July 2020 | Decker, Farrell & McCoy, LLP

Helping Small Business Owners, Seniors and U.S. Hostages, and Limiting Intrusive Domestic Surveillance

Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (HR 7010) – Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) introduced this legislation on May 26. This Act modifies provisions related to small business loans issued under the original Paycheck Protection Program. Specifically, the bill permits forgiveness of loans used to pay expenses incurred over a 24-week period, longer than the original eight-week limit, and extends the timeframe to pay off unforgiven loans from two to five years. This bill also increases the limit on non-payroll expenses up to 40 percent when used to pay for [...]

Service2Client2020-07-01T12:00:07-08:00July 1st, 2020|

Fileless Malware Poses New Threat to Computer Users

With increased cyber threats, there is great awareness of malware that comes attached in files. Individuals and businesses invest in security solutions to protect against malware. In fact, there are often company policies regarding opening attachments on emails; yet there is an increase in a type of threat (though not new), known as the fileless malware.What is Fileless Malware?A fileless malware attack is a type of threat that doesn’t involve executable files. Instead, these attacks include scripts that run on browsers, command prompts, Windows PowerShell, Windows Management Instrumentation, VBScripts, or [...]

Service2Client2020-07-01T12:00:06-08:00July 1st, 2020|

Best Part-Time Jobs During Corona

Even though unemployment is still relatively high, there are still some great part-time jobs you can do that will help cover basic expenses. Here’s a list of the industries that are hiring right now:Paid Survey ParticipantIf you like to share your opinions (and who doesn’t), this job is perfect for you. Companies are always looking for consumer opinions on a variety of things such as products, services, etc. Best of all, it’s completely online, so you can work from anywhere. Here’s a list of companies that are looking for your [...]

Service2Client2020-07-01T12:00:05-08:00July 1st, 2020|

How To Use Qualified Charitable Distributions For Charitable Giving

Each year, millions of Americans make donations to charitable organizations and receive something in return – a tax break. However, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act curbed this tax advantage because it reduced the number of people eligible to claim a charitable deduction by raising the standard deduction. For 2020, the standard deduction is $12,400 for individuals and $24,800 for married couples filing jointly. If your list of deductions is not greater than those amounts, there is no tax benefit to itemizing – which means you might not be [...]

Service2Client2020-07-01T12:00:04-08:00July 1st, 2020|

How Likely Would a Second Coronavirus Wave Negatively Impact the Stock Market?

As Johns Hopkins University of Medicine's Coronavirus Resource Center revealed a recent increase of coronavirus cases in the Southern and Southwestern United States, the VIX ticked up. With fears of the outbreak curve not flattening, how will this impact markets?The Volatility Index (VIX) was established by the Chicago Board Options Exchange in 1993 to gauge volatility in the financial markets. Referred to colloquially as the "fear index", it measures the next 30 days of anticipated volatility for the U.S. Stock Market via S&P 500 options. For reference, during the peak [...]

Service2Client2020-07-01T12:00:03-08:00July 1st, 2020|

Hiring in the Age of Coronavirus

The U.S. job market gained 2.5 million jobs during the month of May, dropping the unemployment rate to 13.3 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. There's likely been a lot of rehiring, with more to come as the economy continues reopening. However, until social distancing becomes a thing of the past, hiring effectively will take some pivoting during the pandemic.Finding Candidates VirtuallyEmployers looking to interview and hire candidates can take advantage of LinkedIn during the pandemic. Along with providing a branding opportunity, the platform gives businesses a [...]

Service2Client2020-07-01T12:00:02-08:00July 1st, 2020|

HEROES ACT Can Combat Economic Downtown

The HEROES Act, otherwise known as the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, can greatly improve the benefits for the earned income tax credit (EITC) for eligible workers who don't have children. This legislation would also help wage earners in the business-to-consumer and leisure sectors of the economy impacted severely by the coronavirus pandemic.Looking at the HEROES Act legislation and how it would help childless wage earners, we need to examine the rules surrounding the EITC and how many additional filers may qualify. While childless students pursuing formal [...]

Service2Client2020-07-01T12:00:01-08:00July 1st, 2020|