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☆ San Antonio experimented with giving people $5,108 no-strings-attached. They spent it on housing and school supplies for their kids.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Allie Kelly | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewWhen Monique Gonzalez received her money from the San Antonio guaranteed basic income pilot, she bought school supplies, shoes, and Christmas gifts for her children. San Antonio is one of several cities nationwide piloting guaranteed basic income programs. Ingrid Sullivan, a participant with four children and three grandchildren, told UpTogether that basic income allowed her to secure housing and reliable transportation. San Antonio participants also told UpTogether that the GBI payments significantly improved their mental health. Have you benefited from a guaranteed basic income program in San Antonio or elsewhere?

Persons: —, Monique Gonzalez, Gonzalez, UpTogether —, UpTogether, Ingrid Sullivan, Sullivan, GBI, Austin, Stephanie Hendon, she's, Jessica Nairns, Texas State Sen, Paul Bettencourt, John Gillette Organizations: Service, San Antonio, Business, Houston, Austin, Urban Institute, Texas State, Republican, House, Republicans Locations: San Antonio, Denver, Austin, Boston, Minneapolis, Durham, City, Antonio, Texas, Harris, City of Austin, Washington ,, Harris County, Dakota, Iowa, In Arizona, Arizona, Flint , Michigan

☆ The IRS's free tax filing system is officially open. Here's everything you need to know.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewThe Internal Revenue Service and the US Department of the Treasury officially launched their Direct File tax program on March 12. Direct File — now available in both English and Spanish — has been piloted in several states and offers Americans a free way to file their taxes. With Direct File, taxpayers can file their taxes directly from their smartphone, laptop, or desktop computer. The Direct File program will show taxpayers clear math on the taxes they owe and their expected tax refund. "Our priority in launching this new service is to save taxpayers time and money they can spend on themselves and their families."

Persons: —, Spanish —, Joe Biden's, Wally Adeyemo, Natalie Quillian, Quillian Organizations: Service, Revenue Service, US Department of, Treasury, Business, Taxpayers, Social, Treasury Department, IRS, Staff Locations: Spanish, California , Arizona, Florida , Massachusetts, New Hampshire , Nevada , New York, South Dakota , Tennessee , Texas, Washington, Wyoming

☆ The pandemic forced many women to leave their jobs. Hybrid work is bringing them back.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A rise in remote and hybrid jobs has allowed many women to seek higher-income roles. A narrowing of gender labor force gap since 2019 has added about $1.5 trillion to global income. Many women were forced to leave their jobs during the pandemic, thanks to poor market conditions and a rising need for childcare and older adult care. In the US, around 70% of working-age women participated in the labor force in 2020. Remote jobs also offer more flexibility.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, US Bureau of Labor, Statistics, Pew Research Center, European Union Locations: Australia, India, Japan

☆ Biden highlighted Medicare and Medicaid expansion, lower drug prices, and abortion access in his State of the Union. Here's a look at his healthcare record.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

President Joe Biden touted his healthcare policy wins in his State of the Union address. He also mentioned Medicare expansion, lower drug prices, and reproductive healthcare access. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementPresident Joe Biden is hoping to win voters with his healthcare record and promises for future change should he be reelected.

Persons: Joe Biden, — Organizations: Service, KFF, Kaiser Family Foundation

☆ Companies are required to disclose their climate impact, SEC says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Allie Kelly | Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Under the disclosure, public companies will have to release their greenhouse gas emissions, environmental risk impacts, and risk management strategies. Climate disclosure will create a standardized way for companies to report environmental impactPreviously, companies only disclosed their climate impact information on a voluntary basis. Bryan McGannon, managing director of the nonprofit sustainable investment forum US SIF, said the climate disclosure is "a really good first step" toward increasing transparency. The SEC might also be facing litigation from corporate America, which hopes to challenge the new climate disclosure in court, McGannon said. Some companies might be concerned about the potentially high costs of gathering data and complying with the disclosure, SEC officials said.

