Casey O'Brien

covid-19

Five Instagram Accounts to Follow Right Now for Good COVID-19 Info

From masks to antibody tests to positivity rates, there’s a lot to keep up with to understand the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the U.S. where the virus continues to spread rapidly. Want to stay informed, but not sure where to start? Social media is a good resource

knowledge

Immigration Is About To Get A Lot More Expensive: USCIS Dramatically Increases Fees

Immigrating to the US—or becoming a citizen—is about to come with a hefty price tag. Starting this fall, immigration services of all kinds are increasing in price in the US, from work visas to naturalization. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services agency finalized a rule at the

unemployment

Was Your Unemployment Application Denied? Here's What to Do

You can (and should) appeal your claim. In this post, we’ll break down how, and some tips and tricks for a successful appeal.

knowledge

Medicaid vs Medicare: Which Program is Right for You?

In the midst of the global health crisis, health insurance is even more important than ever. Laid-off and retiring Americans are often unable to access health insurance, even with programs like COBRA [https://helloskip.com/blog/tips-for-extending-your-health-insurance-benefits-even-if-your-work-situation-has-

covid-19

Everything You Need to Know About How COVID-19 Could Impact Social Security

About 63 million Americans, or 1 in 6, collect social security benefits [https://www.cbpp.org/research/social-security/policy-basics-top-ten-facts-about-social-security] . Most of those beneficiaries are older Americans, but some are also disabled people. The program is a vital source of income for beneficiaries,

passports

The Ultimate Guide to Renewing Your Passport

Is your passport expiring? Like most things in a pandemic, getting a new passport right now requires some patience, but it’s still possible. Although most passport offices are closed or in early stages of reopening, they are still accepting passport applications on a first come, first served basis through

covid-19

How Are Mask Orders Being Enforced Around the U.S.?

Face coverings are no longer voluntary. After months of encouraging Americans to wear masks, cities and states all over the U.S. are finally starting to punish them if they don't. More than thirty states, and many cities, have now issued mask orders in the U.S., and

covid-19

Which Airlines Are the Safest to Fly During The Pandemic?

We rate the major US airlines and what they're doing to ensure your health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic Fewer people are traveling in the US than ever before. Airlines have been heavily impacted by the pandemic; United Airlines is reporting a 90% drop in revenue,

covid-19

Unemployment Expiring? Here's How to Get an Extra 13 Weeks

With coronavirus cases all over the US surging and many cities reimposing restrictions [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa/with-us-under-coronavirus-siege-chicago-cracks-down-florida-cases-soar-idUSKCN24L24J] , the United States job crisis seems to be far from over. Each week, over a million

covid-19

Small Biz Corner: How are Small Businesses Pivoting in the Face of COVID-19?

The COVID-19 crisis is causing unprecedented economic strife across the US and beyond, leaving many small businesses at risk of permanent closure. [https://helloskip.com/blog/half-of-small-businesses-are-in-survival-mode-heres-what-you-can-do-to-help/] But entrepreneurs are not accepting defeat easily. We

knowledge

Millions More People Are Now Eligible for TSA Precheck

TSA Precheck is a gamechanger for busy travelers. The average Precheck member waits less than ten minutes in line for airport security [https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2017/11/19/tsa-precheck-lines/873940001/] , while those without wait a half an hour or more. The program saves time

covid-19

States Are Reimposing Job Search Requirements: Here's What You Need to Know to Keep Your Benefits

