AUSTIN, Texas — Many viewers have reached out to KVUE with questions regarding coronavirus, so the KVUE Defenders decided to take a look at some of them.
Here are the answers to some of your questions.
Question: How does the stimulus check effect those in bankruptcy? Will it go straight to the trustee or will they not get one?
Answer: You should talk to your bankruptcy attorney, but likely not. If you qualify for a stimulus check and are going through bankruptcy proceedings, according to the U.S. Justice Department, it is unlikely your bankruptcy trustee will administer the stimulus payments and they won’t be considered as monthly income. This only applies to people who have already filed for bankruptcy protection. The U.S. Justice Department sent a notice to all bankruptcy trustees addressing this question.
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Question: If you have a defaulted government student loan, will your stimulus check be taken to pay that?
Answer: No. Stimulus checks will not be taken to pay for student loan debt. If you have a student loan in default, wage garnishments and tax refund seizures are also suspended through Sept. 30.
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Question: Has the second stimulus been passed?
Answer: Not yet. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the HEROES Act, which would provide a second round of stimulus payments. But the bill has not yet passed through the Republican-controlled Senate, which is set to discuss the bill on June 1. The $3 trillion proposal is $800 billion larger than the cost of the CARES Act. The Senate is expected to reject the bill and propose an alternative. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said the House Democrats’ proposal is an option to negotiate.
Question: I received a debit card as my stimulus payment. Is it real? Can I get total value of cash from an ATM?
Answer: Yes. The IRS has sent out more than 140 million economic impact payments in the form of debit cards. The government has also sent out payments via direct deposits and physical checks. If you get a debit card, you can use the card for purchases, withdraw cash from an in-network ATM, and transfer the funds directly to your bank account. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the prepaid debit cards are “secure, easy to use and allows the government to deliver economic impact payments to Americans more quickly."
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Question: What if I can’t pay back my SBA PPP loan? Can the loans be forgiven?
Answer: Yes. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, your loan can be fully forgiven if you used the money for payroll, interest on mortgage, rent and utilities but at least 75% of the money must have been used for payroll and retaining employees. The amount of forgiveness can be reduced if employees were laid-off from your business.
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Click here for information on oow to apply for PPA loan forgiveness.
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