Title: Small business loans: We have the answers to your PPP questions
Headings: Confused by the US government's small business loan program? You're not alone. Here's your guide
Confused by the US government's small business loan program? You're not alone. Here's your guide
How long does it take to get a loan?
Why is it taking so long?
If I applied for a loan in the first round and didn’t get an answer, do I have to reapply for the second round?
When does the clock start running on these eight-week loans?
Could a business owner struggling to reach the 75% payroll threshold provide raises or bonuses to workers simply to qualify?
Can the money be applied retroactively to pay past wages or other costs?
Could a small business making masks, hand sanitizer or other products in high demand during the crisis receive a PPP loan even though they’re making a profit?
The average small business has fewer than 10 employees. So why does it seem larger companies and franchises are getting priority in loan approvals over mom-and-pop stores?
What about businesses in trendy areas, such as Manhattan or San Francisco, where high rents and other expenses make it especially tough to meet the 75% threshold?
Could the owner of a nail salon or small restaurant who was drawing a paycheck from their business prior to the crisis apply for unemployment for themselves while still seeking a PPP loan to keep the business going?
Are self-employed workers or independent contractors eligible for a PPP loan?
What about business owners worried they might not survive even with a PPP loan? Would they still have to pay back the part of the loan that's not forgivable if they close forever or go bankrupt?
Are there any other programs small businesses can take advantage of?

Content: technical glitches, an avalanche of requests, confusing guidance and a temporary exhaustion of money. The program also has been criticized for enabling scores of publicly traded companies, such as restaurant chains and hotel groups, to receive loans thanks to a controversial provision benefiting the hospitality industry. Shut out: ' It’s not right what they're doing': Smallest businesses feel big banks are shutting them out of stimulus loan program
USA TODAY reporters Ledyard King and Paul Davidson interviewed several experts to answer some of those questions: How long does it take to get a loan? Some small businesses have been approved in as quickly as a few hours while others waited a couple of weeks, says Ami Kassar, CEO of MultiFunding, a small business loan adviser. Many still haven’t gotten cleared. Once an applicant is approved, the program requires that they receive the money within 10 days but that doesn’t always happen, Kassar says. While some approved small business owners have gotten the cash in two or three days, others waited up to two weeks or are still waiting.