Unemployment benefits and direct payments have replaced paychecks in the income ledger.
For many, that aid is still not enough, and food and rental assistance as well as protections against eviction have also been necessary to keep families afloat.
Fortunately, more of that relief is now on the way. President Joe Biden signed into law a $1.9 trillion stimulus package on Thursday.
Here s the aid you can expect to soon see and how experts recommend that you best put it to use.
1. Unemployment benefits
Jobless benefits will be extended until Sept. 6, with a $300 federal boost on top of any state benefits. The average weekly state check is around $324.
COVID relief bill could permanently alter social safety accesswdun.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from accesswdun.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
For Gig Workers and Business Owners, Taxes Are Even Trickier Now
Filing taxes has never been simple for freelancers and business owners, but the pandemic has made it far more complex.
Credit.Party of One Studio
Tax time is always complicated for freelancers and business owners, but this year, it’s especially swampy.
Pandemic relief programs that helped small companies and self-employed individuals created new tax challenges. And many people had unusually jumbled patchworks of jobs and income sources last year.
“I’m kind of scared,” said Celeste Holcomb, an artist and designer. In 2020, her income included book royalties; fees for illustration, design jobs and work done through a gig platform; wages from a contract job at a university publisher; and, for several months, unemployment benefits. Ms. Holcomb, who plans to do her taxes herself, expects to spend hours wading through records and tax documents to figure out what she owes.