Persons: Gary Gensler, Steven Rothstein, Rothstein, Bryan McGannon, McGannon, Gavin Newsom Organizations: Service, US Securities and Exchange Commission, Business, Economic, SEC, BI, Ceres Accelerator, Sustainable Capital, US, CNBC, Clean Energy, Jobs Locations: America, California, Michigan

☆ You'll soon be able to get birth control without a prescription. Here's what you need to know.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

It is the first hormonal birth control available for retail and will expand access. Prescription-free birth control will expand accessThe introduction of Opill to family planning aisles will lower barriers to birth control. Since Opill is available without a prescription, people will no longer have to pay a doctor or pharmacist to access hormonal birth control. She urged policymakers to make sure non-prescription birth control is covered by insurance and assistance programs. AdvertisementProgestin-only birth control also carries a risk of ectopic pregnancy and can increase a person's risk for breast cancer, regardless of medical history.

Persons: —, Opill, Victoria Nichols, Nichols, Dr, Tania Serna Organizations: Amazon, Walgreens, CVS, Target, Walmart, Service, US Food and Drug Administration, Guttmacher, Guttmacher Institute, Affordable Care, Kaiser Family Foundation, The American College of Obstetricians, OB, University of California Locations: San Francisco

☆ Millennial women are about to get richer, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

With the expected financial windfall, many women said they are becoming more financially confident and planning to invest. Women are set to inherit more wealth over timeAs more women accrue generational and independent wealth, Ellevest researchers expect the gender wealth gap will shrink. AdvertisementThe gender pay gap refers to the amount of money men and women make, while the wealth gap is the discrepancy between what men and women own. The gender wealth gap won't close completely, but the change is likely to lead to more women investors and business leaders. Women invest more in philanthropy and climate causesWomen are likely to invest in other women, hire other women, and pay women high salaries, the survey said.

Persons: —, We've, Ellevest, allisonkelly@insider.com Organizations: Service, Business

☆ A millennial who quit her office job to live in a school bus explains what her lifestyle costs and how she makes 6 figures freelancing
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewAlice Everdeen has traveled the country in a school bus for more than a year. The 32-year-old quit her office job at an Austin-based supplement company in 2020, and now makes $130,000 a year working remotely while on the road. The couple has been on the road since September 2022 — and they recently finished refurbishing the school bus they call home. Her main budget items are limited to cell service, food, and costs associated with parking and gas for the school bus. Sometimes others have misconceptions about Everdeen, she said, and they wonder why she is living in her school bus by choice.

Persons: —, Alice Everdeen, Everdeen, Jared, doesn't, They're Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Austin, Texas, Maine, Montana

☆ Why Republicans are fighting the basic-income programs many cities and states are adopting: 'Is money a birthright now?'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-03 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Read previewAs guaranteed basic-income programs get more popular, opposition is also on the rise. Several lawmakers, like Arizona's Gillette, believe that income programs would discourage work and could raise taxes. A recently introduced bill in South Dakota would ban basic-income programs at the state level and prevent municipal governments from creating local programs. AdvertisementDespite opposition, basic-income program participants have seen benefitsPilot income programs have remained divisive with policymakers, but several major cities have seen positive results. In 2020, former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey pledged $15 million to Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, which helped 25 cities and towns nationwide begin basic-income programs.

Persons: —, Dia Broncucia, Justin Searls, John Gillette, Gillette, Arizona's Gillette, Lupe Diaz, Steve Holt, Skyler Wheeler, Sen, John Wiik, Paul Bettencourt, Bettencourt, Harris, I've, Ivanna Neri, Neri, UpTogether, Tony Evers, Austin, Stephanie Hendon, Louis, Jack Dorsey, Mark, Anthony Middleton Organizations: Service, Business, Income, Austin, BI, Republican, Republicans, GOP, Social Security, Iowa GOP, Houston Public Media, Gov, Madison Forward Fund, Madison Locations: Denver, Arizona, Arizona , Iowa, South Dakota , Texas, Wisconsin, Phoenix, Iowa, South Dakota, Texas, Houston, UpTogether, Harris, Madison, Minneapolis , Northern Virginia, Boston, St, Oregon, Durham

☆ Abortions now cost over $450, more than double the price before Roe was overturned, per a reproductive care nonprofit director
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Abortion funds provide information and help offset costsThe demand for funds like CAF has risen significantly since June 2022, Jeyifo said. It also received funding from the city of Chicago and is one of the few abortion funds to receive local government funding. AdvertisementSo far this year, Hidalgo-Cuellar said 84% of Cobalt's clients requiring travel support have come from Texas. She said it's difficult to keep the work of abortion funds in the public eye — and she worries about donations drying up. Imminent rulings from the Florida Supreme Court will also decide the fate of the state's abortion bans, and whether voters will have a say in abortion laws this November.

