04/15/2020
Simple Ways to Obtain or Save Money and Put Food on the Table Fast: Pandemic Edition!
By Rev LyndiLea Hardman
April 14, 2020
Everyone needs something in order to survive the plague. It may be rent, utility payments, medication, cleaning supplies, food in the fridge, or facemasks. No matter what it is it's going to require money to buy it. However, money is getting harder and harder to come by as bank accounts fade away to nothingness. Considering how many people are under travel restrictions of some variety or even "shelter in place" orders with ample time on their hands, why not take advantage of the following list of resources in order to ease the stress on your wallet and erase some of those worries from your mind. We're all in this together so let's make the most of it and get that paper while quarantined away from gainful employment!
1. Stimulus Check:
All United States Citizens age 18 and up who were not claimed as a dependent on anyone's 2019 taxes and make less than $99,000 per year (single) or $198,000 per year (married) are eligable to receive a stimulus check even if you didn't file taxes in 2018 or 2019, didn't make any money or, received SSI or SSDI.
In order to receive your stimulus check as soon as possible you can use the digital form on the IRS website to submit your direct deposit*** information or if you want to wait for a paper check you can use the same digital form to update your mailing address. Even though the majority of these checks are automatic payments you might still be left out if you've changed addresses or have never filed taxes. Plus it's free money for you and a much needed boost for the economy so why not? If you want to insure you get your 2020 Stimulus Check click the link below and fill in the blanks!
People who do NOT need to fill out the form:
▪︎If you filed 2018 or 2019 federal income taxes. You will receive your stimulus check the same way you received your tax return.
▪︎If you receive SSI and/or SSDI. You will automatically receive your stimulus check the same way you receive your regular monthly social security check.
If you do not fall into the two categories listed for people who do not need to fill out this form then click the following link to tell the government where to deposit or mail your stimulus check:
https://www.freefilefillableforms.com/ #/fd/createaccount
2. Expanded Unemployment benefits:
For the first time in the history of unemployment, benefits are going to be available to the following:
-Self-employed
-Independent contractors (1099)
-Gig economy Workers (Uber, Lyft, ect).
-Workers who are still employed but had their hours reduced including workers with multiple employers
-Part time workers
-Workers who had zero earnings in the prior week and their employer didn't offer them any hours
-Workers who are quarantined and cannot go to work
-Workers who leave a job due to a risk of exposure to the Corona Virus
-Workers who leave a job to care for a sick family member or household member
- Workers with very limited work history
- Workers unable to seek employment due to shelter in place orders
- Workers who leave there job to homeschool their children due schools shutting because of the Corona Virus
All of these workers are now eligible for unemployment benefits with the payments coming out of the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA) Opening up the option of unemployment benefits to many — though certainly not all — workers who lost their jobs or had that hours reduced but are still ineligible for the state’s regular unemployment program. Unemployment money is eligible for direct deposit***
•Workers can receive up to 39 weeks of PUA benefits.
•PUA provides a $600 per week, federally funded benefit to all eligible PUA workers and regular state Unemployment Insurance (UI) recipients beginning April 5, 2020 and will continue weekly until July 31, 2020. That could mean up to $10,800 on top of the regular UI benefits!
•Eligible claimants will receive backdated payments to Jan. 27, or the first week they were unable to work or had their hours reduced due to COVID-19, whichever of the dates is later.
•Acceptance of applications for these expanded unemployment benefits will end Dec. 31, 2020.
•Workers who would normally be eligable for UI through the state will still receive regular UI benefits (amounts vary by state) with the amount per week mandated to the maximum amount allowed for that particular state which provides the worker with at least half of their regular weekly pay.
•The PUA gives workers the ability to extend unemployment an additional 13 weeks with a possible total of 39 weeks of unemployment all together.
•Work search eligibility requirements have been suspended.
•The one week mandatory wait time with no pay has been suspended.
