The Internal Revenue Service should make a priority of issuing guidance on the tax treatment of loan forgiveness under federal coronavirus relief legislation, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants said in comments to the agency released Thursday.

The IRS' upcoming priority guidance plan, which will detail regulatory projects it plans to cover from July 2020 through June 2021, should address the tax implications of loan forgiveness under the Paycheck Protection Program, the accountant group said in the comments dated Aug. 7.

For example, guidance should focus on the characterization of loan forgiveness for exempt organizations and allow tax deductions for expenses covered by PPP loans or through other federal disaster relief, the comments said.

The loan program was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act

The comments, organized by the AICPA working groups that developed them, also sought regulations or other guidance on certain provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act . Other topics the AICPA seeks guidance on include the tax treatment of cryptocurrency and the agency's policy to not issue letter rulings on certain tax issues.

--Editing by Neil Cohen.

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