Free Money – How Our Clients Found $15 Million+
“Free money” is an appealing phrase, but a credit or subsidy conversation deserves the same care as any other financial decision. Before a broker or business owner shares payroll records or signs an engagement, identify the program, confirm eligibility, and understand the fee and filing responsibilities.
When a credit offer sounds free
A claim about money connected to the CARES Act or the American Rescue Plan Act should begin with the exact program name and the government source that defines it. A headline or estimate does not establish that a business qualifies, that a credit is refundable, or that the rules still apply. Ask for the governing notice, the relevant dates, and the records used in the calculation.
Four questions to ask first
- What program is being evaluated? Ask for the statute, agency guidance, or official notice and the specific eligibility test.
- Which periods and records matter? Confirm the covered dates, payroll or revenue inputs, ownership details, and exclusions before sharing data.
- Who signs and files? Clarify whether the business, payroll provider, tax professional, or another adviser prepares each submission and who retains the workpapers.
- What does “no upfront” mean? Put contingent fees, taxes, amendments, refunds, audit support, termination and repayment obligations in writing.
A third party can help organize a review, but the business remains responsible for the accuracy of its filings and representations. A CPA or payroll professional can help reconcile a proposed calculation to the business records.
What CARES and ARPA identify
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, became Public Law 116-136 on March 27, 2020. It established a broad set of economic relief measures during the coronavirus emergency. The American Rescue Plan Act became Public Law 117-2 on March 11, 2021, and provided additional relief and recovery measures. Those enactments are large laws, so their names alone do not identify a particular business credit.
Use the official law text and agency guidance to determine whether a named provision fits the business and the relevant period. Keep the source version, calculation, payroll reports, correspondence and professional review together. If a source uses “CARES” or “ARPA” without identifying a provision, treat that as a prompt for a more precise question.
Keep an evidence trail
Save the program link, the date you reviewed it, the assumptions in any estimate, and the person who approved the next step. Compare the calculation with payroll and tax records before a filing is amended. A simple evidence trail makes it easier to explain a decision later and to revisit a program when official guidance changes.
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