Money Talks

What's going on in Mississippi this week?We are still under the Safer-at-home Executive Order number 1477 that was extended and remains in effect until Monday, May 25th. Governor Tate Reeves is encouraging all of us to stay at home unless engaged in Essential Activities or Essential Travel. Gov. Tate Reeves has expanded social distancing guidelines for Attala, Leake, Scott, Jasper, Neshoba, Newton, and Lauderdale counties. Businesses in these counties must screen employees for the coronavirus. People have to wear masks if they cannot social distance at their jobs and masks must be worn during retail, live auction and flea market shopping.https://www.sos.ms.gov/content/executiveorders/ExecutiveOrders/1477.pdfhttps://www.sos.ms.gov/content/executiveorders/ExecutiveOrders/1480.pdfThe governor added some benefits for the unemployed. https://www.coronavirus.ms.gov/2020-04/governor-reeves-extends-unemployment-workers-impacted-covid-19Calls concerned:credit card ratesa 2nd EIP check?wife lost workdo dependents get checks?where's my check?unemploymentyou need your AGI for "Get My Payment" at the IRSchecks to deceased individualsLooking for a way to make more money?consider online tutoring sites like Chegg or VIPKidselling handmade products such as jewelry or greeting cards on ETSYdelivering food for DoorDash or GrubHubDelivering groceries for companies such as Shipt or Instacart selling books on Amazon Marketplace or other items locally on Facebook Marketplace offering to your services to neighborsyards maintenancedog walkingsupervising childrenoutside or in a park – if you already have a relationship with the family.https://www.inhersight.com/blog/how-to/make-money-during-coronavirus-pandemic?_n=92545989#Also consider taking a class in contact tracing so you'll be ready for the job market when Mississippi starts hiringhttps://www.coursera.org/learn/covid-19-contact-tracing?edocomorp=covid-19-contact-tracing

Guest: Bruce McClary from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling https://www.nfcc.org/DATES TO KNOW: Submit your banking information to receive direct deposits of Economic Impact Payments by 11am Wednesday, May 13th, 2020. Mississippi Income Tax Returns and Payments are now due July 15th, 2020.Topics on the NFCC's website include - 10 Smart Ways to Reduce Expenses and Tighten Your Budget to Make Your Stimulus Check Last, Tips for Making and Managing an Emergency Budget; Should You Access Your Retirement Funds Early Due to COVID-19You can hear Bruce McClary give additional information on NFCC's Fin Bit Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/6I2jbwF7mg9BxU3ywhdEUQDiscussions coveredEviction and Foreclosure Suspension for Homeowners Facing Difficulties Making Mortgage Payments https://www.nfcc.org/resources/blog/eviction-and-foreclosure-suspension-for-homeowners-facing-difficulties-making-mortgage-payments/Mortgage ForbearanceRefinancing https://www.nfcc.org/resources/blog/5-ways-to-still-refinance-your-mortgage-with-a-less-than-perfect-credit-score/Warning about " housing relief" scams https://www.nfcc.org/what-we-offer/foreclosure-prevention-counseling/foreclosure-rescue-scams/Credit card debt https://www.nfcc.org/what-we-offer/emergency-credit-card-help/Free weekly credit report https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.actionBruce was a guest on the July 3rd 2018 Money Talks broadcast http://moneytalks.mpbonline.org/episodes/5cd31f1533f6c1be55607d7c

Money Talks expert host, Dr. Nancy Lottridge Anderson was inspired by a recent phone call on the show to talk about the history of money. Listen here to the audio from the creative you tube video she and her husband created or find a link to the video on this site.Thank you for listening and supporting Money Talks on Mississippi Public Broadcasting.Money Talks can be heard live on MPB Think Radio Tuesdays at 9am. Or listen to the podcast. Moneytalks.mpbonline.orgHow can the stock market bounce back when the economic news is so dire? Much of the answer lies with our central bank, The Federal Reserve. The Fed has been pumping money into the system to under-gird the economy.Last week, on the radio, I was asked, "How does the Fed create money?" There was only a minute left before we went to break, so my answer was brief. I decided I needed to craft a better answer. With the help of my producer/director husband, we made a movie!Magic Money

