Useful Information & Links
–Why does Manchin oppose the Build Back Better bill?
– Final monthly CTC payment of 2021 sent out on Wednesday 15 December
Stimulus checks
–New parents could see another stimulus check reflected in their tax refund in 2022
–What’s the deadline to get your stimulus check plus-up payment in 2021?
Social Security
Claiming the $1,400 stimulus check
Families that either had a newborn or adopted a child in 2021 will be able to claim the amount of the third Economic Impact Payment they are due through the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. This goes for all taxpayers who didnt get the full amount due to them from the direct payment scheme.
Youll want to check any documentation that the IRS sent regarding the EIP3 or plus-up payments received. If you lost the letter that the agency sent, through the IRS website you should be able to find the information in your federal tax account. If you try to claim more of the credit than you are due, it could delay processing of your tax return and thus your refund if you have one coming.
Taxpayers that are still missing the first two Economic Impact Payments will need to file a 2020 1040 to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit
World stock prices gain on strong US holiday sales
He added that next year markets must also contend with other issues, ranging from inflationary pressures to policy tightening and geopolitical risks.
Fourth Coronavirus Stimulus Check: How Could You Get It
Bidens American Rescue Plan Act, which was approved in March this year, extended the child tax credit from the usual $2,000 to up to $3,600. Under the new program, families with kids under the age of six are eligible to get up to $3,600 per year, while those kids aged 6 to 17 could get up to $3,000.
Also, the program changed the way families get the CTC payment. Prior to the American Rescue Plan Act, families got the CTC payment after filing their tax return. However, for 2021, the eligible families get half the credit in advance in the form of six monthly installments , and the other half after filing their tax return in 2022.
This means eligible families get up to $300 per month for each kid below six years and $250 per month for each kid aged 6 to 17. So far, the IRS has sent five monthly installments of the child tax credit, and will send the final payment next month.
Most families eligible for the child tax credit started getting the payment automatically based on their 2020 tax returns. Families who dont normally file a tax return, or arent required to file a return due to low income, had to sign up using the IRS tool to get the payment.
Such families had until November 15 to sign up for the child tax credit payment. After signing up, these families would become eligible for a fourth coronavirus stimulus check of up to $1,800 before the end of the year.
Th Stimulus Check Some Lawmakers Push For Another Direct Payment
CLEVELAND As the latest federal direct payment hits most of our bank accounts, some Democratic lawmakers are already eyeing another stimulus check. A group of 10 Democratic senators released a letter earlier this month that asks President Joe Biden to include additional stimulus money in the next spending bill, according to The Washington Post. The letter mentions recurring payments as part of the plan.
We urge you to include recurring direct payments and automatic unemployment insuranceextensions tied to economic conditions in your Build Back Better long-term economic plan, the group writes.
In the letter, senators say the two forms of payments are effective together. Data shows that direct payments and enhanced unemployment insurance are among the most effective forms of relief available. Not only do these payments help keep families out of poverty, but they act as an economic stimulus by increasing spending and supporting jobs, the group writes.
Recommended Reading: Why I Haven’t Got My Second Stimulus Check
Should Americans Expect A Fourth Stimulus Check
Many Americans have endured substantial financial struggles throughout the COVID-19 pandemic but have been able to get by with the help of government stimulus checks. To date, eligible recipients have received $3,200 via three separate stimulus checks in the last 12 months. And with continued financial hardship on the horizon even as the economy recovers, there is substantial debate as to whether additional stimulus payments are needed. Many people are wondering whether the government will issue another round of stimulus checks. Continue reading to learn about the prospects of a fourth stimulus check.
Will Biden Give You A Fourth Stimulus Check We’ll Learn More This Week
Hoping for another round of stimulus checks?
President Joe Biden is expected to reveal details this week of a new spending plan that could set aside more money for struggling Americans.
As the IRS continues to distribute the pandemic’s third stimulus checks, for up to $1,400 each, the outcry is building for the government to provide Americans with a fourth payment and possibly more.
Recommended Reading: What Are The Qualifications For The Second Stimulus Check
Are $2000 Monthly Stimulus Checks Possible
In response to President Biden’s American Jobs Plan proposal, a group of 21 senators on March 30 sent a letter urging the inclusion of stimulus checks in the legislation. The group called for recurring payments as long as the pandemic lockdown continued, meaning people would get monthly checks from the government. No amount for the payments was specified.
We urge you to include recurring direct payments and automatic unemployment insurance extensions tied to economic conditions in your Build Back Better long-term economic plan, wrote the group, which consisted of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and others.
An earlier stimulus check proposal, put forward during the early days of the American Rescue Plan in late January, also suggested monthly payments until the pandemic is over, but did not mention an amount. However, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minnesota, tweeted earlier in January that she wanted to see $2,000 per month.
