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The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers several financing programs to help small businesses stay afloat. In addition to traditional SBA loans, there are Personal Paycheck Program (PPP) loans available to small businesses. Launched in the early part of 2020, PPP loans are an integral part of the Coronavirus Air, Relief and Security Act (CARES Act). If you’re thinking about applying for a PPP loan, however, there are several things you need to know about them.

The Basics of PPP Loans

PPP loans are SBA-backed loans that are designed to assist small business owners in covering the cost of payroll, as well as other expenses, during the coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus, of course, disrupted the operations of countless businesses. Small businesses were particularly hurt, with many of them struggling to pay their employees. This prompted the federal government to launch the PPP. PPP is a federal financing program that allows small businesses to draw money from banks to cover payroll and other expenses.

Benefits of Using a PPP Loan

You might be wondering what benefits, if any, PPP loans offer over traditional loans. The main benefit is forgiveness. PPP loans can be forgiven if certain conditions are met. The same can’t be said for traditional loans. If you obtain a traditional loan, you’ll have to pay it back — and you’ll also be charged interest on the principle, which you’ll have to pay back as well. PPP loans, on the other hand, may be forgiven.

In other for a PPP loan to be fully forgiven, you must use at least 60% of it to cover the cost of your small business’s payroll. With that said, PPP loans can be partially forgiven. If you only spend 50% of a PPP loan to pay your small business’s employees, for example, half of the PPP loan will be forgiven. If you spend 40% of a PPP loan on payroll, conversely, 40% of it will be forgiven.

PPP loans are also relatively easy to obtain. Even though they are backed by the SBA, they are distributed by banks. You can apply for a PPP loan at a local bank. Assuming you meet the necessary requirements, the bank will provide you with a PPP loan. You can use this loan to cover payroll and other expenses. Some or all of the PPP loan may even be forgiven.

Have anything else that you’d like to add? Let us know in the comments section below!