While states work on implementing the new federal guidelines it is recommended that workers go ahead and file for unemployment because all payments will be retroactive. Workers should file their claim with the state where they were working. If the worker now lives in a different state than the one where they had worked, or if they worked in more than one state, the state unemployment insurance agency where they now live can give them information about how to file claims with other states.
Click the following link to begin the application process. Once the page loads, select the state where you worked from the drop down menu. You’ll find website links and/or phone numbers for you to file your UI claim along with additional information about eligibility, benefits, and answers to other questions you might have.
"Unemployment Benefits Finder" https://www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/UnemploymentBenefits/find-unemployment-benefits.aspx
3. Federal Expansion of SNAP (foodstamps) Program:
SNAP funding has been increased by $15.3 billion to cover newly eligible households and those receiving expanded benefits due to changes in their economic situation.
In response to requests from states for flexibility to allow for greater social distancing to prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), states are now allowed to do the following:
•Conduct telephone interviews in lieu of face-to face-interviews for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in March, April, and May of 2020.
•Waivers to allow states the flexibility to adjust deadlines for participants to re-enroll (i.e., "recertify") to continue receiving SNAP benefits.
•Temporarily suspend the time limit for Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents participation in SNAP. The three-month time limit on benefits for adults under age 50 without children in their home has been temporarily suspended. The provision took effect April 1
•Under previously existing authority, states can also halt benefit sanctions for failure to meet work requirements in their Employment and Training (E&T) programs.
●Emergency Allotments: USDA will be granting waivers to states to allow for the issuance of emergency allotments (supplements) based on a public health emergency declaration by the Secretary of Health and Human Services related to an outbreak of COVID-19 when a state has also issued an emergency or disaster declaration.
-All households are to receive the maximum SNAP benefits based on family size for March and April 2020 and will be automatically loaded into the existing EBT card. If you are already receiving the maximum benefits for your family size you will not be eligable for the additional foodstamp allotment.
●Pandemic EBT: As a result of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, children who would receive free or reduced price meals if not for school closures are eligible to receive assistance under this provision roughly $114 per child per month. The USDA is providing guidance to state agencies on plan requirements in order to receive approval. Once approved this will be added to your current EBT card.
●D-SNAP - FNS may authorize a D-SNAP when the President declares a major disaster with individual assistance under the Stafford Act. States must request approval from FNS to issue DSNAP benefits in areas affected by a disaster.
People who might not ordinarily qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program) may be eligible for D-SNAP if they had disaster related expenses, such as loss of income, damage to property, relocation expenses, and in some cases, loss of food due to power outages. D-SNAP benefits are provided through an electronic benefit transfer card that can be used at authorized food retailers to buy food.
People who are already participating in the regular SNAP may be eligible for additional benefits under the D-SNAP.
To see state by state waivers and expansions click the following link and select the state of interest from the map:
"SNAP State by State COVID-19 Waivers" https://www.fns.usda.gov/disaster/pandemic/covid-19/snap-waivers-flexibilities
To apply for SNAP Benefits click the following link and then select your state from the map. Many states have online or telephone applications available. Be sure to check the boxes for Medicaid and Cash Assistance (TANF) just in case you and/or your children qualify for additional assistance.
"SNAP State Directory of Resources | USDA-FNS" https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/state-directory
4. Suspend Student Loan Payments, Withholdings, and Garnishments:
•On March 20th, 2020, President Trump announced that all federal student loan borrowers principal and interest payments have been suspended through September 30, 2020.
•March 13, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2020 federal tax refunds will not be withheld to repay defaulted federal student loan debt. If any portion of your tax return was withheld on or after March 13, 2020 it will be refunded to you.
•March 13, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2020 Social Security payments, including disability benefits, will not be withheld to repay defaulted federal student loan debt. If any portion of your social security was withheld on or after March 13, 2020 it will be refunded to you.
