Author: Elizabeth Blessing
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Eligible YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream customers can claim Disney settlement money by September 8
Old streaming bills can now support a cash claim in a $50 million antitrust settlement involving Disney. The opportunity covers defined YouTube TV and DirecTV streaming subscriptions bought from April 2019 through March 2026, and the filing window closes September 8. The settlement does not promise a fixed check, so the practical job is to…
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A mortgage-error letter generally starts a five-business-day acknowledgment and 30-business-day answer clock
A phone call about a mortgage error can disappear into a service log; a properly directed written notice starts federal response duties. A servicer generally must acknowledge a qualified written request, notice of error or request for information within five business days and respond within 30 business days. The address, content and type of problem…
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Reject an airline’s rebooking after a significant delay and your credit-card refund is due within seven business days
A traveler does not have to accept an airline’s substitute flight after a significant delay or change. When the passenger rejects the alternative and does not travel, the unused ticket must be refunded to the original payment method. For a credit-card purchase, federal rules require the airline to issue that refund within seven business days.…
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Housing-voucher tenants may owe up to 40% of adjusted monthly income for rent
A Housing Choice Voucher usually holds a tenant’s rent portion near 30% of adjusted monthly income, but choosing a unit above the local payment standard can push the share as high as 40% when the tenancy begins. The voucher is a subsidy, not a promise that every approved apartment will cost the same. Unit price,…
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Working students under 22 can exclude up to $2,410 monthly from SSI income calculations
A young SSI recipient does not necessarily lose benefits dollar for dollar when taking a school-year or summer job. In 2026, the student earned income exclusion can remove as much as $2,410 of earnings from the monthly SSI calculation, up to $9,730 for the year. The worker must be under 22 and regularly attending school,…
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The 2026 standard deduction is $16,100 for singles and $32,200 for joint filers
The basic federal standard deduction for tax year 2026 is $16,100 for a single filer and $32,200 for a married couple filing jointly. Heads of household receive $24,150, while married people filing separately use $16,100. These amounts reduce taxable income; they are not dollar-for-dollar tax savings and do not guarantee a refund. The filing status…
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An unpaid personal credit line can let your bank pull money from checking
A personal line of credit and checking account at the same institution can be connected in a way many borrowers overlook. If the credit line goes unpaid, the bank or credit union may use a contractual right of setoff to take money from the deposit account. The rule depends on the agreement and debt type,…
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Gig income is taxable without a 1099, but the QBI deduction is now permanent
A missing Form 1099 does not make app earnings, cash jobs or other gig income tax-free. The IRS requires workers to report taxable gig income regardless of the payment method or whether an information form arrives. At the same time, eligible independent workers can continue using the qualified business income deduction because current federal law…
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Earning $684 a week alone does not make a salaried worker overtime-exempt
A salary of $684 a week clears one federal threshold used for several white-collar overtime exemptions, but it does not settle the question. Most executive, administrative and professional exemptions require the employer to satisfy a salary-level test, a salary-basis test and a duties test. A job title or a fixed paycheck cannot replace the missing…
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Joyin’s dive-stick recall now covers 404,000 sets, and replacements require a trash photo
A pool toy that looks harmless can be dangerous when it stays upright and rigid in shallow water. Joyin’s expanded recall now includes about 404,000 Sloosh dive-stick sets, up from the 254,000 units named in June. Owners are being told to throw away the covered sticks, photograph them in the trash and email the image…