If that amount sounds familiar, it’s because now-Vice President Kamala Harris threw her support behind $2,000 recurring checks during the negotiations for the second stimulus check legislation in the summer of 2020.
The proposal has also gained plenty of support outside of Congress: Six online petitions calling for $2,000 monthly stimulus checks until the end of the pandemic have been posted. The biggest petition, on Change.org, has been signed by more than 2.8 million people and has a stated goal of reaching 3 million.
More Money Could Be Approved By Congress Soon
Though there’s plenty we still don’t know and much up for debate, there could be additional cash in the pockets of Americans in the following scenarios:
If the child tax credit raise is made permanent. Money from the expanded child tax credit started this summer with monthly payments to millions of lower- and middle-income families with children. In a speech this summer, Biden called on Congress to extend the expanded child tax credit through 2025. Some lawmakers and economists are now pushing for the enhanced credit, and House Democrats put forward a proposal to make it permanent, though it is still controversial.
If there’s a minimum wage hike. Some senators continue to look for ways to boost the federal minimum wage, which stands at $7.25 per hour. A few proponents want to set the bar at a $15 hourly wage, and others are looking to only go up to $11 an hour. In recent years, many states, localities and businesses have implemented minimum wage increases above the federal level. However, the discussion of a new national rate of $15 an hour has hit a roadblock in recent months, and the likelihood of it being enacted anytime soon is low.
In the meantime, here’s what to know about the tax refunds going out for those who received unemployment benefits in 2020.
Don’t Miss: Home Owner Stimulus Check 2021
Fourth Stimulus Check Approval: Here’s What It’ll Take
The White House hasn’t responded to any of the proposals for additional stimulus checks, and the general sentiment is that a fourth stimulus check isn’t likely. Economists have suggested we’ve already moved past the pandemic’s worst financial woes, although there are signs that Americans could still use relief.
Experts certainly seem in agreement that there won’t be a fourth stimulus check. The latest stimulus package, the American Rescue Plan, is “gonna be the last on that front,” Deutsche Bank senior U.S. economist Brett Ryan told Fortune. “No more checks.”
Ed Mills, Washington policy analyst at Raymond James, agreed, telling CNBC recently “I think its unlikely at this time. D.C. has largely started to pivot towards the recovery and an infrastructure bill.”
Many economists and financial experts are worried that the third stimulus checks have contributed to a growing inflation rate. In June 2021, the core inflation rate, stripped of energy and food prices, rose 4.5% at an annual rate vs. the Dow Jones estimate of 3.8%. The overall consumer price index rose at an annualized 5.4% rate in June.
Still Waiting On Your Third Payment
If you haven’t received your stimulus check, head over to the IRS Get My Payment tool to estimate when it might arrive.
The IRS has reported that taxpayers whose direct-deposit information is already on file should have seen their payments hit their bank accounts by March 24. Those who are waiting on paper checks and debit cards will likely receive their funds in the coming weeks.
You May Like: Have Not Received Third Stimulus Check
Fourth Stimulus Check: Are More Payments Coming
A fourth stimulus check from the government could take one of two forms: monthly checks in fairly small amounts, or one-time payments of up to $2,000.
Both options have been put forward by legislators in Congress as follow-ups to the third round of pandemic relief payments, which were made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act of March 2021.
The U.S. economy is still recovering, with slow but steady job growth even as unemployment numbers hold steady and the Delta variant of COVID-19 causes hospitalization rates to soar.
The federal moratorium on evictions ended Aug. 26 with a Supreme Court ruling, and millions now face losing their homes. Inflation, however, appears to be on the rise, contributing to fears among economists and lawmakers that further stimulus payments could only fuel more price hikes.
As a result, there’s no legislation in Congress that’s likely to pass that would create a fourth round of stimulus payments, even though some Democratic lawmakers have called on President Joe Biden to consider recurring payments.
The White House has passed back the buck, stating that the president would consider whatever Congress comes up with.
At the end of July, Rep. Ilhan Omar , introduced a bill that would send $1,200 to each American making less than $75,000 per year, forever. But it has not moved forward in the House of Representatives and has little chance of passing.
All The Stimulus Checks So Far
The first stimulus check sent to Americans was under President Donald Trump in 2020.
The first round sent checks worth $1,200 to qualifying Americans plus $500 per dependent.
The second check was worth $600 for adults and dependents under Trump, and the third was worth $1,400 per adult under President Joe Biden.
As Americans continue to struggle, especially with the presence of a new variant, President Biden has not said anything to show there may be a fourth stimulus check.
80 Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, have supported the idea of recurring payments during the pandemic.
