Change is afoot in the Sunshine State.
Under Governor Ron DeSantis’s full Phase One reopening plan, restaurants in Florida were allowed to open at 50% capacity on May 18. Most major amusements parks are reopening in June.
Even with these major steps towards reopening the economy, it’s clear things will not be back to normal anytime soon for Florida’s hospitality industry. Nearly 2 million applications for unemployment have been filed in Florida. The Payroll Protection Act has helped keep some…
Pinellas Offers Small Business Grants Pinellas County is seeking to help small businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pinellas CARES Small Business Grant is offering one-time $5,000 grants to help offset the temporary loss of revenue and to assist with retaining and paying employees. The funds are available as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act federal stimulus package. Even if your business doesn’t qualify for this program, it may still qualify for other…
Help for Tampa Residents Impacted by COVID-19 Are you a Tampa resident or small business owner who has been negatively impacted by the Coronavirus Shutdown? The City of Tampa has established the Relief Now, Rise Together Fund to help eligible small businesses, families, and individuals harmed by the COVID-19 shutdown orders. The funds are for rent and essential utilities and doesn’t need to be repaid. For eligible applicants, the program will provide direct payments for up to one month’s rent…
COVID-19 Leads to Temporary Stop of Student Loan Payments The Coronavirus Pandemic has far-reaching effects on our nation. Economic shutdowns and widespread job losses have made it difficult for many Americans to pay their student loans. Fortunately, on March 27, 2020, President Donald J. Trump signed the CARES Act into law, which, among other things, provides broad relief for federal student loan borrowers. During the COVID-19 national emergency, federal student loan borrowers are automatically being placed in an administrative forbearance.…
Don’t Let Your COVID-19 Relief Get Garnished Under the CARES Act, most Americans are receiving economic impact payments. According to data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the maximum payout is $1,200 per individual taxpayer or $2,400 for married couples filing jointly, with additional amounts for each dependent child. If you owe money to creditors, you may be worried that your stimulus payment could be garnished and you’re right to worry. Although your stimulus payment cannot be garnished from the…