PPP Loans Under $2 million Automatically Meet the Certification Concerning the Need for a PPP Loan 

PPP Loans under $2 million automatically meet the Certification Concerning the Need for a PPP Loan 

UPDATED: May 14, 2020 – An additional extension has been granted until May 18 for companies to return their PPP loan if there is any question that the certification was made in “good faith.”

May 13, 2020

Today the Treasury released FAQ #46 regarding the PPP loan which includes guidance that PPP loans under $2 million automatically meet the certification concerning the need for a PPP loan. This long-awaited SBA guidance is very good news for most borrowers with respect to whether the loan was necessary.

FAQ 46. Question: How will SBA review borrowers’ required good-faith certification concerning the necessity of their loan request?

Answer: When submitting a PPP application, all borrowers must certify in good faith that current economic uncertainty makes this loan request necessary to support the ongoing operations of the Applicant.” SBA, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, has determined that the following safe harbor will apply to SBA’s review of PPP loans with respect to this issue: Any borrower that, together with its affiliates, received PPP loans with an original principal amount of less than $2 million will be deemed to have made the required certification concerning the necessity of the loan request in good faith.

SBA has determined that this safe harbor is appropriate because borrowers with loans below this threshold are generally less likely to have had access to adequate sources of liquidity in the current economic environment than borrowers that obtained larger loans. This safe harbor will also promote economic certainty as PPP borrowers with more limited resources endeavor to retain and rehire employees. In addition, given the large volume of PPP loans, this approach will enable SBA to conserve its finite audit resources and focus its reviews on larger loans, where the compliance effort may yield higher returns.

Importantly, borrowers with loans greater than $2 million that do not satisfy this safe harbor may still have an adequate basis for making the required good-faith certification, based on their individual circumstances in light of the language of the certification and SBA guidance. SBA has previously stated that all PPP loans in excess of $2 million, and other PPP loans as appropriate, will be subject to review by SBA for compliance with program requirements set forth in the PPP Interim Final Rules and in the Borrower Application Form. If SBA determines in the course of its review that a borrower lacked an adequate basis for the required certification concerning the necessity of the loan request, SBA will seek repayment of the outstanding PPP loan balance and will inform the lender that the borrower is not eligible for loan forgiveness. If the borrower repays the loan after receiving notification from SBA, SBA will not pursue administrative enforcement or referrals to other agencies based on its determination with respect to the certification concerning necessity of the loan request. SBA’s determination concerning the certification regarding the necessity of the loan request will not affect SBA’s loan guarantee

For the full text of the guidance and other FAQs, click here. 

Remember we are here to help. If you have uncertainty about your PPP loan, please contact your ALL Advisor.  Also, please be sure to stay updated by visiting our COVID-19 resource center. Our thoughts continue to stay with you during these trying times.

Thank you and stay safe,

The ALL CPAs team