From our experts at New Perspectives:We've been presented with questions and concerns surrounding stimulus payments for residents of Medicaid-funded skilled nursing facilities (a.k.a “nursing homes”). Will they get a check? Will they actually get to KEEP the money? Will a stimulus payment affect their Medicaid eligibility status? Hopefully we can offer a bit of clarity.While these residents are normally required to surrender most all their income, the stimulus payment will be an exception. Below is a link to an article that addresses this succinctly, with the key takeaways being:Residents of these facilities should receive a stimulus payment.The facility cannot take the funds to offset a bill or for any other reason.The funds will NOT be treated as income for purposes of Medicaid eligibility and will not force anyone out of their current eligibility status.The funds need to be spent within 12 months, so they are not counted as an asset which could impact eligibility for next year.Now may be the time for residents to purchase new clothes or a new TV for their room. The American Council on Aging also suggests using the funds for an irrevocable funeral trust to help prepay burial expenses. Residents may use the money at their discretion but should avoid buying anything that would count as an asset under Medicaid regulations, e.g.- U.S. Savings Bonds or collectors coins.Read the full article here:https://www.nbc-2.com/story/42029916/fact-check-will-nursing-home-residents-not-get-their-stimulus-checks

Are you waiting for an Economic Impact Payment? Will you have to wait until June? September? April of 2021?Expert Dr. Nancy Lottridge-Anderson answers your questions (and learns a thing or 2 from our listeners who share their knowledge).From Social Security:Please note that we will not consider economic impact payments as income for SSI recipients, and the payments are excluded from resources for 12 months. https://blog.ssa.gov/commissioner-of-social-security-shares-update-about-covid-19-economic-impact-payments-for-beneficiaries/Supplemental Security Income recipients and low-income veterans who receive pensions from the Department of Veterans Affairs -- and who don't file returns -- can expect to see the money in May. If they have children, they're due an actual $500 per dependent. But they won't get this money until next year unless they give dependent information to the IRS today, May 5th, 2020 at the website https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-hereFor Social Security recipients, who have children under the age of 17, the date has already passed for getting the additional money for dependents. They'll have to file a full return in 2021 to get the additional money.If you want your check direct deposited and you have had to PAY income tax in 2018 and 2019, you need to go to the Get Your Payment part of the IRS website to put in your Direct Deposit information. Even if the IRS has your bank account information to withdraw your taxes owed it needs you to give it to them again to have your check direct deposited. https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-paymentThe IRS started by sending money to the people it could reach the fastest. This was anyone who had direct deposit information already on file with the agency because they were due a refund on either their 2018 or 2019 federal tax returns.Now, payments are being delivered to millions of Social Security recipients who don't file tax returns. They can expect the money to automatically arrive however they normally receive their benefits, whether by a check in the mail or direct deposit to their bank account or debit card.The IRS began sending paper checks out the last week of April. The IRS has inadvertently sent checks to dead people. Families are expected to send back those checks.If the Economic Impact Payment was sent to closed bank account -- the bank will transferred the money back to the IRS. In that case, the payment will likely come later by a check in the mail.The IRS online tool allows users to input new bank account information -- but only if the agency doesn't already have an account on file from a 2018 or 2019 tax return and hasn't yet processed a stimulus payment. https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-paymentEligibility is largely based on income, and it excludes individuals earning more than $99,000, head of household filers with one child who earn more than $136,500, and married couples without children earning more than $198,000.Families earning a little more may still be eligible if they have children. The phase-out limit depends on how many children they have. For a typical family of four, the amount is completely phased out for those with incomes exceeding $218,000.Those who can be claimed as a dependent for tax purposes, like many college students, are also ineligible for the payments, as well as undocumented immigrants who don't have Social Security numbers.https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/04/29/politics/stimulus-payment-checks-waiting/index.htmlhttps://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-paymentshttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/04/29/steve-mnuchin-wants-stimulus-given-dead-people-returned/3046434001/https://www.fool.com/personal-finance/2020/04/26/6-reasons-your-coronavirus-stimulus-check-may-neve.aspxCalls: economyMedicaidqualifying for stimulusget my paymentinfo on stimulusSSIMedicaidmoney

Guest was: Ivan Drury, a Senior Manager in the Insights Division at Edmunds.com, where he examines trends in the automotive industry and provides insights for Edmunds’ monthly sales forecasts.https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/coronavirus-faqs-for-car-shoppers-and-owners.htmlQuestions were asked about stimulus checks, car leasing, Prius vehicles.Discussions covered: showrooms, internet sales, manufacturer incentives, forbearance, length of car notes, leasing, certified pre-owned cars, and the Edmunds website.