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☆ Poor mental health in US teens exacerbated by negative experiences during Covid-19 pandemic, survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Poor mental health among teens in the United States was a concern before the Covid-19 pandemic, and major disruptions to school and social life since early 2020 have only exacerbated the situation. A new study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that most adolescents experienced negative events during the Covid-19 pandemic – and those experiences were linked to higher prevalence of poor mental health and suicide attempts. About 1 of every 13 adolescents (8%) reported experiencing four or more adverse events during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Youth are in crisis,” Kathleen Ethier, director of the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health, said in March. Approaching the mental health of teens and youth is nuanced and should be different from the way adults are treated, he said.

☆ The Treasury Department’s internal watchdog is looking into how DeSantis paid for migrant flights to Martha’s Vineyard
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

An internal government watchdog is looking into whether Florida misused federal funds to pay for migrant flights to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, last month under a program backed by Gov. Delmar also said the inspector general’s office would review what restrictions are in place for using the money, including interest earned, for immigration-related activities. Markey, who was among the group that signed on to the Sept. 16 letter demanding a probe, applauded the inspector general in a statement Wednesday. DeSantis has insisted that no laws were broken and pledged to continue his administration’s $12 million program to relocate migrants. "Reviews by Treasury are typical and, as stated by the OIG, are ‘part of its oversight responsibilities.’”NBC News has asked the Treasury Department for comment.

“They broke their promise to Black farmers and other farmers of color,” John Boyd, a plaintiff and the president of the National Black Farmers Association, told NBC News on Wednesday just before he held a press conference on the matter. John Boyd, president of the Black Farmers Association, plants winter wheat in one of his fields in Baskerville, Va., on Jan. 8, 2019. The $4 billion was never delivered to Black farmers and other people of color, however. The new legislation aims to circumvent white farmers’ grievances and create two new funds while nixing the initial relief program. In 1920, there were more than 925,000 Black farmers in the U.S., making up about 14% of the farmer population, according to data analysis by the consulting firm McKinsey.

☆ Missed a tax credit from last year? You can claim that money through Nov. 15
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"It's the largest refundable tax credit in terms of dollar amounts," he said. David Newville senior program director at Code for AmericaYet the earned income tax credit still goes unclaimed. How to claim the EITCThe process for claiming the earned income tax credit on GetCTC.org is more involved than the child tax credit or stimulus checks. Unlike those other credits, the earned income tax credit requires at least some earned income that a worker can document with a W-2. From there, users can opt out and proceed to claim just the child tax credit and stimulus payments, if they prefer.

Walker spoke of getting his start playing football in Johnson County and then making his way to the University of Georgia and pro football. He said that if he is re-elected he will fight to expand Medicaid in Georgia. And I think the people of Georgia have a real choice about who they think is ready to represent them in the United States Senate," Warnock told reporters Thursday, without directly addressing the abortion story. Warnock's allies, meanwhile, see the question more as a battle between Walker and Georgia voters — why give his opponent a chance to bring him into the story? What’s “very important” to her is Democrats’ holding the Senate and fighting GOP "extremism."

☆ IRS erred on child tax credit payments for millions of eligible families – but aid was 98% accurate overall, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The IRS skipped about $3.7 billion in advance child tax credit payments for 4.1 million eligible households, but sent more than $1.1 billion to 1.5 million filers who didn't qualify in 2021, according to an audit released Tuesday by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. However, the agency accurately issued 98% of the aid, the report found, based on a review of 178.9 million total payments made between July and November 2021. More from Personal Finance:Why some have yet to access funds from expanded child tax creditMedicare standard Part B premiums will drop to $164.90 next year8 million student loan borrowers will get automatic forgivenessDescribed as a "significant undertaking" by TIGTA, the monthly payments began in July 2021, four months after being enacted through the American Rescue Plan Act in March. In an official response to the report, the IRS said it took corrective action in 2021 to block future payments to ineligible taxpayers and issued funds to millions of taxpayers who were erroneously excluded.

☆ What the first legal challenge to derail Biden's student loan forgiveness plan means for borrowers
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A lawyer working for a conservative legal group this week brought the first legal challenge to President Joe Biden's sweeping plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for millions of Americans. "Nothing about loan cancellation is lawful or appropriate," Frank Garrison, an attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, said in a complaint filed in federal court in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. Garrison is asserting that he could be harmed by Biden's loan forgiveness in the form of a tax bill. Canceled student debt can be considered taxable income. Currently, Garrison is pursuing a government program that leads to tax-free debt cancellation, known as public service loan forgiveness, but he says Biden's plan could now cause him to get a $1,000 state tax bill.

