Discussion with Rav Chaim WegTranscription:
Question: If a business receives a PPP loan in order to help make their payroll, must the business owner separate ma’aser kesafim from that money? Would it matter if the loan is ultimately forgiven?
Answer: The halachah is that one is not obligated to give ma’aser kesafim from loans, since the money was not earned and must be repaid. If the loan eventually turns into a gift, then the question would arise whether ma’aser must be separated at that point.
It would seem that the way these loans are currently being issued, there is no chiyuv to separate ma’aser
It is important to note that one cannot simply use one’s tax returns to calculate the total profit, as there are some things that the IRS considers to be a deduction that the Halachah does not, while others are considered a deduction according to the Halachah but not according to the IRS.
If the same question concerning a loan that is later forgiven arises with regard to an individual as opposed to a business, the Halachah is that one would be obligated to separate ma’aser, since gifts of money are for sure chayavin ma’aser.
According to Rav Moshe Feinstein, though, there may be an exception to this rule if the gift was given for a specific purpose by the donor. In such a case, since the donor would not want the recipient to use any of the money for other purposes (including for tzedaka or ma’
In discussing maser ksofim as in all areas of halacah one must have a posek to discuss their individual circumstance. I would like to raise awareness specifically to our elite forces the yungerlight shlita. There are situations where one is being supported that the recipient is not obligated in maser ksofim. As noted a posek should be consulted.
Someone should vet this better. If the government gives someone money designated for a specific use (in this case, to pay employee salaries), it would be nothing less than stealing (aside from the big Chillul Hashem) if the money was used in any other way.