COVID-19 Hotline – (844) 442-2681
Information about the COVID-19 Recovery Rebate
IRS Information: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus
What if I’ve moved?
Under the law, the Treasury must send notice of the payment by mail to your last known address. The notice will include how the payment was made and the amount of the payment. The notice will also include a phone number for the appropriate point of contact at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) if you didn’t receive the payment. You can help make sure that it goes to the right place by updating your address after a move. Usually, you’d do that on your tax return, but you can also submit a federal form 8822, Change of Address (downloads as a PDF). It generally takes four to six weeks to process a change of address.
What should I do if I did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2018?
The best way to ensure you receive a recovery rebate is to file a 2019 tax return if you have not already done so. This could be accomplished for free online from home using the IRS Free file program here: https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free. The bill also instructs the IRS to engage in a public campaign to alert all individuals of their eligibility for the rebate and how to receive it if they have not filed either a 2019 or 2018 tax return.
Other articles that could affect BCM clients
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO, KEEVA KASE
STATE AND GOVERNMENT UPDATES
CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/
White House Updates – https://www.whitehouse.gov/
Governor Kemp updates – https://gov.georgia.gov/
Department of Community Affairs – https://www.dca.ga.gov/shutdown
Georgia Department of Public Health – https://dph.georgia.gov/
GA Legal Aid – https://www.georgialegalaid.org/resource/covid-19-resource-list
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Emergency Paid Sick Leave – Any employee who works for an employer is eligible.
- Full-time Employees – 80 hours of paid sick leave
- Part-time Employees – Paid based on the average number of hours the employee worked for the six months prior to taking this paid sick leave
FMLA Expanded – https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla/pandemic
Unemployment – https://www.dol.state.ga.us/fileaclaim/
Wages – https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa/pandemic
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave
FOOD ASSISTANCE
SNAP/Food Stamps – https://dfcs.georgia.gov/food-stamps
Women, Infants & Children SNAP – https://dph.georgia.gov/WIC
Text FINDFOOD to 888-976-2232
CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE
Find quality childcare that is open – http://www.qualityrated.org or 1-877-ALL GA Kids (1-877-255-4254)
UTILITY ASSISTANCE
Georgia Power suspends utility shut-offs for 30 days – https://www.georgiapower.com/company/news-center/2020-articles/georgia-power-assures-customers-safe-and-reliable-service-will-continue-during-covid-19-pandemic.html
Atlanta Gas Light – https://www.atlantagaslight.com/residential/energy-assistance
Xfinity – overview of COVID-19 response and customer support
AT&T – 24/7 online support
RENT & MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE
President Trump directed the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to suspend evictions and foreclosures on FHA Mortgages for 60 days as Americans grapple with the fallout of the coronavirus. Foreclosures have also been suspended for mortgages owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Borrowers can search here to see if their loan is owned by Fannie or Freddie:
- Fannie Mae: https://www.knowyouroptions.com/loanlookup
- Freddie Mac: https://ww3.freddiemac.com/loanlookup/
For other private mortgages (about 1/3 of the mortgage market), there has been no pause in foreclosures yet ordered in Georgia. Deadlines for answering an eviction lawsuit have been suspended in many Georgia Courts.
For more info: https://www.nclc.org/special-projects/covid-19-consumer-protections.html
SHELTER ASSISTANCE
BCM FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Call the Helpline at (404) 239-0038. Open MON, TUES and FRI at 10am and THURS at 1pm until appointments are filled.