• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup

1

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
FinanceSmall Business

Key changes in just-passed PPP loan bill give small businesses 24 weeks to use funds

Anne Sraders
By
Anne Sraders
Anne Sraders
Down Arrow Button Icon
Anne Sraders
By
Anne Sraders
Anne Sraders
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 4, 2020, 3:13 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Small businesses will likely now have more flexibility to use Paycheck Protection Program loans after the Senate unanimously approved a House bill to amend rules of the program late Wednesday. The bill now goes to President Trump to be signed into law.

The bipartisan bill, entitled the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act and spearheaded by Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips and Republican Rep. Chip Roy, makes several changes to the program. Those include: extending the timeframe to use funds from eight weeks to 24 weeks, and requiring businesses to use 60% of the funds on payroll (before, it was 75%, which some small businesses said was a struggle as employees are unable to return to work amid shutdowns). Additionally, the bill now gives small business owners until December 31 to rehire employees to qualify for full forgiveness. Small businesses will also now have five years to repay loans instead of two, and the bill allows businesses to defer payroll taxes. The 1% interest rate on the loans remains the same.

However, members of Congress made one clarification in a letter that the extension of the covered period until December 31 is only for businesses who already have loans—the SBA may not issue any new loans after June 30.

A ‘major inflection point’

Some CPAs like William McDevitt, based in the New York area, see the bill’s passage as a “major inflection point” for his clients.

Many of McDevitt’s clients are in the medical practice, and have been mostly closed except for emergency procedures. Now, he says they’re “thrilled” at the extended 24-week timeframe, which should give them more flexibility to rehire employees once they slowly start to reopen more.

Indeed, the bill’s passage is seen by many as a big win for small businesses. Small businesses have voiced concerns about both the timeframe to rehire employees and the amount they have to spend on payroll, as many of them, including restaurants and bars, are only just beginning to reopen in certain areas of the country.

“Since keeping workers on payroll obviously requires small businesses to stay afloat in the first place, we’re expanding firms’ ability to use these funds to meet obligations like their rent, their mortgage or their utility bills,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor on Wednesday.

Other groups have praised the passage of the bill, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which also urged the SBA and Treasury in a statement to “immediately provide guidance to small businesses on how they qualify for loan forgiveness under the new law.” The National Federation of Independent Businesses also said in a statement that “We are pleased the Senate approved this important bill for small businesses and we look forward to continuing to work with members in the chamber,” further asking the president to “sign the bill into law swiftly and deliver this much-needed flexibility for small business owners.”

Practically, the new bill would make full forgiveness for small businesses entirely within reach. “Assuming [your business is] functioning, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that you’ll have enough payroll to absorb the whole loan, and it basically should make the administration of processing loan forgiveness that much easier,” McDevitt tells Fortune.

And those like Glen Birnbaum, a CPA based in Illinois, said the bill’s passage was just in time for some of his clients. Thursday “was the 56th day for one client of ours who got the loan pretty early,” he told Fortune in a note.

Lingering concerns

However, there has been some debate over how the Small Business Administration and the Treasury will interpret the new 60% rule—and whether forgiveness will be all-or-nothing if the borrower doesn’t hit the 60% mark for payroll. Senators Marco Rubio and Susan Collins have both voiced concerns about how the legislation will be interpreted, and further legislative fixes may be on the table. The SBA did not immediately respond to Fortune‘s request for comment.

Still, some CPAs like Birnbaum aren’t very concerned about the 60% cutoff for payroll, as he explains that with the new 24-week timeframe, it would only be a “20% cliff for each eight weeks.” And McDevitt thinks that practically, “The math just works in your favor” with the 60% spread out over 24 weeks. While CPAs and attorneys alike have noted that the forgiveness application and guidance issued by the SBA and Treasury in recent weeks has been complicated, McDevitt believes that the new bill “doesn’t necessarily remove those questions, but it kind of neuters those questions.”

While funds in the first round of the program ran out in only 14 days, Round 2 has seen somewhat slowed demand. Currently, there is over $120 billion of the $660 billion program still to be allocated to borrowers. With the passage of the bill, some lenders expect there could be an increased demand for the program.

If the bill is signed into law by the president, the SBA will likely issue new guidance about forgiveness, although McDevitt thinks it might be in the next week or two.

About the Author
Anne Sraders
By Anne Sraders
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

A Viking ship named Havhingsten af Glendalough - the Sea Stallion of Glendalough -, the world's largest replica of a Viking warship, sets out 01 JUly 2007 from the Viking Museum in Roskilde, Denmark, on a voyage to Dublin in Ireland, where it is scheduled to arrive 14 August.
EuropeScience
1,000-year-old massive textile factory unearthed in Denmark—and it belonged to the Vikings
By James Brooks and The Associated PressJune 24, 2026
10 hours ago
Young couple standing in a brightly lit home
Real EstateHousing
A big look at the state of housing in America: Boomers won’t sell, millennials can’t buy, and Gen Z gets to watch the whole thing sort itself out
By Tristan BoveJune 24, 2026
10 hours ago
Wind turbines on yellow grass
Environmentwind power
California threatens to hit Trump with lawsuit if he doesn’t revive massive wind farm project off central coast
By Jennifer McDermott and The Associated PressJune 24, 2026
10 hours ago
Warren leans in to talk to Scott
PoliticsHousing
Congress’s landmark housing bill could backfire on millions of renters
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
11 hours ago
Institute's Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton Hotel,on May 6, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
RetailSpaceX
Elon Musk was the world’s first trillionaire for 12 days
By Eva RoytburgJune 24, 2026
11 hours ago
President Donald Trump pictured in September 2025 signing an executive order that overhauled the H-1B visa program.
EconomyImmigration
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
By Tristan BoveJune 24, 2026
13 hours ago

Most Popular

The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
Economy
The Pentagon said Iran War costs $29 billion, but the real cost is closer to $200 billion—and counting
By Jacqueline MunisJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
24 hours ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
16 hours ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
18 hours ago
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of June 23, 2026
By Danny BakstJune 23, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.