The checks are coming

Well, the IRS has finally put a statement out to inform us when the stimulus checks are being released. However, before I show you the statement, it is that time of the week that I remind you that today is #FundMeFriday and hopefully everyone has made a weekly deposit into their savings account. More important than ever before, during this current pandemic tragedy, people have learned the hard way how detrimental it is to have some sort of savings on hand so if you have made your deposit, great. If you have not made your deposit yet, well, there is no better time than the present so get to it and enjoy the great feeling of satisfaction that comes along with it.

HERE IS THE STIMULUS STATEMENT:
The Internal Revenue Service said Friday that some stimulus payments will start going out next week, starting with people who have filed tax returns for 2018 or 2019 and authorized direct deposit.

The first round of direct-deposit payments will be made automatically to qualifying taxpayers.

Social Security beneficiaries will also receive their payments automatically. Those payments will go out "in the near future," the IRS said Friday. 

The timeline keeps the first payments on the schedule promised by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who said April 2 that the payments would begin going out within two weeks. He had earlier pushed for distributions, part of the $2.2 trillion economic relief package passed by Congress in March, to start as early as April 6th.

Others -- including people who haven't filed returns, authorized direct deposits, or receive Social Security -- will likely have to wait weeks and even months before seeing their money. Some will have to first file a return or register online in order to receive the payment. 

Also on Friday, the IRS launched a new tool to help low-income people who aren't normally required to file returns to input some basic information so that they can receive the stimulus money. They'll have to provide their Social Security number, name, address, and the number of their dependents -- as well as bank account information if they want to receive a direct deposit. 

Next week, the IRS is planning to roll out a web portal that will give people whose bank account information is not on file with the agency the ability to submit it in order to get their stimulus payments faster, without waiting for paper checks. It will also help people check on the status of their payments.

I hope the above statement answered any lingering questions you may have had regarding the payouts. Also, it is time for my reading pick. During this time, while we are all quarantined, it is the perfect time to organize and get your life on a clean, clear and healthy track. For that reason, I have picked the book called Clutter Free. If you are unable to borrow a copy from your local library, here is a link to get your own copy from Amazon >>> https://amzn.to/2Ov5949

If you choose to shop in Amazon, I would greatly appreciate it if you could use the link I have provided. As an Amazon Affiliate, it is possible I can earn a bonus and therefore continue to provide continued content we all enjoy. Thank you in advance!

Finally, please stay in the know by subscribing to Lori’s Loop and never miss another posting.  You can’t go wrong with constant free life and business advise so please click to subscribe! www.themainhustle.com/subscribe

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What if

Everyone seems to be scrambling for money and for human interaction as well as regaining their freedom again. So, on this #TrashItThursday, how about we throw out all the woe is me that seems to be taking over your very being and become aware of our actual reality.

What if, while you have all this time during quarantine, you stopped complaining about the money you do not currently have and instead look inside your attic, your closets, under your bed, your garage and every other nook and cranny around your house and throw everything into a pile that you have not seen or touched in more than a year and start listing them for sale. Everything is free to do. Create accounts on eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, Letgo, Craig’s List, Facebook marketplace and the list goes on. Most of these places only charge you a small fee once you sell the item. There is no excuse for not listing your items. There is no out of pocket expense for you and it will bring in a surprising amount of needed money into your household. .

What if, rather than sulk that you cannot be around your family and friends to get those very much needed hugs, kisses, long conversations, laughter and if you are not quarantined with your partner, some nookie, you start video chatting often? What if you take this time to realize how, before quarantine, you took all these actions for granted? Have you stopped yet to take notice that the things that meant most to you, you took the most advantage of? This quarantine will pass soon but the hands on the clocks of our lives keep ticking away. What if you use this time to finally prioritize your relationships and enjoy all the people you love rather than spending all your time and energy on things you do not need?

What if you make a freedom journal? We have been locked up under this quarantine and all we want to do is get out. What is it that you miss? Is there a special restaurant you want to go to or a salon visit or maybe a walk through a park? Make yourself a freedom journal and really decide what it is you want to do with your precious time? There is a whole world out there, what if you pinpoint places that will enhance your life rather than places that just waste your time?