☆ All eyes are on DeSantis' relationship with Biden as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida. Here's how the previous 3 presidents worked (or didn't) with governors on disaster relief efforts.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Governors usually work directly with the White House during disasters, relying on the government for federal resources. Here's a look at how the last three presidents handled disaster relief efforts and how Biden could address this crisis with DeSantis. However, on Tuesday evening, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted that Biden and DeSantis had spoken to discuss steps the federal government is taking to help Florida. Here's how the last three presidents worked with governors in their disaster relief efforts. Biden declared a state of emergency as the storm approached, ordering federal assistance to supplement disaster response efforts.

☆ Even as expanded child tax credit helped millions out of poverty, some still haven’t accessed funds
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Yet many individuals and families eligible for the child tax credit, as well as another called the earned income tax credit, may not have received the money for which they are entitled. The child tax credit and earned income tax credit are aimed at helping low- and moderate-income families. The child tax credit was established for the purpose of helping parents pay for their children's needs. watch nowThe earned income tax credit supplements wages for low- to moderate income workers. Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau found the expanded child tax credit helped reduce child poverty by more than 40% between 2020 and 2021.

☆ Thought you paid a lot to heat your home last year? Wait until this winter
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The couple is now paying $472 a month on the budget plan, up from around $290 a month last winter. Jason Bell may have to take on a second part-time job, on top of his full-time position, to afford his heating bills this winter. Those who heat with natural gas are facing the largest spike, with their cost for the winter heating season expected to soar 34.3% to $952, the association said. The tab for heating oil is expected to jump 12.8% to $2,115. Oil prices, which spiked last winter after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, are declining but are still higher than they were last year.

☆ Ron DeSantis violated state spending law when he spent Florida dollars to fly Venezuelan migrants to Martha's Vineyard, a new lawsuit says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The lawsuit accuses DeSantis of improperly using state funds by picking up migrants in Texas. Last year, the federal government sent 80 flights carrying migrants into Florida, according to Politico. The latest lawsuit, spanning 15 pages, was filed in state court in Leon County, where the state capital of Tallahassee is located. Pizzo filed the lawsuit in his personal capacity as a Florida resident. Pizzo filed his lawsuit against DeSantis, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue.

That spike in demand pushed prices higher, and was exacerbated by the retirement of coal-fired and nuclear plants, in favor of electric generators. Meanwhile, natural gas production has been slow to come back online after waves of shutdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, the price of natural gas is at levels not seen in more than a decade. The company said the increases are directly related to higher natural gas prices. "For many struggling families, higher prices can mean being forced to choose between heat, food or medication," the association said.

☆ Developers rush to convert run-down hotels and offices into shiny new apartments as the costs of new construction and borrowing money soar
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Some real-estate developers are increasingly targeting offices and hotels for conversion into apartments because, they say, these projects are the only ones that make financial sense right now. The company spent a total of $14.2 million to acquire the properties, which Hubbard described as "on the run-down side." With conversions, developers are also hoping to capitalize on the increased demand for rentals as buying a home becomes less affordable. By extension, the value of office space is declining — making conversion projects more profitable when financing can be secured. The program includes zoning reforms designed to make the conversion projects easier and funding from the federal American Rescue Plan, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

☆ Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dangles numerous tax cuts on everything from pet food to baby supplies ahead of November reelection bid
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ron DeSantis has proposed an additional $1.1 billion in tax cuts presented weeks ahead of his November reelection bid. He promised to announce more tax cuts in the weeks ahead. Still, some of the tax cuts DeSantis is proposing come on items that families find essential and that they'd likely buy with or without a tax break. Florida is one of nine states that doesn't have a state income tax, and tax cuts are typically a major part of GOP platforms. DeSantis first previewed the proposed tax cuts during a press conference at the end of August.

☆ States may not tax Biden's student loan forgiveness after all, says one tax expert
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-17 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Six states are on track to tax Biden's student loan debt forgiveness. Borrowers could be left with an average bill of $500 for the student loan relief if it is taxed. Historically, any sort of debt forgiveness or debt cancellation at the state or federal level has been considered taxable income. But under the American Rescue Plan act any student loan debt forgiveness between 2021 and 2025 will not attract federal tax. This is where most of the state-by-state deviation on taxing student loan forgiveness stems from.

