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☆ This Social Security change would be ‘easiest and quickest,’ Manchin says. What debt ceiling negotiations may mean for benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But that should not include cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits, he said. "I've got 60% of my population that that's all they have is Medicare and Social Security," Manchin told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. How raising payroll tax cap could aid Social SecurityIn 2023, wages up to $160,200 are subject to a 6.2% tax for employees and employers that goes to Social Security. Other Democrats have also proposed raising payroll taxes to help shore up Social Security. More from Personal Finance:What the U.S. debt ceiling could mean for Social Security and MedicareApproaching 62?

☆ VA Expands Efforts to Curb Suicide Among Veterans
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Ben Kesling | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The VA is trying to find ways to address concerns many veterans have about seeking mental-health treatment. Veterans facing a suicide crisis, even those not enrolled in the VA system, can get immediate and free treatment, the Department of Veterans Affairs said Friday, part of a decadelong effort to combat mental-health issues that have long racked the veteran community. The VA has taken a more robust approach to addressing veteran suicide in recent years—especially suicide by firearm, which disproportionately affects the veteran community. VA officials are trying to find ways to address concerns many veterans have about seeking mental-health treatment or discussing their guns and firearms safety.

The bottom line: Pentagon Federal Credit Union is a solid choice for conventional, FHA, or VA mortgages thanks to its competitive rates. Pentagon Federal Credit Union vs. Navy Federal mortgagesPenFed Credit Union Navy Federal Credit Union Types of home loans Conforming, jumbo, FHA, VA, HELOC Types of home loans Conforming, jumbo, VA Standout feature Power Buyer certification Standout feature Alternative credit data Get Started Compare RatesPenFed and Navy Federal Credit Union are both solid options if you want a lender that emphasizes services and products for military members or families. How Pentagon Federal Credit Union mortgages workPenFed is featured in our best banks and credit unions for military members and their families guide. Is Pentagon Federal Credit Union trustworthy? Pentagon Federal Credit Union mortgage FAQWhat credit score do PenFed mortgages use?

Conforming borrowing limits are the same throughout Alaska and FHA borrowing limits vary by county. FHA mortgage limits start at $472,030 and go up to $586,500, depending on what county you're buying a home in. In 2023, Alaska homebuyers can borrow a conforming mortgage up to $1,089,300 in all counties. The Federal Housing Finance Agency sets loan limits for conforming mortgages, while the Federal Housing Administration sets limits for FHA mortgages. Alaska borrowing limits in 2023 by countyCounty Conforming mortgage limit (single-family home) FHA mortgage limit (single-family home) Aleutians East Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Aleutians West Census Area $1,089,300 $545,100 Anchorage Municipality $1,089,300 $472,030 Bethel Census Area $1,089,300 $472,030 Bristol Bay Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Chugach Census Area $1,089,300 $472,030 Denali Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Dillingham Census Area $1,089,300 $472,030 Fairbanks North Star Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Haines Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Hoonah-Angoon Census Area $1,089,300 $472,030 Juneau City and Borough $1,089,300 $524,400 Kenai Peninsula Borough $1,089,300 $533,600 Ketchikan Gateway Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Kodiak Island Borough $1,089,300 $485,300 Kusilvak Census Area $1,089,300 $485,300 Lake and Peninsula Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Matanuska-Susitna Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Nome Census Area $1,089,300 $472,030 North Slope Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Northwest Arctic Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Petersburg Census Area $1,089,300 $472,030 Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area $1,089,300 $472,030 Sitka City and Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Skagway Municipality $1,089,300 $586,500 Southeast Fairbanks Census Area $1,089,300 $524,400 Valdez-Cordova Census Area $1,089,300 $472,030 Wrangell City and Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Yakutat City and Borough $1,089,300 $472,030 Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area $1,089,300 $472,030Quick tip: You'll need to get a jumbo mortgage if you want to borrow more than $1,089,300, regardless of which Alaska county you live in.

☆ Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners in US, UK Paying Virtual Assistants $2.50 Per Hour
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Aimee Pearcy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Virtual assistants help small-business owners with tasks like entering data, managing email, answering calls, creating client invoices, handling live chat support, and bolstering social-media engagement. Other virtual assistants aren't as fortunate. Since Jonas launched OnlineJobs.ph in 2009, he said, it has become a leading platform for Filipino virtual assistants, with over 2 million profiles offering services. Paying virtual assistants similar rates, regardless of whether they're also in a Western country, is an obvious solution. "Virtual assistants work with a client constantly.

