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- Small business COVID-19 resource center
- Emergency relief
Emergency relief for small businesses under the CARES Act
On March 13, 2020, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in the US in response to the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. To provide support to US businesses and individuals facing economic hardship, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ACT (CARES Act) was enacted.
This page highlights key provisions of the CARES Act most relevant to small businesses seeking emergency financial relief.
Available relief measures for small businesses
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
Designed to encourage small businesses to retain employees through the COVID-19 crisis.
Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL)
Designed to provide working capital loans to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury from COVID-19 crisis.
Emergency Economic Injury Grant (EEIG) or EIDL Advance
A loan advance on an EIDL to provide immediate economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue.
SBA Debt Relief
Provides SBA borrowers with six months of relief from payments of principal, interest, and fees on certain SBA loans.
Employee Retention Credit
Incentivizes eligible employers impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak to keep employees on their payroll.
Employee Retention Credit Tool

Quickly and accurately advise your business clients on relief options. The Employee Retention Credit Tool helps to determine if your business clients may qualify for the credit and otherwise do not qualify for or will not take a PPP loan. Or share the link with your business clients for them to use.
Payroll Tax Deferral
Helps employers and self-employed individuals in the face of economic hardship related to the COVID-19 crisis.
Community Advantage Recovery Loan Program
Designed to assist small businesses in underserved areas with retooling their business models for the COVID-19 environment and building financial resiliency against potential future disruptions.
Last Updated: 8/10/2020
Additional resources
This page was created by Thomson Reuters legal and tax experts to assist your small business. For further in-depth coverage, access free COVID materials via the following Thomson Reuters platforms.

Practical Law Global Coronavirus Toolkit
A trusted resource leveraged by legal professionals and corporate counsel, Practical Law offers free access to content specific to navigating COVID-19 and business interruptions.

Checkpoint Edge COVID-19 folder
Leveraged by tax and accounting professionals, Checkpoint Edge offers free trial access to a COVID-19 folder that includes support, service, training and video tutorials.