Author: Brian Lund
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Seattle’s minimum wage rises to $22.14 an hour on Jan. 1, 2027
Seattle’s minimum wage goes up 84 cents to $22.14 an hour on January 1, 2027. The city’s current 2026 rate is $21.30, and the new figure applies to anyone working for an employer inside Seattle city limits. Seattle’s Office of Labor Standards made the announcement on September 28, 2026. Its notice says that starting January…
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Michigan’s top jobless benefit hits $614 a week for new claims from Jan. 1
Michigan’s maximum weekly unemployment check climbs to $614 on Jan. 1, 2027. The higher ceiling applies to claims filed on or after that date, replacing the $530 maximum that governs claims filed during 2026. The schedule is set in state law and laid out in a July 2025 release from Michigan’s Department of Labor and…
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Student loan borrowers left in SAVE forbearance earn no Public Service Loan Forgiveness credit for those months, the Education Department says
Months spent in the SAVE forbearance do not count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness, the Education Department’s Federal Student Aid office says. For borrowers working toward forgiveness in government or nonprofit jobs, that means the time can pass with no progress on the 10-year clock. Federal Student Aid, the department’s student aid office, states it…
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Pennsylvania Treasury returned more than $334 million in unclaimed property last year, a record
Pennsylvania Treasury says it returned a record of more than $334 million in unclaimed property last year. State Treasurer Stacy Garrity announced the figure on October 14, in a release about a separate return of $122,127.19 to the Pennsylvania American Legion. Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks and similar holdings that were…
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Social Security’s trial work month threshold rises to $1,270 in January
A month of part-time work will count as a trial work month in 2027 once pay tops $1,270, Social Security says. The amount rises from $1,210 this year, and the new figure takes effect in January. It matters to anyone collecting disability benefits who is working, or thinking about starting. The Social Security Administration’s trial…
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Federal student loan borrowers with Direct Loans originated after July 1, 2012 have until December 31 to sign up for auto pay and lock in a 1 point interest rate cut through June 2028, the Education Department says
Borrowers with Direct Loans originated after July 1, 2012 now have until December 31 to enroll in auto pay and keep a 1 percentage point cut to their student loan interest rate through June 30, 2028. The Education Department moved the date from September 30 on September 29, giving borrowers three more months. The cut…
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Non-blind Social Security disability recipients past their trial work period lose benefits for months they earn over $1,770 in 2027, after a three-month grace period
People who get Social Security Disability Insurance and have already finished their trial work period face a plain earnings line in 2027. In any month their earnings run over $1,770, benefits stop for that month, once a three-month grace period is used up. The line applies to people who are not statutorily blind. The $1,770…
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Social Security disability recipients who work can earn up to $1,770 a month in 2027 before SSA treats it as substantial work, or $2,950 if they are blind
The amount a person on Social Security disability can earn in a month before the Social Security Administration (SSA) treats the work as “substantial” goes up in 2027. For people who are not blind, the 2027 limit is $1,770 a month, up from $1,690 this year. For people who are statutorily blind, it is $2,950…
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An OPM direct final rule published October 15 puts into regulation that federal workers can count certain honorable active military service toward FMLA leave eligibility, as a 2023 law already allows
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is writing a rule into federal regulations that says certain honorable active military service counts toward the 12 months of service a federal employee needs to take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave. The direct final rule, titled “Family and Medical Leave Act” (RIN 3206-AP18), is set for…
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Discover Cashback Debit rewards end as Capital One converts accounts to 360 Checking
Discover bank customers who earn cash back on debit purchases are about to lose it. Capital One says its 360 Checking account does not offer Cashback Debit rewards, and Discover Cashback Debit accounts are being converted to 360 Checking in stages, with advance notice by email or letter. Capital One’s Discover account update page says…