My wife got an EIDL loan for $1000. What do we have to do (if anything) to get the loan forgiven? It's confusing to me that it's like getting a loan but somehow it'll get forgiven.

Are you talking about the EIDL grant or the loan? Did she also get the PPP loan?

EIDL up to $10k is a grant. However, if you took a PPP loan as well the SBA will deduct the advance amount from your PPP forgiveness amount. So you'll still be on the hook to pay the bank back that amount

If no PPP loan you're all set.

All the paperwork from the EIDL says "loan." It had closing documents with an interest rate, etc.

We did not get the PPP loan because her business didn't have enough net income to qualify last year because we expensed a lot of stuff.

I may call them. Hopefully, the wait isn't too long. I just don't want to shelf this thing now and find out we have some outstanding SBA loan in 5 years that's accumulated 2000 worth of interest on a 1000 loan.

Have you received and signed loan documents for an SBA EIDL loan? If not then the $1000 is just the advance which will be treated as a grant and doesnt have to be repaid. You will still get further documentation on the actual loan