Who Qualifies for a Second Stimulus Check, and When Will They Go Out?

What about changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?

It should be a lot simpler, soon.

Senator Lamar Alexander, a Republican of Tennessee who is retiring, has long sought to reduce the number of questions on the notoriously complicated form, which students must fill out in order to qualify for aid including federal loans and Pell Grants for low-income students.

The new FAFSA, which as many as 20 million people fill out each year, would lose two-thirds of its questions, going from 108 to no more than 36.

Did Pell Grants get more generous?

Yes. After years of efforts by advocacy groups and some senators, prisoners would again be eligible to use them for higher education.

Overall eligibility rules will get simpler, too, which means more people would qualify — and qualify for the maximum grant.

Other Forms of Help

I am behind on my rent or expect to be soon. Will I receive any relief?

The latest legislation extended a moratorium on renter evictions through Jan. 31.

The Trump administration, through an order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had already extended a previous eviction ban through the end of the year. The agency said the moratorium was needed to prevent renters from ending up in shelters or other crowded living conditions, which would put them at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus.

The new legislation simply extends that order. To be eligible, renters must have experienced a “substantial” loss of household income, a layoff or “extraordinary” out-of-pocket medical expenses, among several other conditions — and they can’t expect to earn more than $99,000 in 2020 (or $198,000 for married people filing their tax returns jointly).

Renters can use a form from the C.D.C.’s website to attest to their eligibility — more information on eligibility can be found here.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/article/stimulus-deal-update.html