The COVID-19 pandemic brought about a lot of financial problems, especially to the low-wage workers. In order to help such people survive amid the global health crisis, the United States government provided economic relief through a form of stimulus checks.
Now, Congress is waiting for the approval of the fourth round of the stimulus checks and is still fighting for a fifth round.
Aside from the stimulus checks, the majority of the lawmakers have called on the Biden administration to make the stimulus money a recurring one until the pandemic ends. They also hope that the money will be deposited automatically to the bank accounts of Americans.
The letters signed by the lawmakers include propositions like the continuance of equal payments among adults and dependents until the economy recovers, prioritizing those who need the stimulus money the most, helping all immigrant workers, refugees, and their families, widening the coverage by including the disabled, elderlies, and those who are over the age of 16 as dependents, and an overall improvement of the system as to how the stimulus money reaches those who need it.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com
Another way for the citizens to get paid is through plus-up payments. This means that the Americans who did not get their first or second round of stimulus checks will receive payments. Their 2020 tax returns must show that they did not receive the first and second rounds of stimulus checks to get plus-up payments.
The child tax credit is another way for Americans to receive support from the government during this trying time. Around 36 million Americans are estimated to receive child tax credit this week starting this July 15. The government will send out the money monthly until December of this year. Those who are eligible will get as much as $3,600 per eligible co-dependent. Eligible Americans will benefit from the child tax credit even if they did not earn income in the past months. Those who have dependents who will turn 17 this year will still get the child tax credit.
Homeowners can also get stimulus checks through the Homeowners Assistance Fund. The money given out from this fund can assist homeowners with mortgage payments, insurance policy dues, utility payments, and the like. However, this is available only to homeowners who have experienced the most hardships during this pandemic.
