Have you lost a job, and with it your employer-based health insurance? You can get 6 months of that insurance for free starting April 1. Last month’s American Rescue Plan Act included the $1,400 stimulus payments, expanded unemployment insurance, and many other benefits. One other less well-known benefit pays your health insurance if you’ve lost your job and your health … Read More
$600 Pandemic Relief Payments Protected
Photo by Edwin Hooper on Unsplash. The $600 pandemic relief payments now being distributed are protected from the reach of bankruptcy trustees, with some timing considerations. The federal Consolidated Appropriations Act (CCA) became law on December 27, 2020. It is reportedly the longest single bill that Congress has passed. Within its 5,593 pages are about 15 pages of temporary changes … Read More
Renewed and New Unemployment Benefits Approved
Photo by Alex Kotliarskyi on Unsplash. Federal unemployment benefits were extended as of December 27, 2020. With one new unemployment benefit added. Here’s what the new law includes. The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA), was enacted on December 27. Last week we wrote about the new $600 stimulus payments of this new Act. It also extended unemployment … Read More
$600 Pandemic Relief Payments Are Coming
Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash. Now that Trump did sign the new pandemic relief law, and the increase to $2,000 is not happening, when and how are the $600 payments coming? Last Sunday (on December 27) President Trump signed the pandemic relief law that Congress had passed 6 days earlier. Because between its passage and before signing he’d surprisingly … Read More
Trump DOES Sign Pandemic Relief Law
Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash. Unexpectedly Trump did not sign the new pandemic relief law last week. Then after multiple objections, he unexpectedly signed it Sunday night. Late last weekend (on December 20) Congress announced it had a deal on a new pandemic relief law. That agreement was the topic of our blog post last week. Since our last … Read More
Congress Agrees to New Pandemic Relief
Photo by Blogging Guide on Unsplash. Congressional leaders finally announced an agreement for new pandemic relief, extending unemployment benefits and new stimulus payments. On Sunday evening, December 20, 2020, the U.S. Senate Republican and Democratic leaders announced that they finally agreed on a new pandemic relief package. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the following on the floor of the Senate: … Read More
No Federal Student Loan Payments through January
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash. The pandemic’s federal student loan forbearance period which was expiring at the end of December has been extended through January 31, 2021. On Friday, December 4, the Department of Education extended a forbearance period that was expiring on December 31, 2020. Its press release says “[f]ederal student loan borrowers will not be expected to … Read More
States’ Responses to $400/$300 Extended Unemployment Benefits
Photo by NOAA on Unsplash. Different states have responded differently to the proposed $400/$300 federal extended unemployment benefits. How about Kentucky and Indiana? Last week we explained the President’s Memorandum of August 8 which extended reduced federal unemployment benefits. The $600 weekly benefit had expired on July 31. The House of Representatives had previously passed a bill extending the $600 … Read More
Trump’s $400 Unemployment Benefits
Photo by Steve Halama on Unsplash. On August 8 Trump signed a Memorandum extending federal unemployment benefits, at $400 per week. Is this really happening? A Quick History of the Federal Unemployment Benefits The CARES Act’s $600 per week additional federal unemployment benefits expired on July 31, 2020. Section 2104 of the CARES Act. Back in May the U.S. House … Read More
Bankruptcy Filings Poised to Increase
Photo by Melinda Gimpel on Unsplash Consumer bankruptcy filings edged up in 2019, increased more this March, sharply declined in April, but are very likely to shoot up now. In the last two weeks three major retailers filed Chapter 11 business bankruptcy: J. Crew, Neiman Marcus, and J.C. Penny. Total business Chapter 11 reorganizations were up 26% in April 2020 … Read More
New 7-Year Amended Chapter 13 Plans
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash The new coronavirus law temporarily allows amend Chapter 13 plans to extend to a 7-year period instead of the current 5-year maximum. Last month we described the changes to bankruptcy law made by the coronavirus CARES Act enacted on March 27, 2020. One of those changes is the ability to extend the length … Read More
Protect Your $1,200 from Bank Setoff
Photo by Ferran Fusalba Roselló on Unsplash If you owe your bank or creditor union fees on your account, or other debts, it may be able to pay itself out or your $1,200 relief payment. Our last blog post was about whether your creditors can seize the $1,200 (or so) pandemic relief payments. Today’s is about one specific class of … Read More
Student Loan Payments Suspended
The new COVID-19 law temporarily suspends most, but not all, federal student loan monthly payments, accruing interest, and debt collections. The 880-page Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES”) has 4 pages of help for certain student loan borrowers. Section 3513 of CARES. It provides meaningful albeit temporary help, for those who qualify by having the right kind … Read More
Coronavirus Law Changes to Consumer Bankruptcy
New $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief law makes modest but potentially important temporary changes to both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 law. If you’re thinking about filing a Chapter 7 “straight bankruptcy” case, the new CARES law may help, at least slightly. If instead you’re thinking about a Chapter 13 “adjustment of debts” case, the new law helps in more … Read More
U.S. Treasury Sending $1,200 Relief Payments
The U.S. Treasury is sending money to most adults “as rapidly as possible,” $1,200 if you make less than $75,000, plus $500 per dependent. On Friday (March 27) Congress passed and the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. It’s also called the CARES Act, better known as the massive $2.2 trillion pandemic relief … Read More