You can borrow up to $726,200 for a conforming mortgage in North Dakota, or $472,030 for an FHA mortgage. Your choice between a conforming or FHA mortgage may depend on credit score, debt, or insurance costs. The Federal Housing Finance Agency sets borrowing limits for conforming mortgages, and the Federal Housing Administration sets limits for FHA mortgages. Borrowing limits for both types of mortgages are the same in every North Dakota county. You'll need at least 3% for a conforming mortgage and 3.5% for an FHA mortgage.

Mortgage borrowing limits are the same in all Alabama counties. Mortgage borrowing limits in Alabama are the same in every county in 2022: $726,200 for conforming mortgages and $472,030 for FHA mortgages. How do mortgage borrowing limits work? If you want to buy a home that costs more than the conforming mortgage limit in your county, you'll need to get a jumbo mortgage. Alabama borrowing limits in 2023 by countyCounty Conforming mortgage limit (single-family home) FHA mortgage limit (single-family home) Autauga $726,200 $472,030 Baldwin $726,200 $472,030 Barbour $726,200 $472,030 Bibb $726,200 $472,030 Blount $726,200 $472,030 Bullock $726,200 $472,030 Butler $726,200 $472,030 Calhoun $726,200 $472,030 Chambers $726,200 $472,030 Cherokee $726,200 $472,030 Chilton $726,200 $472,030 Choctaw $726,200 $472,030 Clarke $726,200 $472,030 Clay $726,200 $472,030 Cleburne $726,200 $472,030 Coffee $726,200 $472,030 Colbert $726,200 $472,030 Conecuh $726,200 $472,030 Coosa $726,200 $472,030 Covington $726,200 $472,030 Crenshaw $726,200 $472,030 Cullman $726,200 $472,030 Dale $726,200 $472,030 Dallas $726,200 $472,030 DeKalb $726,200 $472,030 Elmore $726,200 $472,030 Escambia $726,200 $472,030 Etowah $726,200 $472,030 Fayette $726,200 $472,030 Franklin $726,200 $472,030 Geneva $726,200 $472,030 Greene $726,200 $472,030 Hale $726,200 $472,030 Henry $726,200 $472,030 Houston $726,200 $472,030 Jackson $726,200 $472,030 Jefferson $726,200 $472,030 Lamar $726,200 $472,030 Lauderdale $726,200 $472,030 Lawrence $726,200 $472,030 Lee $726,200 $472,030 Limeston $726,200 $472,030 Lowndes $726,200 $472,030 Macon $726,200 $472,030 Madison $726,200 $472,030 Marengo $726,200 $472,030 Marion $726,200 $472,030 Marshall $726,200 $472,030 Mobile $726,200 $472,030 Monroe $726,200 $472,030 Montgomery $726,200 $472,030 Morgan $726,200 $472,030 Perry $726,200 $472,030 Pickens $726,200 $472,030 Pike $726,200 $472,030 Randolph $726,200 $472,030 Russell $726,200 $472,030 St. Clair $726,200 $472,030 Shelby $726,200 $472,030 Sumter $726,200 $472,030 Talladega $726,200 $472,030 Tallapoosa $726,200 $472,030 Tuscaloosa $726,200 $472,030 Walker $726,200 $472,030 Washington $726,200 $472,030 Wilcox $726,200 $472,030 Winston $726,200 $472,030Note: In every county in Alabama, if you want to borrow more than the baseline loan limit of $726,200, you'll need to get a jumbo mortgage.

Pros Check mark icon A check mark. If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer, you can get discounts Check mark icon A check mark. Pros Check mark icon A check mark. Advanced tool for seeing personalized rates and payments Check mark icon A check mark. Variety of home loans, including a specialized buydown loan or I CAN loan Check mark icon A check mark.

You must be eligible to join Navy Federal Credit Union to get a mortgage Dash icon A dash. Read our review Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing rightThe bottom line: Navy Federal Credit Union is one of our best VA mortgage lenders. Compare rates On Rocket Mortgage's website Compare rates On AmeriSave Mortgage Corporation's website Compare rates On New American Funding's websiteNavy Federal Credit Union Mortgage: Overall Lender RatingFeature Insider rating (out of 5) Loan types 4 Affordability 5 Customer satisfaction 4.8 Trustworthiness 4 Total 4.45Navy Federal Credit Union Mortgage: Pros and ConsPros Cons VA and conventional mortgage optionsNo-down-payment mortgage optionCan apply with alternative credit dataEasy online application processCompetitive rates Unable to apply for a FHA mortgage, USDA mortgage, construction loan, or reverse mortgageNeed to meet eligibility requirements to become a Navy Federal memberCan't see personalized rates before applying for preapprovalNavy Federal Credit Union Mortgage Interest Rates and FeesWhen you select "Mortgages" on the Navy Federal website, you'll scroll down to see sample rates for its loan options. Is Navy Federal Credit Union Mortgage Trustworthy? Navy Federal Credit Union FAQIs Navy Federal good for a mortgage?

