Government
SBA Interim Final Rules on PPP Loan Forgiveness & Borrower/Lender Responsibilities
On May 22, 2020, new interim final rules were released by the Small Business Administration (SBA) providing guidance to borrowers and lenders regarding the SBA’s review process under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), including the loan forgiveness calculation and eligibility. Highlights from the May 22, 2020 interim final rules are as follows: The SBA review…
NJEDA Update: Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program – Phase 2 Info Now Available
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) recently announced $50 million in new funding and broader eligibility criteria for the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program. Under the newly-expanded program, which will provide grants up to $10,000 for COVID-impacted businesses, a wider variety of businesses will now be eligible, including home-based businesses and sole proprietorships.…
Important Business Considerations for the New Normal
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the issuance of stay at home orders and business shutdowns eight weeks ago, there have been many Federal and State moratoriums, executive orders and updates to governmental guidelines to lessen the impacts of the pandemic. Businesses grappling with decisions made, or to be made, will need to…
The Challenges Facing Businesses as They Reopen
While New Jersians and Pennsylvanians alike are eager to return to work and life, their plans for normalcy seem to have been thwarted by recent orders by both states extending the stay at home orders in New Jersey and the eastern part of Pennsylvania. However, despite the delay, both states have announced reopening plans, with…
New PPP Guidance from the SBA Regarding Good Faith Need Certification
On May 13, the SBA released new guidance regarding the required good faith certification of need by PPP loan applicants, providing safe harbor to all recipients of less than $2 million in loan proceeds. This guidance also speaks to ramifications for borrowers with loans of more than $2 million that are determined to have lacked…
Surviving Technology Overload During Quarantine
The COVID-19 quarantine has been going on in the tri-state region since the first week of March, and is nothing like we have ever experienced before. For most of us that means we’ve been home-bound for seven weeks give or take. For those of you like me, that’s a long time to be stuck in…
The Role of the Board During Crisis
Whether it’s a cyber-attack, an executive’s misconduct or the health and economic crisis resulting from COVID-19, the Board of Directors plays an important role in helping its organization navigate and survive the challenges ahead. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, certain government-mandated restrictions and limitations have triggered sudden and profound economic impacts that have forced…
Managing Director Frank Pina Co-Authors Article for Fraud Magazine
Managing Director Frank Pina, CPA, CFF, CFE, CGMA, Co-Chair of Mercadien’s Forensic & Litigation Support Group, authored an article on Drexel University’s Fraud & Internal Control Case Competition with Barbara Murray Grein, CPA, Associate Professor & Head of the Accounting Department at Drexel University, for the May/June issue of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners…
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Implementation Guide
The PPP Loan Program Evolution Owners of numerous small businesses, including those who are self-employed, applied for potentially forgivable loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) created as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This program was designed to incentivize employers to maintain payroll and employee headcount throughout the COVID-19…
Cash Flow Considerations for the “New Normal”
Due to COVID-19 and its effects on the economy, a major concern for all businesses is liquidity. Preserving cash flow should be a focus for business owners, whether they are temporarily closed for business or operating at reduced capacity. The ever-evolving fall-out from the COVID-19 crisis will continue to impact all organizations, but it’s difficult…