Before You Start

This guide assumes you have received official forgiveness documentation for your PPP or EIDL loan. Basic accounting knowledge is also helpful.

Overview

25 min
Setup Time
Intermediate
Difficulty
Periodic
Maintenance

What You’ll Learn

  • How to correctly record loan proceeds as a liability
  • Tracking eligible expenses for forgiveness
  • Journal entries for loan forgiveness
  • Understanding tax implications of forgiveness

1. Preparation Steps

Before recording, ensure you have the necessary information and potentially a dedicated account:

Required Documentation & Accounts

  • Official loan agreement
  • Forgiveness application & approval
  • (Recommended) Dedicated bank account for loan funds

Key Information

  • Loan disbursement date
  • Covered period for expenses
  • Forgiveness amount (if partial)

2. Understanding Loan Types

PPP and EIDL loans have distinct accounting treatments.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

This loan was primarily for payroll support.

Pros:
  • Potentially 100% forgivable.
  • Tax-exempt forgiveness.
  • Focus on payroll & overhead.
Cons:
  • Strict eligibility & use rules.
  • Complex forgiveness application.
  • Initially treated as a liability.

Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)

These loans provide working capital to small businesses.

Expert Tip: For both, ensure you classify them correctly on your balance sheet from day one. PPP starts as a current liability, EIDL as a long-term liability.

3. Step-by-Step: Recording Loan Proceeds

Here’s the general workflow for initial loan recording.

Here is a sample journal entry for receiving the loan funds.

{
  "date": "2020-04-15",
  "account_debit": "1000 Bank - Operating",
  "amount_debit": "100000.00",
  "account_credit": "2100 PPP Loan Payable",
  "amount_credit": "100000.00",
  "description": "PPP Loan Proceeds Received"
}

4. Accounting for Forgiveness

  1. 1

    Initial Loan Recording

    Debit your bank account, credit a ‘PPP Loan Payable’ or ‘EIDL Loan Payable’ liability account on your balance sheet.

  2. 2

    Expense Tracking (PPP)

    If PPP, ensure eligible expenses (payroll, rent, utilities) are paid from the loan fund account and properly categorized. For EIDL, just ensure funds are used for approved operational costs.

  3. 3

    Recognize Forgiveness

    Once approved, debit ‘PPP Loan Payable’ and credit an ‘Other Income: PPP Forgiveness’ account. This removes the liability and recognizes the income.

Common Error: Direct Income Recording

Do not record the loan proceeds directly as income. They are liabilities until formally forgiven. Incorrect classification can lead to inaccurate financial statements.

5. Tax Implications & Best Practices

Key Considerations

  • Confirm tax treatment with your accountant
  • Maintain detailed records for audit
  • Review original loan terms for any covenants
  • Understand impact on future borrowing capacity

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