| Volume 143 Number 82 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
With more people seeking delivery services during the Coronavirus pandemic, many companies are looking for drivers to shuttle meals, medicine, groceries, and other items to people at home. Before you think about making some extra cash as a delivery driver using your own vehicle, you need to be aware of the insurance pitfalls. Click here for more.
IRS reminds taxpayers that unemployment income is taxable
Those $600 unemployment checks might have been a welcome relief to those whose jobs are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is reminding recipients that unemployment compensation is taxable. The agency advises that these consumers might want to have some tax withheld now and avoid a tax-time surprise come April 15, 2021.
Unemployment compensation is taxable under United States law, even if it comes from the unemployment compensation authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
The IRS suggests that taxpayers take a look at more than just their unemployment compensation from the state and federal governments. Other types of payments taxpayers should check their withholding on include: Click here for more.
Your Money
Car dealership fees can potentially add hundreds and even thousands to your final bill. Some of the fees you won't be able to avoid, such as the destination fee, which covers the cost of getting your car from the factory to the dealership. In fact, even if you volunteer to pick it up at the factory, you will still be charged that fee. Still, there are a number of car fees that you can ask to be removed and that may be removed. But that can only happen if you're aware of the fees in the first place. So if you're looking for a new or used car, and you'd like to avoid exorbitant and unnecessary fees, go in armed with as much information as possible. Here are nine common car dealer fees: Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Court evaluates debt collection letter by unsophisticated debtor standard. The Seventh Circuit affirmed a motion to dismiss a FDCPA class action claim based on a series of letters. The court noted that “a claim under § 1692e may be dismissed when it is clear from the face of the communication that no reasonable person, however unsophisticated, would be deceived by the allegedly false or misleading statement.” Reviewing the letters on their face, the court concluded, “Our case law makes clear that ‘mere speculation’ by the plaintiff that a collection letter is misleading is insufficient to survive a debt collector's motion for summary judgment.” Johnson v. Enhanced Recovery Co., 2020 U.S. App. LEXIS 18086 (7th Cir. 2020). Click here for more.