The world is filled with what if questions. If you are reading this blog post, you need to realize that you are amongst the luckiest people in the world and that is because you opened your eyes this morning, you have access to devices to be able to read this blog post, you have the freedom to actually implement everything in this blog post and you have the wherewithal to be able to make choices for yourself. I sure hope that rather than wondering what if you would have done something before this quarantine, you change your thought process and think thoughts of what if you take this precious time that has been given to you and you decide to choose to enjoy every minute doing that which brings joy to you and being with people whom it is that matters most to you.

Quarantine affords you lots of free time that you should use to read and enhance your minds. I have a wonderful reading choice for today called Living Gratitude. If your local library is not presently an option, here is a link to get your own copy from Amazon >>> https://amzn.to/38xquS6

If you choose to shop in Amazon, I would greatly appreciate it if you could use the link I have provided. As an Amazon Affiliate, it is possible I can earn a bonus and therefore continue to provide continued content we all enjoy. Thank you in advance!

Finally, please stay in the know by subscribing to Lori’s Loop and never miss another posting.  You can’t go wrong with constant free life and business advise so please click to subscribe! www.themainhustle.com/subscribe

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Escaping in words

It is #WisdomWednesday and I keep hearing people say that they feel as though they are living through the movie Groundhog Day. I hear others saying that they are losing their minds staring at the same four walls day in and day out during this quarantine. Or that their boredom is getting the better of them. Well, I have the cure.

It is important to remind you and to tell you that with a book, you can visit new locations or new countries with every read. If you do not want to whisk away on an adventure, you can read a book that teaches you something new. The entire world is available to you through the written word. You do not have to be bored when you use a book to escape your current situation and venture into new realms.

Some may say that they do not need to read because if they wanted an escape, they have one of their electronic devices. Well, I am here to tell you that it is not the same thing. When you watch things on an electronic device, you are viewing it at their speed not yours. You can rewind if you want but it is still causing internal stress that you are not consciously realizing. A book on the other hand is so personal. You can hold it in your hands and turn the pages at your pace while taking the words in at your leisure. Reading a book is extremely relaxing and full of endless enjoyment.

Resolving your boredom with a book also has health benefits by enhancing your mental acuity, your knowledge base and emotional distances. Books can help you keep in touch with who you are and how you perceive the world and your ability to function in it.

In conclusion for this blog post, do yourself a favor and grab a book. If you are ready to grab the world and succeed in life, grab the book called Crushing It. It is a great read even if you read it in the past, re-read it because it will be well worth it. If you cannot borrow a copy from your local library, here is a link to get your own copy from Amazon >>> https://amzn.to/2OHJCFg

If you choose to shop in Amazon, I would greatly appreciate it if you could use the link I have provided. As an Amazon Affiliate, it is possible I can earn a bonus and therefore continue to provide continued content we all enjoy. Thank you in advance!

Finally, please stay in the know by subscribing to Lori’s Loop and never miss another posting.  You can’t go wrong with constant free life and business advise so please click to subscribe! www.themainhustle.com/subscribe

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@garyvee

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The hardest week of quarantine

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The State of normalcy or panic

What is going on lately? Are we losing are minds or is everything just fine? Well before I delve into these two questions, let me say thank you. Thank you for joining me for another #MammothMonday blog post.

So what is going on? You feel like everything is normal. You are with your family. You are cooking, cleaning, planning and playing with the kids. You are spending time with your spouse or partner watching movies, playing games and probably making whoopie. Everything is just normal every day life, or is it?

The hours have turned to days which turned to weeks and now we are entering months. We feel anxious and nervous. Stress levels are rising. As the days pass by, you are beginning to snap at those around you. How can you be in this state of panic when everything you are doing is normal?