Persons: —, Roe, Wade, Megan Jeyifo, Jeyifo, Dobbs, they'll, Melisa Hidalgo, Cuellar, Sumeyye, you's Organizations: Service, Chicago Abortion Fund, CAF, Business, Jackson, Health Organization, Guttmacher, Kaiser Family Foundation, Guttmacher Institute, The, Abortion, ARC Locations: Chicago, Illinois, New Mexico, Colorado, Hidalgo, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Arc, Florida

☆ Millions of veterans are about to get expanded healthcare access
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Specific military, naval, and air service veterans who served in active duty after October 1981 were eligible before recent expansions. AdvertisementBiden has also expressed support for expanding federal healthcare access for veterans. "We expanded resources to end veterans' homelessness, end veterans' poverty, end the silent scourge of suicide, which is taking more veterans than war is." Trump, the GOP frontrunner, has not announced any new plans for veteran healthcare access as part of his campaign. Are you a veteran who will be impacted by expanded healthcare access?

Persons: —, US Department of Veterans Affairs —, Orange, Shereef Elnahal, Elnahal, Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, Trump Organizations: Service, —, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Business, Affordable, PACT, Department of Veterans Affairs, Medicare, Biden Administration, Arlington National Cemetery, KFF, Kaiser Family Foundation, Democratic, GOP Locations: Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan

☆ 3 lessons Gen Zers say they've learned from 'loud budgeting'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-25 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The "loud budgeting" trend taking over social media encourages people to be more vocal about saving and spending habits. Loud budgeting is the opposite of "quiet luxury," Battle said, the financial trend that previously favored high-end clothing and understated displays of wealth. AdvertisementThe loud budgeting trend comes as Gen Zers enter the workforce when the cost of living has become more expensive. Loud budgeting is about everyday people, Battle said, and saving money can be "stylish." AdvertisementFifty-six percent of Gen Zers surveyed said potentially missing out on events with friends and family can be a downside of loud budgeting.

Persons: —, Lukas Battle, Gen Zers, Zers, Steph, Den, she's, Emma, Roth Organizations: Service, Business, Bureau of Labor Statistics

☆ Emergency medical bills worry Americans — and it could affect the presidential election
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementMost Americans worry they won't be able to pay expensive medical bills if they experience an emergency, and it's impacting their economic outlook. Voters also identified prescription drug prices, out-of-pocket medical costs, and The Affordable Care Act as priorities for how they will vote in the 2024 election. Over 70% of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents answered that general healthcare costs are their main financial stressor. AdvertisementTrump has been vocal about his plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act should he win reelection. Still, KFF found that seven in 10 Republican voters don't think Trump has an alternate affordable healthcare plan.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Donald Trump —, Biden, Trump, Roe, Wade, Barack Obama —, KFF, Nikki Haley, Haley Organizations: Service, KFF, Kaiser Family Foundation, Affordable, Republicans, Independents, Medicare, Services, Democratic, US Department of Health, Human Services, Trump, Republican, Biden

☆ If you are waiting to buy an affordable home when rates drop, you're out of luck
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewInterest rates could drop by summer, according to Federal Reserve forecasts, but buyers shouldn't expect homes to become more affordable. For prospective homebuyers, the cuts could be a path toward relief from skyrocketing mortgage rates. 30-year fixed mortgage rates are now sitting just above 6.6%, which translates to around $2,800 in average monthly payments nationwide. "Mortgage rates have come down a bit in anticipation of lower rates." Steep interest rates in recent years have made homeowners less likely to sell, contributing to a housing shortage in many cities.