Forum, founded in 1948 to ensure that Mexican American World War II veterans could access their government benefits. “Latinos have a long and honorable tradition of military service,” he said, “only somehow it is not as well-known as that of other groups. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are nearly 1.3 million Latino veterans, or about 8 percent of the veteran population. Issues for Latino veterans, Vazquez-Contes noted, range from accessing medical care through the Veterans Administration system to homelessness to suicide. “The promotion rates for the top enlisted ranks, and the top officer ranks, are just basically void of Hispanic names.”Ricardo Aponte of the Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance.

Refunds up to $15 per month in out-of-network ATM fees Check mark icon A check mark. Link to another USAA account for free overdraft protection Check mark icon A check mark. Read our review Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing rightUSAA vs. Navy Federal CD comparisonsWinner: Tie Both Navy Federal and USAA pay a much higher interest rate than the national average CD rate. Winner: Navy Federal Navy Federal is a default winner for this category because USAA doesn't have a money market account. At Navy Federal, you'll need to open the Navy Federal Credit Union Share Savings Account to become a member.

Share this -Link copiedWisconsin Senate race too close to call Wisconsin's Senate race between GOP Sen. Ron Johnson and Democrat Mandela Barnes is too close to call, NBC News says. Vance wins Ohio Senate race, defeating Democrat Tim Ryan, NBC News projects COLUMBUS, Ohio — J.D. Ohio Republican Senate candidate J.D. Vance is leading The Senate race in Ohio is too early to call, NBC News says, but Republican candidate J.D. Share this -Link copiedGeorgia Senate race too close to call Georgia's Senate race is too close to call about three hours after polls closed at 7 p.m.

Spreading lies, misinformation and doubt about the 2020 election have proven to be a winning strategy for many Republicans across the United States. The analysis identified more than 370 candidates who cast doubt in some way on the 2020 election. House Republican newcomer said the 2020 election was stolen House Republican newcomer questioned the 2020 election in other ways W y o . M o . T e x as T enn. A vast majority of states will have one or more Republicans who cast doubt on the 2020 election. More than a Dozen Skeptics Elected in the SenateThe 16 Republican skeptics elected so far include several who have outright denied the 2020 election, including J.D.

☆ Live Results: Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a moderate Democrat from the battleground state of Virginia, faces off against first-time House hopeful Yesli Vega
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Warren Rojas | April Joyner | Nov | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rep. Abigail Spanberger is running against Republican Yesli Vega in Virginia's 7th Congressional District. VA-02VA-07 HouseTwo-term Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger faces off against Republican Yesli Vega in Virginia's 7th Congressional District. Vega is one of the conservative candidates backed by E-PAC, the women-centric recruiting effort run by Trump-aligned House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik. Voting history for Virginia's 7th Congressional DistrictThe Old Dominion's 7th Congressional District includes a big chunk of central Virginia, stretching from the exurbs of the nation's capital to the outskirts of the state capital, Richmond. The National Republican Congressional Committee has so far spent more than any other group.

Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria faces off against Republican Jen Kiggans in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. Kiggans, a state senator, is running in a redrawn district that is more favorable to Republicans. VA-02VA-07 HouseDemocratic incumbent Elaine Luria is seeking her third term against Republican state Sen. Jennifer Kiggans in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District. 2022 General EmbedsVirginia 2nd Congressional District candidatesLuria, a Navy veteran, is the prototype candidate Democrats ran in 2018 to harness anti-Trump outrage. Voting history for Virginia's 2nd Congressional DistrictKiggans is running in a coastal Virginia district that should favor conservatives more than in the past.

☆ Live Results: Virginia votes in congressional and state elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Walt Hickey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Polls close in the state at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. It symobilizes the 2022 Election. VA-02VA-07 HouseVirginians will elect 11 members of Congress this year, with several races with national implications among them. Long a swing state, Virginia recently has skewed toward Democrats. Virginia is also home to one of the more contentious state legislative fights.

