Andy | Saving to Invest

Congress Funds Government But No Agreement on Funding More Stimulus or Unemployment Extensions

Congressional leaders have reached an agreement to continue funding the government until December 11th, to ensure this does not become an election issue and required agencies are in place to support outcomes. Unfortunately the short term spending bill passed did not include anything on funding additional stimulus payments or unemployment…

Alabama Unemployment Benefits in 2026: Up to $275/Week, Partial UI Rules, Taxes, and What Else Is Available

Alabama's unemployment insurance program — managed by the Alabama Department of Labor (ADOL) — has the distinction of one of the lowest maximum weekly benefit caps in the United States at $275 per week. While the 26-week duration is in line with most other states, the dollar amount limits how…

Maryland Unemployment Benefits in 2026: Up to $430/Week, Partial UI Rules, Taxes, and What Else Is Available

Maryland’s unemployment insurance program — managed by the Department of Labor’s Division of Unemployment Insurance — provides up to $430 per week in 2026. For a state where the average rent in Montgomery County exceeds $2,000/month, $430 per week provides limited cushion. Maryland has expanded Medicaid and has strong social…

Where is My $300 Unemployment? Partial Payment Delays, Early End to Program and PUA Recipient Delays

[Updated for $300 FPUC payment in 2021] - The updates below are related to the original $300 LWA program which has now been paid out. See this article for the new $300 FPUC payment and state tracker, approved under the 2021 extensions. You can also see this article for updates…

Virginia Unemployment Benefits in 2026: Up to $378/Week, Partial UI Rules, Taxes, and What Else Is Available

Virginia’s unemployment insurance program — managed by the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) — provides up to $378 per week in 2026. Virginia expanded Medicaid in 2019, which significantly improved the healthcare safety net for unemployed workers. However, Virginia’s UI benefit maximum is lower than many comparable states with high urban…

Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Overpayments to be Forgiven

Updated Feb 2022] The National Association of State Workforce Agencies, which represents all unemployment agencies, has requested that states UI agencies be held harmless for unrecoverable LWA overpayments as long as good faith efforts are being made to recoup improper payments. Given how rapidly the LWA program, administered by the…

2022 State Extended Unemployment Benefits – Maximum Weeks and Coverage After PEUC and PUA Programs Expired

[Update for PEUC claimants] Regardless of when claims started and how many weeks of PEUC claimed (up to the 75 week maximum), ALL enhanced benefit programs ended on September 6th, 2021. PEUC claimants will transition to regular state unemployment (if eligible). Unfortunately, because states did not extend regular state unemployment…

9 Million Americans Missing Out On Their Stimulus Check Payment in 2020

The IRS has announced that approximately nine million Americans who typically don't file federal income tax returns may be eligible for, but have not registered to claim their 2020 stimulus. They are still encouraging people to file a tax return (see free options at TurboTax) or register on the IRS…

Help! I Can’t Pay My Rent (or Mortgage). 2021 eviction moratoriums extended – What Homeowners And Tenants Need To Know To Avoid Foreclosure And Evictions

[Update from approved $900 billion stimulus package] Congressional leaders have now extended rental assistance and eviction moratoriums in the latest $900 billion COVID relief package. This is welcome news for millions of Americans at risk over the next 4 months. In addition to additional stimulus checks, the new stimulus bill…

A 2020 Payroll Tax Deferral Holiday Raise Followed by a Pay Cut in 2021

With Trump's executive order to suspend employee payroll taxes for 2020 and defer them to 2021, many eligible workers will enjoy a temporary boost to their paychecks in 2020. However assuming no other pay increases or tax rate changes, those same employees will see smaller paychecks early next year as…

When Will The $300 Extra Weekly Unemployment Start Being Paid in My State? News and Updates on Payment With PUA and PEUC Claims

[2022 Update] The $300 supplementary payment made in 2020 and 2021, ended in all states on September 6th, 2021 (some states ended it earlier). Unless claims are in the adjudication process, At this stage all retroactive payments (including those for PUA and PEUC) have also been processed and no new…

Mortgage Refinancing in the Age of the Pandemic

Mortgage rates are at a record lows fluctuating right around 3%, down from nearly 7% in 2008 - so is it time to refinance your mortgage? With all the uncertainty the pandemic has brought refinancing your mortgage may be a significant financial lever for a lower monthly payment or to…

North Carolina Unemployment Benefits in 2026: $350/Week Maximum, 12-Week Limit, and What Else Is Available

North Carolina's unemployment insurance program, run by the Division of Employment Security (DES), is one of the most restrictive in the United States. The state cap of $350 per week is low compared to peers, and the 12-week maximum duration is tied with Florida for the shortest in the country.…

$300 Unemployment in New COVID Stimulus Bill vs. Retroactive Lump Sum Payments under Lost Wage Assistance (LWA) Program

A New $300 supplementary unemployment payment in 2021? As part of ongoing discussions around an extension to unemployment benefits in the latest stimulus bill, lawmakers are reaching consensus on a supplementary $300 payment for up to 12 weeks between Jan 2021 and March 2021. This will likely work similar to…