I am writing this blog post so that I can teach as many people as I can and to let them know that this new state, a state of just “being”, appears to be the new state we are all in. Yes, everything we are doing is normal and yes we are also in panic mode because our “normal” life is in fact normal however, we are being forced into the normalcy which is causing us panic that we do not understand. It is our new state of “being”. We want to be with our family but we are also being forced to be with them which is not the same. We want to be with the kids but somehow we are being forced to be with them, so it is not the same. We want to do all these normal things but we are being forced to do them so it is not the same. This is the madness that is taking our normalcy and turning it into panic, while we stare at the normalcy and panic at the in your face forcing that is pushing us to our limits.

For my example, I am lucky enough to have set my life up where I work for myself and I work out of my home. My normal day is waking up between 6-6:30 am, wash up, get dressed, make my bed, go downstairs and make my sons school lunch, turn my computer on, scan my phone and answer as many text messages or emails before 8:05 when I walk my son to his bus, grab the newspaper from the mailbox, get back in the house and 90% of the time I make oatmeal, sit at my desk and there I work the rest of the day until my son returns home at 3:05 pm. All normal even when he is home for days off or vacation from school, everything stays basically the same.

Now, I am doing everything the same however, I have to sit and do homeschooling work with my son which drives him crazy. Then, he constantly comes into my office to ask me when is the Coronavirus going to finish (he is a special needs child and does not really understand what is going on). Then, I cannot have him locked up day in and day out so as long as it is not raining, I take him for about a 45 minute walk around the neighborhood. This helps break his day up and allows him some “normalcy” while my time tables are further strained.

So what is happening with me? I have to keep working because I am the sole provider. I have to still do the shopping, the cleaning, the cooking, the home care, home schooling, entertainment and I have to make sure that my son knows that he can come to be at anytime to talk. Did I mention that somewhere in there, I need to take care of me? Thank God I am healthy but I am compromised in that I need to take medicine for life after cancer surgery a few years ago that makes me a little ill and a little off and I need to stay healthy and stress free for a good year after brain surgery a few months ago. This is my life and although millions of you out there do not have my life issues, I in turn do not have your life issues which to you, are just as daunting. So, I am no different than any other person and their responsibilities and I am pretty sure that we have the same concern, how can my normal life have turned into such a panic stricken mess?

I found the answer and I hope it is the answer for most of you too. That answer is that I am so afraid of failing. I am so afraid of the potential of having the walls close in on me. The fear can be paralyzing. The worst part is that I was afraid that with all these new normals in life due to this pandemic and everything slowing down and in some cases stopping, I am petrified that if I move to slowly, I will surely fail.

Now, I am almost positive and this is my opinion, that as long as you continue to move forward, it does not matter how slowly you move, as long as you do not stop, you will succeed. So, please do not lose hope. Please do not give up. Please remember that the entire world is experiencing similar issues so remember that you are not alone. When you feel that you are at a breaking point, make the conscious decision to take a break. If you do not take a break to regroup, you will inevitably break. Stay strong, stay focused and remember #WeAreAllInThisTogether .

One way that will always relax you is to take a break with a book. Escape through the magic of reading. A perfect reading choice today is called Boss Mom. If you do not have this lovely book in your possession, check with your local library to see if they have is available to borrow. If that is not an option, here is a link to get your own copy from Amazon >>> https://amzn.to/32Eytcv

If you choose to shop in Amazon, I would greatly appreciate it if you could use the link I have provided. As an Amazon Affiliate, it is possible I can earn a bonus and therefore continue to provide continued content we all enjoy. Thank you in advance!

Finally, please stay in the know by subscribing to Lori’s Loop and never miss another posting.  You can’t go wrong with constant free life and business advise so please click to subscribe! www.themainhustle.com/subscribe

#MammothMonday

#LorisLoop

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#Entrepreneur

#Goals

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#DanaMalstaff

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#WeAreAllInThisTogether

What a friday

Wow, what a Friday it has been. Before I get to that though, happy #FundMeFriday. Did everyone fund their account today? Please send even $1 so that you stay in habit and you keep building on your dream.

Today, without exaggerating, I answered over 100 calls and about 200 text messages. Exhausting to say the least, extremely humbled by the amount of people that needed and trusted my help and extremely grateful to have set my life up in such a way that I work from home with amazing technology backing me.