Persons: —, Jerome Powell, Gen Zers, Louis Fed Organizations: Service, Reserve, Business, Economics Locations: New York, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, San Jose, Boston

☆ Over a million boomers on Medicare could save big on prescription drugs next year
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewSome Medicare recipients could save thousands of dollars on out-of-pocket drug costs next year as even more boomers reach their spending threshold. In 2023, 50.5 million Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in Part D plans. About 65 million people in total are enrolled in Medicare, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. If the national cost cap had been in place in 2021, KFF estimates that 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries would have seen relief. Are you a Medicare beneficiary who has seen relief from the out-of-pocket drug cost cap?

Persons: —, Joe Biden's, California Medicare enrollees Organizations: Service, Medicare, Business, Kaiser Family Foundation, Institute, Social Security, Centers, Medicaid Services, California Medicare, Services Locations: California, California , Florida , Texas , New York, Pennsylvania

☆ Half of Gen Z workers think ChatGPT gives better career advice than their manager, survey says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

To retain Gen Z talent, companies should emphasize mentorship and learning in the workplace. AdvertisementWhen some Gen Z workers need career advice, they think ChatGPT will offer better guidance than their managers. In fact, 44% of Gen Z respondents said they are considering quitting their jobs in the next six months. Gen Z workers are looking for learning and development, not just money, from their jobs, according to research by The Standard. And, when young workers feel disconnected from their managers, they likely feel disconnected from their employers.

Persons: —, Gen Z, Zers, Gen Zers, Gen Xers, Gen Organizations: Service, Workplace Intelligence

☆ Feeling poor compared to your neighbors can harm your health
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

That's according to a recent study by public health experts in Canada who found stark income inequality is causing a mental health crisis. AdvertisementIt assessed Census income data, community health survey data, and hospitalization and death rates since 2006. AdvertisementResearchers said these indicators of declining community health are directly tied to economic conditions. People with less money might have a more difficult time accessing medicine and mental health services compared to their wealthier neighbors. Improving public health outcomes and reducing social stigma around money needs to start on a broad scale by addressing economic disparities, she said.

Persons: —, Claire Benny, Benny said, ” Benny, “, Vivek Murthy, Schwab, Zers, Benny, ” Organizations: Service, Business, Census Bureau, Public Health Ontario Locations: Canada

☆ As homelessness spikes nationwide, at least 4 major cities have found ways to get people off the streets
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Allie Kelly | Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Plans that strengthen infrastructure for temporary and permanent affordable housing, and increase local support for demographics most vulnerable to homelessness, were consistently successful. Building paths to permanent housing in those cities improved overall housing access, researchers said. But Seattle has higher rates of unsheltered homelessness, so resources were better directed to building more temporary housing options. Chicago and New York have seen longer-term success in reducing homelessness, but both saw a spike between 2022 and 2023. The main driver of homelessness is the severe housing shortage across the country, so the most fundamental solution is creating more affordable housing.

Persons: There's Organizations: Brookings Institution, Department of Housing, Urban, Seattle, Brookings Locations: Chicago, New York, Seattle, Philadelphia, Los Angeles , Oregon, New Jersey

☆ South Dakota lawmakers want to preemptively ban 'socialist' guaranteed income program
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

A South Dakota Senate bill would ban local governments from creating guaranteed income programs. A sponsor of the bill called guaranteed income programs a "one-way ticket to government dependency." AdvertisementSouth Dakota lawmakers are taking steps to ban guaranteed basic income programs preemptively. Guaranteed basic income gives qualifying residents monthly no-strings cash payments — typically between $500 and $1,000 — to spend as they choose over a set period of time. Guaranteed basic income programs have become increasingly popular among state and local governments as a solution to widespread housing and food insecurity.

Persons: — Organizations: South, South Dakota Senate, Austin, Service, Business Locations: South Dakota, Boston, Denver , Minneapolis, Dakota, Denver, Durham , Minneapolis

☆ Gen Z prefers paychecks over promotions, survey says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Advertisement"Since 2021, Gen Z has been living with rates of inflation not seen in the US in decades," the Standard reported. AdvertisementAccess to loans, a strong 401(k) retirement account, and reliable insurance coverage are benefits that Gen Zers expect from employers. Over 90% of Gen Zers and millennials said they're considering leaving their jobs, per a 2023 LinkedIn survey. AdvertisementBy offering intentional tools toward sustained economic stability, The Standard said companies will have better luck recruiting and retaining Gen Z workers. Are you a Gen Z worker and willing to share details about your economic stability goals and how you plan to achieve them?

