A cottage industry of specialist firms has sprung up to help business owners claim the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), a governmental tax incentive intended for companies stressed by the pandemic. To be sure, the IRS warned business owners last October to be on the lookout for third parties promoting improper ERC claims. The IRS went so far as to add fraudulent claims involving the ERC to its annual "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams. Start by understanding the basic ERC claim requirementsStart by knowing the basics so you can understand whether your business may qualify for a credit. Another red flag is when a third party doesn't ask for documentation to ensure a business owner qualifies, Perrone said.

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Persons: Donald N, Hoffman, Danny Werfel, Gina Perrone, Sax, Jenn McCabe, Perrone Organizations: ERC —, Eisner Advisory, IRS, ERC, CPA, Small Business Administration, Armanino