AUSTIN, Texas — Many viewers have reached out to KVUE with questions regarding coronavirus, so our KVUE Defenders decided to take a look at some of them.
Here are the answers to some of your questions.
Question: Will baby wipes kill the virus?
Answer: No. Standard baby wipes are not designed to kill viruses. You should practice the routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs and light switches. Clean the areas first, then disinfect with wipes or a spray that contains at least 70% alcohol.
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Question: If I'm married to someone who owes child support, will my stimulus payment go toward what they owe?
Answer: Yes, unless you are eligible for relief. If you don't owe child support but married to someone who does, you can file an Injured Spouse Claim and Allocation form. In some cases, the IRS can offset a portion of the payment sent to a spouse who filed the injured spouse claim.
Question: If you get social security disability insurance and pay child support out of your government check, will you get a stimulus check?
Answer: Yes. If you receive supplemental security income and social security disability insurance, you should receive payments automatically. The IRS uses 1099 statements to issue payments. If you have dependents, you should complete an additional IRS online form to get the additional $500 per dependent.
Question: We have used the "get my payment" app from the IRS since the beginning, without success. In accordance with IRS guidelines, we should qualify for the payment. When will the app work and how will we know if our check was sent?
Answer: The IRS said it's important to know your eligibility and what the app tracks. Double-check your eligibility with the IRS on its website. And remember: The app only tracks stimulus payments of up to $1,200 that have actually been sent. You can no longer set up a direct deposit through the app, as the deadline was May 13. Otherwise, you will receive a check through the mail.
Question: If someone owes child support, will their stimulus payment be used to pay back that child support?
Answer: It's possible. Federal regulations determine when federal payments are intercepted and applied to child support. If your child is receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), any child support owed has to be greater than $150. If not, the amount increases to $500. You'll receive a notice if your stimulus payment has been applied to child support.
Question: If we are asked to return to work, but are later furloughed again due to low occupancy, would we still be eligible to receive unemployment?
Answer: The Texas Workforce Commission says eligibility varies on a case-by-case basis but in general, an eligible worker can continue to receive unemployment benefits until either they return to full-time work or they exhaust their benefits.
Question: How much did the May 13 Air Force Thunderbirds flyover cost?
Answer: Both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds are doing flyovers across the country in areas highly impacted by COVID-19. The cost of the flights is reportedly already covered in the Pentagon budget at "no additional cost to taxpayers" – but they're not cheap, at about $30,000 an hour for each of the squadrons. The U.S. Department of Defense said the tributes aim to unite all Americans while fulfilling critical training for the teams.
If you have a question you'd like for KVUE to answer, text us at 512-459-9442.
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