To date, more than 35 million Americans have filed for unemployment as the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the nation’s economy and put many businesses on temporary pause. And while there’s hope that as the United States begins to roll out its reopening plan many of these workers will return to their previous jobs, … Continue reading “Paying Taxes on Unemployment Benefits: What You Need to Know”

Extending the 2019 tax deadline into June isn’t the only way the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is becoming more flexible this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Yes, in addition to moving tax day from April to June to allow Americans more time to file during these unprecedented times, it’s loosening standards in several additional ways. … Continue reading “Just How Flexible is the IRS Going to Be? Here’s What You Need to Know”

Just because the economy is opening doesn’t mean all Americans will see the recovery they’ve been waiting for. And it’s true — the longer lockdown orders remain in place, the more difficult it will be for everyone once they’re lifted. In the last five weeks, 26 million jobs have been lost across America. Some of … Continue reading “What Happens When Jobs Don’t Come Back?”

When was the last time you’ve been to a restaurant? Despite the global pandemic and government mandated lockdowns, it might not have been that long ago — depending on where you live. In many states, restaurants have been allowed to reopen in limited capacity. So, if you’re up to it, you can once again dine … Continue reading “Here’s How Restaurant Owners Are Dealing With Social Distancing”

While economic downturns present a variety of challenges, they also present several opportunities. And as the coronavirus pandemic has upended life as we know it, it has still created opportunity – and perhaps no opportunity is more significant than what exists in real estate right now. Unlike the great recession that decimated the real estate … Continue reading “Real Estate Tips for Buying in a Downturn”

When people think of certain instances that can sink a credit score fast, usually the likes of foreclosure and bankruptcy are among the first things to come to mind. And rightfully so – as these can cause your credit score to immediately drop by 100 or more points, not to mention stick on your credit … Continue reading “3 Simple Tips for Keeping Your Credit in Good Shape During a Divorce”

One of the most popular social media applications on the market today comes from a country famously known to censor global internet services — as well as collect private information en masse. TikTok is everywhere. Presently, it has 800 million active users and has been downloaded 1.5 billion times. TikTok usage in America has been … Continue reading “TikTok: How This China-Owned Company Became an American Staple”

Just in case you’ve been sleeping for two and a half months: the economy is underwater just about everywhere right now as governments continue to limit economic activity to the bare minimum. But it’s not all doom-and-gloom out there — hourly wages are actually rising according to the latest available data. But there may be … Continue reading “Despite Recession, Hourly Wages Are Going UP — Here’s Why”

With more than 33 million temporarily out of work, the Trump Administration plans to force wealthy Fortune 500 operations to hire Americans over foreign workers. Stung by stay-at-home orders and business closures aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. recently suffered the worst jobs report in history. Despite an April unemployment rate of … Continue reading “Trump To Force Fortune 500 Companies to Hire American”

“Contact-less delivery and/or curbside pickup.” You see such messages listed across store fronts, blasted in advertisements, and featured on various websites as companies of all shapes and sizes work to stay afloat during these trying times. And while American consumers are able to do a good portion of their shopping online or pass along credit … Continue reading “Touch-Free Credit Cards: The New Normal in a Post-Coronavirus World?”

You’ve likely already seen the April jobs report… and it’s not good. In case you haven’t, the Labor Department’s monthly report states that the country has shredded 20.5 million jobs, and unemployment is now bordering on 15 percent nationwide. Keep in mind that during the Great Recession, unemployment peaked at 10 percent. During the Great … Continue reading “Despite Dim Job Reports, the U.S. is Poised for a STRONG Rebound”

For Americans that haven’t been financially hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a great time to purchase a home or refinance an existing property. And for those that have suffered financially, perhaps taking out a personal loan or applying for a line of credit to help get you through these times is under consideration. Regardless … Continue reading “Credit Score Conundrums: A Look at Factors that Don’t Matter”

Billionaire investor Warren Buffet is cautioning investors to refrain from making rash decisions as the global pandemic continues to stall economic activity. For the first time ever, Berkshire Hathaway hosted a virtual annual meeting in early May because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inability to safely gather in Omaha, Nebraska. It was unquestionably a … Continue reading “Warren Buffet Says Investors Need to Stay Optimistic Right Now”

While it was at first dismissed out of hand, a second stimulus check is now being discussed as a real possibility by the Republican Party. What would a second stimulus check entail? And is phase 4 even something that needs to be in consideration? First, we have to examine the facts about the stimulus that … Continue reading “Washington is Discussing a Possible SECOND Round of Stimulus Checks”

Unlike many Scandinavian countries, Sweden decided not to close its borders, and hasn’t restricted its population during the COVID epidemic. As other countries finally begin to slowly re-open, their policies more closely resemble what the nordic state has been doing all along. Sweden has notably refused to lock down from the beginning, with restaurants and … Continue reading “Sweden Did NOT Shutdown its Economy — Was This the Right Move?”

AS COVID-19 treatments and vaccines go, so too will the stock market. At least that’s the correlation made between the two thanks to a new CNBC-created index that is designed to track the stock performance of about 30 companies working toward a cure for the virus. Yes, CNBC’s COVID-19 Testing & Treatments Index has been … Continue reading “The Key to a Stock Market Rebound? A Working COVID-19 Treatment”

The communist government in China could have a hefty sum to pay if the White House gets its way. In recent weeks, it has been increasingly clear that not only did the novel Coronavirus originate in Wuhan, China, but that its release was due to negligence at best. China has been caught disappearing their own … Continue reading “Trump Wants to Bill China for Financial Damages Due to Virus”