•March 13, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2020 no wages will be garnished to repay defaulted federal student loan debt.Your human resources department will receive a letter instructing them to stop your wage garnishment. If any of your wages are garnished between March 13, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2020, your garnished wages will be refunded to you.
•Private collection agencies have been instructed to stop all collection calls and not accept auto-debit payments from March 13, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2020.
-Defaulted loans owned by the Department of Education will not accrue interest from March 13, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2020. That includes Direct Loans and FFEL Program loans.
5. Home Loan Relief:
Single family homowners with federally- backed mortgages get two types of financial help:
•Protection from eviction and foreclosure through mid-May
•Reduced or postponed mortgage payments for up to a year
•Call your loan servicer to request this assistance.
6. Renter Relief: Multi-Family Homes With Federally-Backed Mortgages
•If you live in an apartment building with a federally-backed mortgage, you're safe from eviction untill late July.
7. Insurance coverage:
•The C.A.R.E.S. bill requires all private insurance plans to cover COVID-19 treatments, a vaccine once available, and makes all coronavirus tests free.
•Medicaid and Chip are available for low income adults and children.
-All services for children are free with no co-pays.
-Some states charge adults co-pays but the co-pay can be no more than 5% of the patients income.
-Services and treatments are to still occur with or without co-pays being paid in full.
Click the following link and select your state for information on how to apply:
Http://www.Medicaid.gov/about-us/contact-us/ontact-state-page.home
8. Federal Income Taxes:
The date to file federal income taxes has been extended from April 15, 2020 to July 15, 2020. Roughly 90% of Americans qualify for some type of a tax return.
•If you don't fall into the people getting a tax return category and are instead going to be paying taxes then by all means take full advantage of the extension to keep money in your pocket as long as possible. That way should an emergency arise you'll have the money in hand when you need it. The federal government will allow you to break your tax debt into affordable monthly payments once the July 15th deadline to file arrives. You are not required to pay it in one lump sum like many but, not all, states still require tax payers to do.
• If you fall into the 90% group of Americans who will be receiving a tax return this year why not go ahead and file your taxes for free and get a much needed return headed your way?
•There are several free and easy options for filling your federal tax return right from home. I have been filing my own taxes since I was a teenager and even survived an audit by the IRS without ever being contacted. If you can balance a checking account you can file your own taxes for free from home in as little as 2 hours.
•Two free and easy to navigate sites that I have personally used and recommend are:
- http://www.freetaxusa.com
- http://www.turbotax.com
•In order to receive your refund the quickest direct deposit*** is the way to go. Plus should any additional stimulus money be made available during the next year or two this will insure you get it quickly and easily. There are free bank account options available with no monthly fees and no minimum balance that come with fraud protection and debit cards accepted almost everywhere. Two options which I have personally used and recommend are:
- http://www.paypal.com
- http://www.huntingtonbank.com
***If you need a way to direct deposit your stimulus check from step 1, unemployment check from step 2, paycheck from your employer, or your SSI or SSDI monthly check either of these free bank accounts listed above would work perfectly. ***
9. Free Government Funded Cell Phone:
During this time of social distancing it is important to stay in contact with friends and family. If money is too tight to purchase a phone or the thought of paying your current cell phone bill is causing you unnecessary stress and worry there is a 100% free option available. The cell phone company will ship you a free smart phone with unlimited monthly talk and text and 3 gigs of monthly data.
☆Bonus☆ Qlink is offering 8gigs of data during the month of April to help those under "shelter in place" orders stay in contact with loved ones.
Apply today for your free smartphone and monthly service at:
- http://www.qlinkwireless.com
Now that you have an extensive list of resources easily accessible and readily available right at your finger tips it's time to get started making and saving money from the comfort of home, lounging in your pj's, while never breaking your state's quarantine mandate, or exposing yourself to the plague. Hopefully by the time you complete this list you'll have a little less stress, a little less worry, and a little bit more money in your pocket and food in your fridge!
