Arkansas car dealerships, auto dealers, new and used truck dealers, and other automotive related vehicle businesses in AR that were impacted financially by the COVID pandemic will automatically qualify certain periods of time for the employee retention tax credit refund in AR.
Arkansas went into lockdown mode in March 2020 when Arkansas Governor Hutchinson issued mandated executive orders that forced the closure of car businesses throughout Arkansas, including most car, truck, and automobile related businesses. Many car dealership employees in Arkansas were temporarily out of work from closures in AR.
This caused Arkansas auto dealers, auto groups, dealership owners and investors from automotive related companies with multiple rooftop locations in Arkansas to suffer financially during 2020 and 2021 from these executive orders in AR.
When Arkansas slowly started to reopen, business capacity was restricted and limited in Arkansas. Plus, many AR consumers were staying at home, not driving anywhere, and not shopping for new or used cars and trucks in AR.
Overall, Arkansas has an estimated 211 new car franchised brand dealerships in AR that were affected. This AR data is according to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Arkansas Auto Report.
Arkansas Car Dealership Retail Economic Data Statewide in AR:
– 211 new car dealerships in AR.
– $8.6 billion in total Arkansas car dealership sales.
– $558 million in AR state sales tax paid on vehicle sales.
– 19,851 workers employed at dealerships in Arkansas.
– 9,260 direct worker jobs and 10,591 indirect jobs in AR.
– Average of 44 Employees (W-2) per auto dealership.
– Average of $79,690 in annual earnings per worker.
– $738 Million in total Employee Payroll for Arkansas new car dealerships.
– $243,277,428 in state and federal income and payroll taxes paid in AR.
Other Arkansas new car and used car data statistics in AR:
– Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association (AADA)
– Arkansas Independent Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA)
Arkansas dealerships in cities affected the most included Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Memphis, Pine Bluff, Texarkana, and other locations in Arkansas.
See how your Arkansas automotive related business might qualify for the Arkansas Employee Retention Credit IRS Tax Refund for your car, truck, vehicle business in AR. Schedule Your Free Arkansas Car Dealership ERC Consultation today.
Key ERC Credit Takeaways You Will Learn:
- AR Auto Dealers Qualify: Car dealerships in Arkansas are eligible for the ERC.
- COVID-19 Impact Necessary: Must show business was affected by the pandemic.
- Significant Tax Credit: Up to $26,000 per employee available.
- Broad Eligibility: Includes various automotive businesses.
- Time-Sensitive Opportunity: Act promptly to claim the credit.
See Important 2024 Employee Retention Tax Credit Deadline Information at the Bottom of This Article.
Arkansas Employee Retention Tax Credit for Car Dealerships, Auto Dealers and the Automotive Industry in AR
Arkansas car dealerships, automotive dealerships and automotive related businesses in AR are eligible to claim the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). They can receive up to 50% of their qualified wages paid between March 12th, 2020, and December 31st, 2020, in the form of a refundable tax credit from the IRS.
Arkansas car dealerships and related businesses that were established before February 15th, 2020, can receive a refundable tax credit amounting to 70% of qualified salaries and wages paid between January 1st, 2021, and September 30th, 2021. For AR auto dealers or car dealerships started or acquired after that date (referred to as a Recovery Start-up business), they are eligible for employee wage reimbursement up until December 31st, 2021.
The employee retention credit may be retroactively claimed for 2020 and 2021, through 2023, 2024, and 2025 for your car dealership, auto dealerships or automotive related business in Arkansas.
AR Car Dealership Employee Retention Credit, How it Works for Auto Dealers in Arkansas
With the Arkansas requirements and amount of the ERTC tax credits continually changing with the ERC program, AR car dealerships, auto dealers, and automotive dealership owners and principals may find it difficult to understand if they qualify and how much they can claim.
To maximize the benefits from this Arkansas automotive employee retention tax credit, you must understand which quarters are eligible as well as which employees, wages, and payments meet the criteria for receiving the tax credit for your dealership in AR.
Arkansas Employee Retention Credit Eligibility Requirements for Auto Dealers, Automotive Dealerships and Car Dealerships in AR
The Arkansas automotive dealership industry can take advantage of the employee retention credit in several ways.
For an Arkansas car dealership related business to be eligible for the program, it must have gone through an entire or partial closure because of COVID-19 government regulations or any other kind of government-mandated shut down during certain periods in either 2020 or 2021 as a result of this global pandemic.