☆ Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger says she sought out Liz Cheney's endorsement in her nail-biter race against Yesli Vega
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Bryan Metzger | Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger told Insider she sought out GOP Rep. Liz Cheney's endorsement. Spanberger faces a tight race against Yesli Vega, who has sympathized with January 6 rioters. "People are enthusiastic about it," Spanberger said of the high-profile endorsement in a phone interview with Insider on Saturday. In her statement announcing the Spanberger endorsement, Cheney said Vega was "promoting conspiracy theories, denying election outcomes she disagrees with, and defending the indefensible." "I have spent almost my entire adult life in service to this nation," Spanberger told the crowd of volunteers.

☆ How Diverse Are the Candidates in the Midterm Elections?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Maggie Astor | Eleanor Lutz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

The House of RepresentativesThere are at least 403 people of color, women or nonbinary candidates running for seats in the House of Representatives in Tuesday’s midterm elections. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Hispanic men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 11 Senate candidates who are Black this year. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ga. Raphael Warnock Ala. Will Boyd Ark. Incumbent Democrat Republican White men women Black men women Other and multiple race men womenThere are 25 women nominated for governor — 16 Democrats and nine Republicans. Democrat Black candidates Republican Ala. Yolanda Flowers Ark.

Today's savings account ratesBelow, you'll find our picks for the best savings accounts right now. Pros Check mark icon A check mark. Earn up to 15% cash back at local retailers if you use a SoFi debit card Check mark icon A check mark. Eligible for new accounts after your child turns 13 Check mark icon A check mark. Just like a savings account opened through a brick-and-mortar bank, most online savings accounts are FDIC insured up to $250,000.

It's possible to buy a home when all or most of your income comes from disability benefits or insurance. In the eyes of a mortgage lender, disability income is basically viewed like any other income, with one exception that can work in your favor (more on that in a minute). How to qualify for a mortgage with disability incomeWhen using disability income to qualify for a mortgage, you'll go through the same process as any other borrower. The challenges of buying a house using disability benefitsIf you're only receiving short-term disability benefits, you'll likely have a harder time using that income to qualify for a mortgage. Beware of mortgage discriminationLenders can't refuse to consider disability benefits income, and they can't treat you differently because of your disability or your disability income.

☆ Wildfire Smoke Is Erasing Progress on Clean Air
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Mira Rojanasakul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

Smoke from wildfires has worsened over the past decade, potentially reversing decades of improvements in Western air quality made under the Clean Air Act, according to research published Thursday from Stanford University. The new analysis reveals a picture of daily exposure to wildfire smoke in better geographic detail than ever before. Where Wildfire Smoke Pollution Increased Over the Past Decade 0 0.25 0.5 1 2 4+ micrograms of PM2.5 Seattle Spokane WASH. Portland MAINE Missoula MONT. FLA. Micrograms of PM2.5 0 0.25 0.5 1 2 4+ Note: Map shows increase in average wildfire smoke from 2006-2010 to 2016-2020. The research isolated wildfire smoke from background pollution from other sources, which has actually decreased in recent decades.

WASHINGTON — Moderate and progressive House Democrats struck a deal Wednesday on a long-awaited policing and public safety package, a breakthrough they hope will unify the party on a key issue weeks before the midterm election. The package includes four bills written by moderate Democrats. Another by Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey would provide grants to local police departments with fewer than 125 sworn officers. A third, by Rep. Katie Porter of California, would provide grants for mental health professionals and other resources. Two other policing bills, written by moderate Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Dean Phillips, D-Minn., that had previously been a part of the negotiations were removed from the package announced Wednesday.

☆ The ‘Cost’ of Voting in America: A Look at Where It’s Easiest and Hardest
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Nick Corasaniti | Allison Mccann | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

Researchers focused on 10 categories related to voting, including registration, inconvenience, early voting, polling hours and absentee voting. The state also stopped using special voting deputies, officials whose tasks had sometimes included conducting voter registration drives, according to the study. To assess the voting laws passed after the 2020 election, this year’s Cost of Voting Index study added new categories and scoring. While the political debate surrounding new election laws has centered on ballots and the voting process, the Cost of Voting Index also gives heavy weight to the ease of voter registration. States rank higher in the index if they allow voter registration drives, provide automatic voter registration, offer same-day registration and maintain longer periods in which to register.

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