☆ How to invest in the education tech trend as schools spend billions to close the Covid learning gap
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-17 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

In a race to catch up, school districts are putting an increased emphasis on assessments to ferret out students' weak spots. Chronic absenteeism is already a rampant problem that is continuing to worsen, particularly in school districts with low-income students. She also said products need to be engaging for students, while also providing evidence that the methods used are effective. "Districts need products that work," she said. "They don't need products that look sexy or that have, you know, exciting front ends, they need products that are actually going to work and support students to improve learning."

☆ North Carolina's GOP lawmakers shouldn't tax Biden's student-loan forgiveness, the state's governor says — and he calls on them to treat the relief like PPP loan forgiveness
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-14 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Roy Cooper asked GOP state legislators to waive taxes on student-loan forgiveness. Some GOP-led states have confirmed they will impose state taxes on Biden's relief. After Biden announced up to $20,000 in federal debt relief at the end of August, confusion emerged regarding how taxes would be applied to that loan forgiveness. According to the Tax Foundation, a number of GOP-led states like Indiana and Mississippi are on track to impose state taxes on Biden's debt relief. While the White House said "we absolutely think it's a fair comparison" between PPP and student-loan forgiveness, Rubio argued otherwise.

One of two state agencies responsible for pushing out millions of dollars in federal infrastructure funds said it could be at least mid-to-late 2023 before any allocations roll out. Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, a Democrat, has said the price tag to overhaul the city’s water infrastructure could balloon into the billions. This year, the Mississippi Legislature created a $450 million water infrastructure funding program with money the state received through the Congressional Covid relief package that passed in 2021. The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is administering the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program. Sam Mozee, director of the Mississippi Urban Research Center at Jackson State University, says his team is tracking what happens with funding going forward.

☆ A mom of a disabled child receives $5,000 a month through an Oregon paid caregiver program — but she's scared of what will happen when the payments stop this year
▼ + stars: | 2022-07-23 | by ( Leo Aquino | Stephanie Hallett | Read More | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Her daughter is disabled and requires round-the-clock care, so she's unable to work outside the home. Because their daughter is immunocompromised, the family have been isolating and taking extra precautions even before the COVID-19 pandemic started. Parents themselves are not eligible to be paid as caregivers for their own children through this program. However, according to the Oregon Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS), paying parents of minor children with disabilities for their caregiving services was "prohibited" under Medicaid rules before the pandemic. Now, through that Medicaid program, the family receive $5,000 a month for their daughter's full-time care.

☆ Millions more people without children are now eligible for a tax credit that could save them thousands
▼ + stars: | 2022-04-08 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Earned Income Tax Credit is now available to people who are at least 19 years old. The EITC is a rare break for low-income childless adults, who are often shut out of assistance programs. Tax credit targets benefits gap for low-income people without kidsThe EITC has historically existed as a tax break for low- to moderate-income workers, with credits ranging between $560 and $6,935 for 2022. Because it's a refundable tax credit, lower-income taxpayers who have little (or no) income-tax liability can receive the total amount of the credit as a tax refund anyway. Its money goes to general assistance programs, which support a broader population including non-parents, in just 25 states.

Where to look for health insurance in early retirement depends a lot on your income. If you're looking to get healthcare coverage for early retirement, there are a variety of places to look. Healthcare expert and founder of insurance marketplace Healthcare.com Jeff Smedsrud said there are several ways to get health insurance if you find yourself in this situation. To find a plan, visit the federal health insurance marketplace at Healthcare.gov. This type of insurance lets you keep the health insurance you had through your employer by paying the premium yourself.

The federal tax deadline, when tax returns and payments are due, will move to May 17. The extension automatically applies to individual federal tax returns and payments for 2020 normally due on April 15. "Under titanic stress and strain, American taxpayers and tax preparers must have more time to file tax returns." The IRS moved the tax deadline back in 2020Last year the IRS moved the tax deadline from April 15 to July 15 to give taxpayers and preparers more time to file and pay during widespread coronavirus shutdowns. After winter storms knocked out power in several states in February, the IRS extended the federal tax deadline for residents and business in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma to June 15.

Learn moreBiden authorized $1,400 stimulus checks by signing the American Rescue Plan on March 11. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe vast majority of stimulus check recipients are receiving their money via direct deposit. A stimulus check is a non-taxable cash payment sent to qualifying Americans by direct deposit, check, or debit card. Where's my stimulus check? You can check the status of your stimulus check using the IRS's "Get My Payment" tool, which updates once a day.

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