Another way is for your Arkansas car dealership entity to demonstrate that it has had either a 2020 quarter with gross receipts at least 50% lower than the same quarter in 2019, or in 2021, quarters with 20% fewer gross receipts compared to the corresponding quarters of 2019. Each three-month period of 2020 and 2021 should be compared to its equivalent month period in 2019.
In Arkansas, Did Your New Car, Used Car, Truck Dealership or Automotive Business Experience any of These?
Full or Partial Shutdown of Your Car Dealership Location in AR
If your car dealership or automotive dealership location in AR was fully or partially shut down for even a few days due to COVID-19, it would qualify your Arkansas auto dealership for the ERC tax credit. There are multiple other ways to qualify and claim your Arkansas ERC credit for your AR car dealership to help financially recover. Even if your Arkansas automotive company received an SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, you may still qualify.
Arkansas Car Dealership Vehicle Sales Decreased in AR
Did your AR dealership sales drop? Not sell as many new or used vehicle units as compared to 2019? In this case, if you can show nominal harm of 10% or more in declining sales or units for your Arkansas automotive business, you qualify. This is a good example for you to claim and receive the ERC tax credit in Arkansas.
Limitations on Car Showroom or Auto Repair Service Capacity Arkansas
Due to the shutdown and partial-shutdown in Arkansas, your automotive operations greatly reduced capacity due to government mandates and orders. This means that even if your AR car dealership or automotive repair business did not meet adequate revenue losses, you can still be eligible for the ERTC tax credit from mandated Arkansas restrictions from executive orders.
Arkansas Impacted Business and Consumer Travel in AR
The inability of Arkansas residents, tourists, and business travelers to drive around in Arkansas lead to substantial losses. With many public events and gatherings in AR canceled or postponed, caused most Arkansas residents to stay at home. This created massive lost sales and revenue potential for many car dealerships in Arkansas. Therefore, you may qualify for the ERC tax credit if your automotive business has been affected by these limitations in AR.
AR New or Used Car and Truck Vehicle Cancellations and Refunds Due to COVID in Arkansas
Maybe your AR automotive business had vehicle buyers wanting to cancel their new or used car or truck order or car lease, and did not want to take delivery or renew their lease. When Arkansas shutdown, and then faced many business capacity and travel restrictions, consumers canceled travel plans and were not driving as much, according to the Arkansas Department of Transportation. This caused many AR automotive dealership operations to refund deposits and lose further revenue. This was a financial loss to the economy and auto dealers in Arkansas
No In-Person Selling or Face-to-Face Auto, Truck, Car Sales in AR
Due to the pandemic, AR auto dealers could not sell any cars or trucks during the shutdown periods. This was an obstacle for Arkansas auto dealers trying to accommodate new and used car buyers. The vehicle buying experience was taken away. If your AR automotive business dealt with this situation, or had severely limited business and operations capacity due to Arkansas mandated orders, your dealership will qualify for the ERC tax credit.
Arkansas Car Dealership Low Inventory Due to Shipping and Supply Chain Issues in AR
In Arkansas, automobile manufacturers continued to limit new vehicle production and inventories throughout 2021 and 2022 due to the semiconductor microchip shortage that began in early 2021. Arkansas franchised car dealerships were experiencing restricted new car and truck inventory at auto dealerships in AR and across the country. New vehicle inventory on the ground and in transit was consistently stuck at over one million vehicle units nationwide and in AR.
Calculating Your Arkansas Auto Dealer Employee Retention Credit for Car Dealerships in AR
Accurately calculating the Arkansas employee retention credit for your automotive dealership employees requires attention to detail, especially when it comes to determining your total payroll gross wages paid during each quarter to your workforce. Without accurately calculating this figure, you won’t be able to maximize the full tax benefits of this ERC credit. Therefore, having a comprehensive understanding of how best to calculate these figures is essential to maximize your car dealership related business tax credit in AR.
How Arkansas Car Dealerships, Auto Dealers, and Automotive Employers in AR Can Claim the Employee Retention Credit
Although the process of applying for the ERTC for your Arkansas company has changed a bit, there’s still time to claim your ERC tax refund. Remember that this window won’t be open forever. It will cease in 2023, 2024, and 2025 based on the past 2020-2021 quarter evaluations. Don’t worry about running out of funds either. These IRS business tax refunds are calculated using each business’ qualifications and financials. The only way you can miss out is by not filing prior to the given deadlines for your car dealership in Arkansas.
