Late last week, a bipartisan stimulus package was passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law. Here's what you need to know from the 800+ pages of the bill's actual text:

1. Are we getting paid by the federal government? Every American with an income below $75,000 (or $150,000 for a couple) will receive a one-time payment of $1,200 ($2,400 for married couples). If your income is above $75,000 and below $99,000 (up to $198,000 for a couple), you will still receive a payment, but it will be less. Above $99,000 ($198,000 couple), you will not receive a check. Parents will also get $500 per child under 17.

2. How does the government know my income for the payment? It is based on your 2018 or 2019 tax return. If you have not yet filed, file asap. If you can file by eFile, your return will get processed sooner. If you need help filing, contact an accountant or tax professional. The IRS may be providing a streamlined filing option for 2018 & 2019 returns in the near future. 

3. How do I get paid? If you have received a tax refund in 2018 or 2019, and you used direct deposit for your refund, your refund will be paid to that account. If you did not get a refund or use direct deposit, you may get a paper check. The IRS is considering creating an online portal to provide your direct deposit information, but that is not up and running yet.

4. When will I get paid? That is a good question. Those who received a refund in 2018 or 2019 and received a direct deposit should get paid in the next few weeks. Those who did not receive a refund or use direct deposit may need to wait longer.

5. How many times will I get paid? Once for now. This bill passed only provides for a one-time payment.

6. What about unemployment? I heard the bill provided changes. It did in a number of ways. Unemployment compensation is offered from state run programs, but the new bill will provide $600 extra dollars per week for up to four (4) weeks from the federal government.

7. How do I get unemployment? You need to apply with your state agency. In Washington, that is the Employment Security Department (ESD). Apply here: ttps://esd.wa.gov/unemployment. For Idaho, unemployment is handled by the Department of Labor. Apply here: https:.//www2.labor.idaho.gov/ClaimantPortal/Login.

8. What if I am a gig worker, a part-time employee, or self-employed and my business has been shut or I can't work ? Can I get unemployment? In the past, the answer to that is no. But, the new bill passed federally has a pandemic provision that will expand unemployment benefits during the crisis to those people traditionally excluded from unemployment. However, each state needs to update its structure and programs already in place to handle these newly-expanded claims. In Washington and Idaho where claims are handled electronically, this should be quicker, but be prepared to wait.

9. If I am a small business owner, is it true I will get loan forgiveness for a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan? It depends on a couple of factors. First, you must have employees and you must be paying your employees during this crisis. If that is true, then you may be able to get forgiveness for loan monies used for payroll, mortgage, rent and utilities. Your business must have existed as of February 15, 2020 and forgiveness will run for provable coronavirus-based losses through June 2020.

10. How do I get an SBA loan for my small business? You still must qualify and apply through an SBA-approved lender. There are a number of exceptions to your ability to obtain a loan. More information can be found here: https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/top-priorities/cares-act/assistance-for-small-businesses.

Need more help for your business or personal employment/job situation? Contact us for a consult. 


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Our firm is pleased to announced that our founding principal has again been honored with a Pro Bono Publico Service Commendation from the Washington State Bar Association for 2018. Our firm completed hundreds of hours of pro bono services for clients who simply cannot afford attorneys in civil matters like family law, landlord tenant disputes, and consumer questions.

If you are in need of free legal aid and you meet the income requirements in Washington State (within 200% of federal poverty guidelines or $51,500 for a family of four using 2019 numbers). If you fit this and need a lawyer for a civil matter in Washington, you must contact the CLEAR hotline 1-888-201-1014 for intake or complete the intake online at www.nwjustice.org. 

If you don't know if you qualify or have questions about where to go in Washington (or Idaho), we are always happy to answer your questions about who to contact. 

It's the time of year again in Washington State. The state legislature passed a number of bills that Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law that went into effect on July 1, 2019. Here's what you need to know about some of the new laws:

1. TRAFFIC: For those of you in Western Washington, HOV or carpool lane violations have higher fines. For the simple offender, the ticket goes up an extra $50 for a first-time violation. For those of you who try to be sneaky using stuffed animals, mannequins, and other faux-passengers, the violation is $200 more. 

2. Health: The personal or philosophical exception to vaccinating children against measles, mumps, or rubella (the MMR vaccine) is no more. That means that parents must vaccinate their children before sending them to school or licensed day cares. The religious exemption still exists.

3. Employment. A big win for back-to-work moms - employers now have to either provide a private place that is not a bathroom stall or work with the employee to allow her to breast feed and/or pump breast milk in a private setting. 

4. Voting. All ballots in Washington will include prepaid postage for all elections to reduce barriers to voting.

5. Residential Tenants: Renters made two big wins. First, a tenant must give 14-days notice for an eviction due to non-payment of rent. This is 11 days more than under prior laws. Second, a landlord must provide sixty (60) days written notice to increase rent. Per usual, a landlord cannot increase rent while a lease is still valid. That means if you signed a year-long residential lease, you get the stated amount of rent during that year - no changes can occur to the amount of monthly rent. 

This is just a portion of the new Washington laws. Remember, your city or county may have additional new laws, especially if you're in King County. As always, for our Idaho clients, we're happy to give you a rundown of your rights' in Idaho, as they often vary greatly from those in Washington. We're here to help. 

On Sunday, July 23, Washington's new distracted driving law goes into effect. What do you need to know?

1. You are forbidden virtually all use of phones, tablets laptops, and gaming devices while driving. This includes at a stop sign or stopped.
2. You can still have a phone in a dashboard cradle for navigation, but no watching last night's "Daily Show" or any other video. 
3. Hands free systems in your car are still fine. 
4. The initial fine is $136. The second citation is $235.
5. Distracted driving tickets will get reported to your insurance company.
6. Grooming (makeup, hairbrushing, beard brushing) and eating are "secondary offenses," so if you are pulled over for another reason, you can be cited an extra $30 for that kind of distraction. 

Keep you hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road, and text when parked. Brush your teeth before you leave the house and eat your fries when you get home.