A Feb. 18 rally celebrating the California Labor Commissioner’s order for a McDonald’s franchise to rehire and compensate workers who went on strike for coronavirus protections was held on Feb. 18, 2021. Lucy Nicholson | Reuters The fight for a $15 federal minimum wage just hit a major roadblock. On Thursday, nonpartisan Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth
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Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images A Covid relief bill backed by Democrats could trigger billions of dollars in cuts to Medicare and other federal programs, like ones that support unemployed workers and student-loan borrowers, if it’s ultimately passed. The funding cuts would take effect in 2022 and last for several years.
Stony Brook, N.Y. First day of the 2020 fall semester at Stony Brook University. Newsday LLC | Newsday | Getty Images Some of the most selective colleges and universities are seeing a surge in applications for incoming freshmen this fall. Yet other schools are struggling. That may present an opportunity for families to try to
Al Drago | Getty Images News | Getty Images Unemployment benefits extended Those programs include Pandemic Unemployment Assistance for self-employed, gig and other workers who don’t qualify for state-level assistance; and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which pays extra weeks of state benefits to the long-term unemployed. The bill would offer PUA recipients a maximum 74
Brothers91 | E+ | Getty Images If getting health insurance through a public exchange has been too pricey for you, that could soon change. The $1.9 trillion Covid stimulus package that’s expected to clear the House of Representatives on Friday includes several provisions that aim to make health care more affordable for households. They include:
Austin Goergen, a student at Oregon State University, started a petition last year to allow dependents ages 17 and up to qualify for stimulus checks. Austin Goergen Washington lawmakers are one step closer to authorizing new $1,400 stimulus checks for millions of Americans. This time, one big group could become eligible for the first time:
Fabio Camandona | iStock | Getty Images For Covid-vaccinated individuals in the 65-and-over crowd, hitting the road (or sky) may become more alluring than it’s been in nearly a year. Be sure to consider whether your Medicare plan will travel with you. While coverage when you’re away from home depends partly on your destination, it
Jessica Cruz and her family were in a bind. When the coronavirus pandemic hit last March, Cruz, a 39-year-old care coordinator in New York, and her two children, ages 10 and 14, were all sent home to work and attend school remotely. That put tension on the family budget, as Cruz’s children used to get
Hinterhaus Productions As Congress works to finalize its latest coronavirus relief bill, some American families are poised to receive a financial windfall. Between new $1,400 stimulus checks and an enhanced child tax credit, that could add up to more than $14,000 for some families. “All of the focus has been on the $1,400 when, in
Despite widespread job losses and financial uncertainty, Americans are faring well by most measures during the coronavirus pandemic. Federal relief, such as stimulus checks, expanded unemployment benefits and an extended pause in loan repayments, have even given some a boost. Consumers are paying down debt and saving more than they have in decades. Many are
martin-dm | E+ | Getty Images The amount of money raised by special purpose acquisition companies in the past year has soared. SPACs are an alternative way for companies to go public that differs from a traditional initial public offering in its process, speed, disclosure and regulatory requirements. Key participants involved in SPACs include SPAC sponsors
Kathy Kraninger, former president Donald Trump’s appointee to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images “Big deal” Both are a type of qualified mortgage, a category that carries legal protections for lenders from consumer lawsuits. That may happen, for example, if borrowers can’t make monthly payments and lose their homes to
Volunteers load cases of water into the bed of a truck during a mass water distribution at Delmar Stadium in Houston on Feb. 19. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Some taxpayers are getting more time to file their 2020 returns. For individuals and businesses located anywhere in Texas — much of which has been declared
sturti | E+ | Getty Images Struggling student loan borrowers who own a business received some welcome news this week: They will no longer be excluded from the Paycheck Protection Program. Any business owned 20% or more by a borrower who had fallen behind on their payments previously could be determined ineligible for the government-subsidized
Al Drago | Getty Images News | Getty Images The measure, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, would pay unemployed workers an extra $400 a week through Aug. 29. Those additional relief payments would raise federal spending by about $163 billion through 2022, according to a cost estimate the Congressional Budget Office issued last
Most student loan borrowers will be inelgible this year for the usual tax break they get for making payments on their debt’s interest. pcess609 Add it to the long list of changes in 2020: Your ability to claim the student loan interest deduction on your taxes. If you’re not familiar with all the details of
President Donald Trump speaks to supporters at Joint Base Andrews before boarding Air Force One for his last time as President on Jan. 20, 2021 in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Pete Marovich | Pool | Getty Images Former President Donald Trump’s tax returns are back in the news. The Supreme Court rejected Trump’s efforts to
The smallest businesses that have had the most trouble accessing forgivable loans from the Paycheck Protection Program will soon get extra help. The Biden administration on Monday announced changes for the pandemic aid program focused on helping small and minority owned firms as well as sole proprietors. For two weeks, starting Wednesday, the Small Business
Urbazon | E+ | Getty Images There is a lot to deal with when a loved one passes away. On top of the emotional aspect of handling death, there is the financial stuff — which would include any Social Security benefits the deceased was receiving. You may wonder how the government knows to stop sending
By almost every measure, the coronavirus crisis has been devastating for working women. More women work on the front lines and are at a greater risk of contracting Covid-19, putting themselves and their families in jeopardy. They have reported increased anxiety and stress as a direct result of new work routines and concerns about job