Conclusion and Summary for Arkansas Car Dealership, Auto Dealer, and Automotive Employee Retention Credit in AR
To ensure your Arkansas car dealership or automotive related business is in compliance with the Employee Retention Credit, it’s critical to have all original records, including payroll, W-2s, original 941’s filed, and other documents related to auto dealership employee wages. Additionally, any Arkansas government shutdown orders or restrictions on your Arkansas car dealership should be documented.
By understanding the rules of the employee retention credit, car dealerships, auto dealers, automotive businesses and companies in Arkansas can make sure they’re getting all the IRS tax credit benefits owed to them. The ERTC provides an opportunity for car dealerships affected by COVID-19 in Arkansas to recover some financial losses.
Arkansas Car Dealerships and Automotive Businesses Qualify for the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC / ERTC) in AR: Claim Up To a $26,000 Refund Per Dealership Employee for Your Automotive Business in AR
Disaster Loan Advisors™ can assist your Arkansas car dealership and automotive business with the complex and confusing Employee Retention Credit (ERC) and Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) program, without you having to sacrifice an excessive percentage % of your hard-earned ERC refund.
DLA doesn’t charge a percent % like many companies do. Our flat fee structure is fair and reasonable based on the amount of work involved. Keep More of Your Refund™
Depending on eligibility, car and truck dealership owners, automotive professionals, and auto dealer principals and partners can receive up to $26,000 per automotive workforce employee based on the number of W2 employees you had on the payroll in 2020 and 2021.
The ERC / ERTC Program is a valuable IRS tax credit you can claim for your automotive dealership in Arkansas.
Schedule Your Free Arkansas Automotive Employee Retention Credit Consultation to see what amount of employee retention credit tax refund you qualify for your car dealership in Arkansas.
ERC Deadline Urgency in 2024
April 15, 2024 Deadline for the 2020 ERC Tax Year
The deadline is coming up for the final opportunity to retroactively claim your business Employee Retention Credit for the past 2020 tax year. With the April 15, 2024 deadline fast approaching, we urge you; don’t let this final chance pass!
While not all businesses will qualify, as it depends on multiple factors per IRS Rules and Guidelines, you might be leaving significant financial relief on the table from prior COVID impact to your business during the past 2020 and 2021 business operation years.
Last year, in September 2023, the IRS temporarily paused processing ERC Claims for the remainder of last year. We at Disaster Loan Advisors (DLA) predicted this over one year ago when we made this ERC video warning business owners. See the ten-minute mark of the video for details.
TAKE ACTION NOW IN 2024
Even though the IRS has temporarily paused processing, you will still want to check eligibility and file now (if you qualify) because once the IRS will resume processing, ERC tax credit claims are processed in the order they are received.
If you haven’t previously filed for the ERC Credit, it is worth scheduling a phone call to at least explore your possible eligibility from both the past 2020 and 2021 business tax years. Contact us today for a deep-dive analysis to determine if your business qualifies one or more quarters from the 2020 and / or 2021 tax years.
As a leading dedicated member of the Tax and Accounting Team at Disaster Loan Advisors™, Mark focuses on unlocking the ERC Tax Credit's potential for eligible firms that qualify, providing strategic advice, and detailed guidance to ensure substantial financial recovery and growth. His methodical approach to client engagement includes comprehensive deep-dive analysis, customized consultation and guidance, and a commitment to achieving tangible results for each business served.
Disaster Loan Advisors™ (DLA) offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to navigate the complexities of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC) program, ensuring that qualified businesses leverage the maximum possible benefit with minimum hassle. Unlike some firms that charge exorbitant contingency or percentage-based fees (often between 10% to 30% of your ERC refund), DLA operates on a fair and reasonable, transparent flat-fee structure that aligns with the IRS's guidelines.
If you are looking for an ERC Company that believes in providing professional ERC Services and value for small business owners, in exchange for a fair, reasonable, and ethical fee for the amount of work required, Disaster Loan Advisors™ is a good fit for you. STAY SAFE. STAY COMPLIANT. KEEP MORE OF YOUR REFUND.™
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