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Guardians & COVID-19: Facts You Should Know

Victoria Blachly May 1, 2020 No Comments

The National Guardianship Association, National Center for State Courts, and ABA Commission on Law and Aging created a helpful “FAQs for Guardians about the COVID-19 Pandemic”.

Things are shifting swiftly, from state to state or facility to facility, so this information about access or contact with vulnerable adults and access with the courts will provide some guidance.

The Pandemic Makes the Power of Attorney More Important Than Ever

Anastasia Yu Meisner May 1, 2020 No Comments

Do you have a loved one living in a care facility and due to Covid-19 they are not able to leave? Or are you self-isolating in your home and unable to run your typical errands? Are any of your or your loved one’s financial or medical needs being unmet due to the Corona Virus? If so, you’re not alone.

I recently received a call from a daughter whose elderly mother was stuck in a care facility. Both the daughter and her mother were befuddled because all of the mother’s financial affairs were on hold.

As a general practice the daughter would organize her mother’s monthly bills and go through them with her. She would help her mother write checks to pay her doctor co-pays, her cable bill, etc. Also the daughter would join her mother on calls to manage her mother’s banking and investments needs.

Now the daughter can’t visit her mother. And both women wanted to know if they would be in trouble with bill collectors or at the very least pay a lot of late fees if they were not able to timely address mom’s financial affairs.

Retirement Plan Participant May Elect Loan Repayment Deferrals

Eric Wieland April 30, 2020 No Comments

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 does more than aid small businesses. In addition to the PPP loans that received the bulk of the media attention, the CARES Act authorizes qualified retirement plan sponsors to amend retirement plans (401(a), 401(k), 403(b) and government plans) to help participants (qualified employees) who have been adversely economically impacted by the Corona Virus by allowing the deferral of loan payments. Once such an amendment is implemented by a plan sponsor, participants who have outstanding loan amounts from the qualified retirement plan may elect to defer loan payments for up to one year (with interest accruing) between now and December 31, 2020.

SBA Announces Reopening of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

Michael Walker April 28, 2020 No Comments

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced that it will resume accepting Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications from participating lenders on Monday, April 27, 2020 at 10:30 am EDT. The announcement comes following the April 23, 2020, passage by Congress of H.R.266, the “Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act.” The President signed the bill into law on April 24, 2020. Among other appropriations to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, the bill adds an additional $310 billion in funding for the PPP. The initial $349 billion in funding was exhausted in less than two weeks following the launch of the PPP.

Senate Approves Additional Funds for Paycheck Protection Program

Michael Walker April 22, 2020 No Comments

On Tuesday, April 21, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 266, the “Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act” by voice vote. The bill appropriates an additional $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which exhausted its initial $349 billion in funding within two weeks of Congress’ passage of the CARES Act. The bill also provided $60 billion for community banks and smaller lenders, $75 billion for hospitals, $25 billion for testing, and $60 billion for emergency disaster loans and grants.

Where’s My Stimulus Check?

Nicholas Rogers April 20, 2020 No Comments

The IRS sent out the first wave of stimulus payments this past week to around 80 million Americans. In order to speed up the process, the IRS has prioritized sending payments to Americans that have previously submitted their direct deposit information with the agency. Those that have not authorized a direct deposit account with the IRS will receive their stimulus payment in paper check form. However, the IRS estimates that it only has the capacity to mail out 5 million checks a week, so many Americans will not receive their payment until likely August or later.

Based on the income level eligibility requirements, at least 90% of Americans should qualify for at least some amount of stimulus payment. If you think you should have received your stimulus payment by now, here are several reasons why the IRS has delayed your payment.

COVID-19 Federal, State, and Local Prohibitions Against Non-Payment Evictions

Denise Gorrell April 16, 2020 No Comments

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged Oregon State Governor Kate Brown to issue a Stay at Home order effective statewide in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. As a result, many individuals are out of work, causing emotional stress and financial hardship.

Federal, state, and local governments have each taken action in an attempt to reduce financial stress on residential and commercial tenants.

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). In Section 4024, the CARES Act imposed immediate protections for some residential tenants. Specifically, the CARES Act placed a federal eviction moratorium for nonpayment of rent on covered properties. Landlords are temporarily prohibited from filing new eviction actions for nonpayment of rent as a result of COVID-19, as well as prohibited from charging late fees or other penalties for tenants’ nonpayment of rent. It is critical for landlord to review the definition of covered properties, and confer with a knowledgeable attorney is they are unsure whether they own a covered property.

Treasury Department Releases Additional Guidance on Paycheck Protection Program

Michael Walker April 9, 2020 No Comments

On April 8, 2020, the U. S. Treasury Department updated its “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)” guidance on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that is being administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). While this document was previously issued by the Treasury Department, it has been updated to address some of the questions that borrowers and lenders have raised as lenders have been inundated with applications for the forgivable loans under the PPP. Congress is currently considering allocating another $200 to $250 billion to the PPP.

Contracts, Coronavirus, and Force Majeure: How Does COVID-19 Affect Contract Obligations?

Van White April 6, 2020 No Comments

When I was a first year law student I learned about contract formation, contractual obligations, and breach of contract. We also learned about a term called Force Majeure. You may have recently seen the term.

Force Majeure is a French term that means something along the lines of “superior or irresistible force”, but it is also a term used in conjunction with contract law. In the context of contract law, force majeure is an uncontrollable event that prevents a party from fulfilling their contractual obligations. Force majeure is commonly thought of as a provision included in the terms and conditions of a contract. But, because “uncontrollable events which prevent a party from fulfilling their contractual obligations” seldom occur, especially on a wide spread basis, force majeure provisions aren’t invoked very often.

How to Prepare for Bankruptcy

Nicholas Rogers April 6, 2020 No Comments

This sudden economic downturn will cause a large number of individuals and corporate entity debtors to consider bankruptcy in order to get a better handle on their financial situation. While many associate declaring bankruptcy as an admission of failure or destitution, bankruptcy can actually offer debtors a path toward recovering from a devastating financial situation. When considering whether bankruptcy is the right option for your situation, it is essential to have a basic understanding of how bankruptcy works and the initial actions you should take should you need to proceed with bankruptcy.