Restaurants (and Bars) Rejoice! Our friends in food service have gotten nimble over this past year. Now there's forgivable funding for those forging forward. The SBA announced that registration will open through their portal beginning Friday, April 30, 2021. Applications can be submitted starting Monday, May 3, 2021, although there will be approval priority given to businesses of certain qualifications. Once the funds run out, the program is over - so don't wait to enter your application. “This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss up to $10 million per business and no more than $5 million per physical location. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are Read More...
Archives for April 2021
COBRA and the New Subsidy
COBRA Premiums Now Being Paid by Employers Are you aware of the COBRA rules we now live in under the Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)? From April 1st to September 30th, 2021, employers are required to pay COBRA premiums for employees who were involuntarily separated or had a reduction in hours. Under this federally subsidized program, the government will reimburse employers dollar for dollar against their quarterly payroll tax obligations. How Does it Work? As a standard, employers are already required to offer COBRA coverage for 18 months after the involuntary termination and some states have implemented continuation plans. But under the new subsidy, employees and their qualifying dependents can be covered at no cost for Read More...
Do You Have the Right California Low Carbon Fuel Standards Team?
In the first quarter of 2021, the Compliance Department at Christianson saw a slew of new validations for the CA Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) come across our desks. We also heard from many existing LCFS participants who were unsure of their reporting requirements under the new LCFS regulation. Having the right team is crucial to successful compliance. Do you have your LCFS compliance requirements covered? This team roster will ensure you do. 1. Staff – the most successful participants have made LCFS compliance part of their company culture. Training is provided so staff know their respective roles and responsibilities. To manage this, a smart participant will have a manager/CFO to oversee the program and a technical Read More...
Daycare Tax Savings
Are You Making the Right Election? While many parents are still shoring up their 2020 tax filing, they are probably passing up major savings in 2021 that will need a decision now before it's too late. Not only did the pre-tax maximum Dependent Care Flex amount increase from $5,000 to $10,500 for 2021 (if employers choose to participate), but as of this March's tax reform, there's an adjusted Dependent Care Credit that might outweigh flexing this year. By potentially forgoing the pre-tax flex option, families could qualify for up to an $8,000 refundable credit on their tax return. But you cannot do both. There are a variety of factors that go into the calculation, which will be unique to each taxpayer, including income level and Read More...
RFS Compliance and Attestation Reporting Deadlines Reminder
In January, Christianson sent out a summary of the US EPA’s proposed compliance deadline extensions for the Renewable Fuels Standard. The final rule was released on April 1. While EPA decided to extend the deadlines for obligated parties and small refineries, it declined to move the deadlines for RIN producers and RIN owners. If you are registered as a RIN producer or owner it will be business as usual with your Q4 quarterly report submissions (which were due Mar. 31, 2021) and annual attest reports due June 1, 2021. Please reach out to our experts if you have further questions or if you need to engage us for your 2020 attest. For more information visit the EPA’s RFS Deadline Extensions webpage. Start planning for your three-year RFS Read More...