When Americans received stimulus checks during the Great Recession, studies indicated many spent at least of portion of their money on cars. During the 2008 stimulus program, up to 90% of the rise in durable good spending had to do with auto spending, according to previous research by the American Economic Association. (At that time,…
The numbers: Confidence among home builders has recovered somewhat after last month’s record-breaking decline even as much of the country remains under stay-at-home orders because of the coronavirus pandemic. The National Association of Home Builders’ monthly confidence index rose seven points to a reading of 37 in May, the trade group said Wednesday. April’s figure…
My husband and I filed a joint income-tax return. I am aware that the stimulus check for a husband and wife is $2,400, and it will likely be one check. Unfortunately, my husband passed away on April 12 from COVID-19, and I have not yet received our stimulus entitlement. Don’t miss:‘We will not have a…
Don’t miss these top money and investing features: These money and investing stories, popular with MarketWatch readers this past week, offer ways to manage your financial portfolio and to invest strategically as we all come to terms with the “new abnormal” life the coronavirus pandemic has brought us. INVESTING NEWS & TRENDSDespite the stock market’s…
The Moneyist has received hundreds of letters about stimulus checks over the last seven days. Many of these relate to people filing their 2018 or 2019 tax returns late. Here are five of those letters — and one answer: I was reluctant to file my taxes for 2018 and 2019 for fear of owing what…
Dear Moneyist, I was married and didn’t qualify for the $1,200 stimulus check based on my 2018 tax returns. I am now divorced and filed my 2019 tax returns separately. It seems that millions of stimulus payments have already gone out. Where is my stimulus check? Will I ever receive one — or is it…
If you’re an active value investor, or you’re just holding retirement money in a “value” stock mutual fund, well…. It sucks.You’ve lost about a fifth of your money so far this year, while competing “growth” funds are nearly even stevens. The market losses of 2020 are almost all on the “value” side of the ledger.…
One might think in such a dark time where nearly 300,000 lives have been lost worldwide due to coronavirus and nearly 36 million Americans are out of work, some comic relief would be welcomed with open arms. But instead of watching comedies like “The Hangover” or “Broad City,” Americans are watching dramas like “Contagion” on…
New Yorkers, on lockdown since mid-March, will get a respite Memorial Day weekend as state beaches and lakes have been cleared to open. But, New York City residents will have to travel if they want to lay out, as the sand in the five boroughs is still off limits, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday. “Some…
Health officials are increasingly sounding the alarm on what could be a COVID-19-related illness in children that’s been reported in at least 16 states and six European countries. The rare but possibly life-threatening condition, which is being called pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or PMIS, presents with symptoms that often differ from kid to kid, and…