Since then, the White House has shared that recurring payments would be too costly but another stimulus check isnt impossible.
Heres how you can get a $1,400 stimulus check with your 2022 tax return
Geneva School Board votes in special meeting to add back second School Resource Officer
Dog wakes up owner, both escape Aurelius house fire
THE BAKER BLOG: Which Hallmark movie are you watching?
The gift that keeps on giving: Steuben County keeps fruitcake tradition alive
W-FL THURSDAY: Brayden Steve leads Newark past Pal-Mac Mynderse defeats Penn Yan
Read Also: How To Track Stimulus Check In Mail
West Virginia Stimulus Checks
In West Virginia, there are more than 7,700 unclaimed stimulus checks, Child Tax Credit and others.
Want to know more? Find out the latest news about the Arkansas Stimulus
The question, of course, is whether any of those stimulus checks can be recovered.
“If you haven’t you need to file one, or you can go to IRS.GOV, ‘Where’s my Stimulus Check?’, and look on there and enter your information and that may be able to help you, but filing a tax return will help and if you don’t have any taxable income you can still file a tax return electronically, and that’s the best way to get one soon,” said John Empson, a Certified Public Accountant.
What If You Need Another Stimulus Check Right Now
If you need more cash to get you to the other side of the coronavirus crisis, waiting for action from Washington is not your only option. Here are some ways you might find money on your own.
-
Slash the cost of your debt. Credit and debit card spending increased by 45% in March compared to the same month last year, says Bank of America. If you’ve been leaning heavily on your plastic during the pandemic, expensive interest is inevitable. Rein in your debt and pay it off more rapidly by rolling your balances into a lower-interest debt consolidation loan.
-
Reduce your insurance bills. Because many people have been driving less frequently during the pandemic, some car insurance companies have been offering special discounts. If your insurer isnt one of them, it’s time to shop around for a better deal. Plus, you could save hundreds on homeowners insurance by comparison shopping and finding a lower price on that coverage, too.
-
Refinance your mortgage. If youre a homeowner and haven’t refinanced your loan in the last year, you could be missing out on big savings. Mortgage data and technology provider Black Knight said last week that 13 million homeowners still have opportunities to save an average $283 a month through a refi.
-
Grow some money by investing spare change. You don’t have to be rich to earn some returns in the record-smashing stock market. A popular app helps you build a diversified portfolio just by using “spare change” from everyday purchases.
You May Like: Irs.gov Get My Stimulus Payment
Aid For Homeowners And Renters
Two other stimulus-related programs involve assistance with living expenses.
The stimulus law that President Biden signed earlier this year, as well as the final stimulus legislation from the Trump administration, set aside a total of $46.6 billion in emergency aid for rental assistance programs. However, the government has been slow to get that money where it needs to go. According to recent New York Times reporting, only around 7% of the relief had gone out as of a few months ago.
To qualify for this money, generally, your income cant exceed 80% of your local areas median income. There are also other local requirements, including related to income, depending on where you live. And recipients of this money must demonstrate some kind of financial hardship stemming from the pandemic. More details are available here.
On a related note, theres also a federal Homeowners Assistance Fund to know about. As with the rental aid, homeowners must demonstrate a pandemic-related financial hardship. This link includes all the details, including income requirements. And the money can be used for things like mortgage payments, homeowners insurance, and more.
Other Payments Coming Soon
Meanwhile, other related stimulus payments are likewise imminent from the federal government.
On December 15, for example, the sixth and final child tax credit will go out. That one will generally be for a few hundred dollars per eligible child in a household. However, some Americans will get much more than that.
Thats because, for some recipients, Decembers stimulus payment will actually be their first child tax credit check.
For a variety of reasons, some people signed up late to get the child tax credit advance payment this year. And so, instead of a sixth check offering the final slice of an overall payment of up to $1,800 per eligible child? These parents are going to get one lump-sum payment for the whole six-check amount in December.
You May Like: How Much Is The Next Stimulus
Are We Getting Another Stimulus Check In 2021
Whether we get another stimulus check in 2021 depends on how much momentum the proposals for more checks gain.
There are still some people who’ve not yet received the third stimulus check, but we’ve got a handy guide for what to do if you’re missing your stimulus check payment. It’s worth checking if you’re eligible for most recent stimulus check as it’s worth up to $1,400 per person.
The IRS has reported that taxpayers whose direct-deposit information is on file should have seen their payments reach their bank accounts in April. Those who are waiting on paper checks and debit cards can expect to receive their funds in the coming weeks.
If you have received the third stimulus check and feel it’s too low, then take a look at our guide to the stimulus check calculator as that can show you what your own eligibility looks like. Keep in mind that there are a few factors that will affect the amount you are due or have received.