So why was I inundated today? In one word, Stimulus. Today was the day that the banks went live with all the stimulus package applications. There were those that needed help with unemployment and those who needed help filing for the disaster relief and then there were so many who needed help with the Paycheck Protection Program.

One of the biggest problems causing panic today was that these programs were supposed to go live at midnight but some did not go live until early morning while other banks like Wells Fargo stated that they would be live by 9:30am then at about 9:40am they posted a statement that they would not be ready today. Needless to say, today that caused a navigating nightmare.

So what should you be doing? First of all, let us discuss unemployment. Here is the official notice:

Notice

The CARES Act signed into law by President Trump last Friday gives states the option of extending unemployment compensation to independent contractors and other workers who are ordinarily ineligible for unemployment benefits.

Translation

If you lost your job or if you work for yourself and lost your ability to make money right now, file for unemployment benefits because you will probably be entitled to some level of monetary assistance

Next:

Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Loan Advance

In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, small business owners in all U.S. states, Washington D.C., and territories are eligible to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan advance of up to $10,000. The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.

The loan advance will provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. This loan advance will not have to be repaid.

Translation

If your business has suffered monetary damages because of quarantine rules and social distancing, you can apply for this loan AND the loan will not have to be paid back. Just go to www.SBA.gov and apply. The application takes five minutes so there is no excuses regarding time constraints.

Finally:

Paycheck Protection Program

The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.

SBA will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.

You can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating in the program.

Translation:

This is a two page simple application. Basically they will give you 2.5x your average monthly payroll plus 25%. As long as you use it for payroll, rent, mortgage or utilities for eight weeks, this loan also will not have to be paid back. You have to apply with a bank not the SBA and make sure when you call the bank, you ask if they are participating in this program.

There are other avenues for stimulus assistance but these three are the major ones for the majority of people. The only issue that I have seen so far is patience, especially when applying for unemployment. It can take hours of trying to login and yet others gain access on their first try. It is well worth it so bring your patience with you when you sit at your computer to start the process.

We should all feel grateful that at this time in our lives we have great options available to assist us through this rough patch. I know that I am grateful and I have the perfect book for your reading pleasure. The book is called Living Gratitude and I have recommended this in the past but if you did not have the opportunity to read it then, go borrow it from your local library. If that is not an option, here is a link to get your own copy from Amazon >>> https://amzn.to/38xquS6

If you choose to shop in Amazon, I would greatly appreciate it if you could use the link I have provided. As an Amazon Affiliate, it is possible I can earn a bonus and therefore continue to provide continued content we all enjoy. Thank you in advance!

Finally, please stay in the know by subscribing to Lori’s Loop and never miss another posting.  You can’t go wrong with constant free life and business advise so please click to subscribe! www.themainhustle.com/subscribe

#FundMeFriday

#LorisLoop

#TheMainHustle

#Entrepreneur

#Goals

#LivingGratitude

#MattOgrady

#COVID19

#WeAreAllInThisTogether

Social security and Stimulus checks

Welcome back to another #TrashItThursday and here is to hoping that you are all staying healthy, social distancing and maintaining your sanity.

I have to devote today’s blog post to individuals who collect social security and who are not required to file annual tax returns. I have been asked many times if they will receive stimulus checks. First of all, yes, you will receive the stimulus check. Secondly, if you do not have a direct deposit account set up with social security, they will mail the check to the address on your social security annual 1099. Here is the official statement:

Social Security Recipients Will Automatically Receive Economic Impact Payments

April 1, 2020

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service today announced that Social Security beneficiaries who are not typically required to file tax returns will not need to file an abbreviated tax return to receive an Economic Impact Payment. Instead, payments will be automatically deposited into their bank accounts.  

“Social Security recipients who are not typically required to file a tax return do not need to take an action, and will receive their payment directly to their bank account,” said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.  

The IRS will use the information on the Form SSA-1099 and Form RRB-1099 to generate $1,200 Economic Impact Payments to Social Security recipients who did not file tax returns in 2018 or 2019. Recipients will receive these payments as a direct deposit or by paper check, just as they would normally receive their benefits.

I hope this information was helpful

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