There are now more Americans dependent on unemployment [https://helloskip.com/blog/unemployment-is-still-high-and-probably-even-higher-than-the-data-is-showing/] than there have been in years; as of this week, a staggering 31 million people are receiving UI benefits. At the start of the coronavirus

covid-19

Why 156 Economists Just Called for Recurring Stimulus Payments

With US unemployment still at record highs and layoffs and closures continuing unabated ahead of the expiring of many relief programs, calls for a second stimulus package are louder than ever. This week, a group of 156 economists signed a lette [https://www.economicsecurityproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/

covid-19

2019 Taxes Are Finally Due this Week: Here's What You Need to Know About the Extended Deadline

After being extended for months due to COVID-19, federal taxes for 2019 are finally due this week, on July 15th. Most state taxes are also due this week. Despite the ongoing crisis, the IRS has made it clear they are not considering a further extension of the filing deadline

covid-19

Unemployment is Still High—and Probably Even Higher Than The Data Is Showing

For months, millions of Americans have been unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And the tide of unemployment claims shows no signs of slowing down; today’s numbers [https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/09/weekly-jobless-claims.html] show 1.3 million claims filed in the US last

covid-19

Beyond the PPP: Other Funding and Support Options for Small Businesses

The Paycheck Protection Program has helped millions of small businesses to stay afloat through the pandemic, but for many the loans aren’t enough. Our data [https://helloskip.com/blog/half-of-small-businesses-are-in-survival-mode-heres-what-you-can-do-to-help/] shows that nearly half of

covid-19

The SBA Just Released New Data on PPP Recipients and Amounts. Here’s What You Should Know

Today, after weeks of legal challenges by media organizations seeking transparency, the SBA has released data on tens of thousands of businesses that received PPP loans. As we originally reported 2 weeks ago [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgiCyfVn3DA], the SBA finally committed to releasing this information to help

covid-19

Survey: Nearly Half of Small Businesses Are in Survival Mode. Here's What You Can Do About It.

In light of rapidly increasing COVID-19 caseloads across the country, some regions are pushing back reopening or even increasing restrictions to manage the massive spread of the virus. As part of our support for small businesses, we conducted a survey among small business Skip users. Thousands responded, and what

covid-19

PPP Deadline Extended, and Other Updates For Small Business Owners

Only hours before its deadline was set to expire, the Senate voted to extend the application period [https://www.forbes.com/sites/advisor/2020/07/01/senate-extends-ppp-five-more-weeks-indicates-more-help-to-come/#55dde7553db0] for the Paycheck Protection Program by five weeks, until August 8th.  With

covid-19

California Drivers' Tests Reopen in the New Normal

After months of closure, California is finally reopening road tests [https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/news-and-media/dmv-resumes-behind-the-wheel-drive-tests-with-new-protocols-on-friday/] for drivers' licenses. With thousands of cancelled appointments to get through, it is likely to be a long

covid-19

What A Second Stimulus Bill Could Actually Look Like

With coronavirus cases rising rapidly in the US [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html] and new hotspots arising, the pressure is on for lawmakers to develop a second stimulus proposal. Politicians on both sides of the aisle [https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimwang/2020/06/

covid-19

Support Small Businesses with Skip’s New Business Listings

Small businesses are a major driver of the American economy and important tenets of their communities. Together, small businesses account [https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/tracking-us-small-and-medium-sized-business-sentiment-during-covid-19#] for 48% of the US economy and employ 60 million

covid-19

Trump Administration Temporarily Suspends Work Visas due to Coronavirus

Today, Donald Trump signed a presidential proclamation [https://templatelab.com/presidential-proclamation/] halting visas for foreign workers into the United States in several categories, including some temporary workers who use H-2B visas, au pairs and camp counselors who enter the country on J visas, and highly skilled workers who

Do I Need a Permit to Reopen My Business?

As small businesses around the country begin to reopen following months of closure due to coronavirus, business owners are navigating a new world of safety precautions, rules and regulations. It can be confusing to know what’s allowed and what isn’t, especially as things are changing so quickly. You

covid-19

Shop Local, Stay Safe: How Small Business Owners are Committed to Stopping the Spread of COVID-19

As businesses around the country begin to open their doors again, they're working hard to keep everyone in their communities safe. Here at Skip we have been assisting hundreds of thousands of small businesses navigate the pandemic through loan tracking [https://helloskip.com/loan-tracking/?ref=SkipCovid], loan