Persons: —, Zers, Gen Z, Gen Zers, X, millennials Organizations: Service, Business, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Standard Locations: homebuying

☆ A Gen Z diabetic said a 3-month supply of insulin pumps would cost her $1,800 — even with insurance
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

However, others, like 25-year-old Cochrin, are still seeking some relief for the costs of insulin and other necessary diabetes tools, like insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors. While the costs of insulin have skyrocketed, and the direct medical costs of treating diabetes have also increased by about 7% since 2017. AdvertisementEarlier this month, Cochrin posted a TikTok explaining that a 3-month supply of her insulin pumps would cost her $1,800, even after insurance. Her continuous glucose monitor doesn't cost her anything right now, but in the past, she paid $30 a month with insurance. AdvertisementDifferent people may have increased sensitivity to different types and brands of insulin, Cochrin said, but insurance companies sometimes only offer one option for coverage.

Persons: —, Grace Cochrin's, Joe Biden, Eli Lilly, Sanofi, it's, Cochrin, She's, Campbell Hutton Organizations: Service, American Diabetes Association, National Institutes of Health, Business, White, US Department of Health, Human Services, that's Locations: Charlotte, North Carolina

☆ A shorter workweek is gaining ground as another major pilot program prepares to kick off
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The four-day workweek has been successful elsewhereThe Dominican Republic will be the first Caribbean country to test a shorter workweek, according to the country's Ministry of Labor. Other lawmakers, like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, have also voiced support for a shorter workweek. AdvertisementMost four-day workweek programs are voluntary for companies, and many countries have no legislation that requires a shorter workweek. With continued positive data, it's possible that the US and other countries could see the shorter workweek implemented into law. Have you been a part of a four-day workweek pilot program or do you work at a company adopting the schedule?

Persons: —, What's, Mark Takano, Vermont Sen, Bernie Sanders Organizations: Employees, Service, International Labor Organization, country's Ministry of Labor, Economic, Revenue, Democratic, Education, Workforce, Labor Locations: Dominican Republic, Latin America, Claro, Caribbean, Australia, United Kingdom, Zealand, Chile, Colombia, Mexico's, Vermont

☆ Biden has spent millions on gun policy, but future violence prevention depends on who wins the presidency
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementThe future of gun violence prevention policy will likely depend on who works in the Oval Office. But continued federal action hangs on whether Congress passes the Office of Gun Violence Prevention Act of 2023, a bill that would cement an office of gun violence prevention in the US Justice Department. As election season gears up, gun-related injuries have surpassed car crashes as the leading cause of death for young people, and 18,874 Americans lost their lives to gun violence last year, per the Gun Violence Archive. Breaking down Biden's investment in gun violence preventionIt's been almost six months since The Biden-Harris Administration created the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention , tasked with reducing gun violence across the country through executive and legislative action. The White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, specifically, is funded through Congress' annual executive office appropriations.

Persons: —, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Nikki Haley —, It's, Harris, Biden, John Feinblatt, Biden's Organizations: of, Service, US Justice Department, Republican, Fox News, Brennan Center for Justice, Biden, Harris Administration, White, Safer, Democratic, —, Gun Safety, Justice Department, American Civil Liberties Union, Senate, Congress

☆ Texas moms can now get an additional 10 months of Medicaid after giving birth
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

New mothers in the state were previously eligible for Medicaid for only two months following childbirth. Increased access to Medicaid correlates with improved pre-pregnancy health, maternal health, and infant health outcomes, according to reports published in 2020 and 2021 by the KFF, formally known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. Texas is now one of 43 states that have extended the window for postpartum healthcare coverage under Medicaid. The monetary relief Texas mothers will receive depends on their specific income level and number of dependents. And Texas has seen recent efforts to limit abortion and reproductive health care access, especially following the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Persons: —, Diana Forester, Forester, Roe, Wade Organizations: Service, Business, Centers for Disease Control, Texas, Kaiser Family Foundation, Texans Care, Children, Medicaid Locations: Texas, United States

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