New Aid Package from Congress is Near Useless for Ebay Self-Employed?

[home2thesea]

I know a lot of people on eBay sell part-time or just for a side hustle and don't depend on it for serious money, but I do. I'm a full-time caregiver for an elderly parent who is too frail to be left on her own and my only way of making money has been to source items at thrift stores to sell online. I get an hour here or there to leave the house, no more. I haven't been selling long on Ebay but I've been selling clothing for a couple of years now on another site, which shall remain unnamed. This is my sole income.

Now, during the Coronovirus lockdowns (which may go on for 10-12 weeks) all thrift stores in my area have closed. I've already listed everything I have to list and my sales are slowing down as a consequence. We literally live sale to sale. If I make a sale, I get to go buy something we need at the store. I scrimp and save little bits to add up for utilities.

I was hoping that the aid package Congress is working on would be some help, but from what I'm reading, there's nothing in it for the self-employed, especially those surviving at the low end. If I'm lucky, I might qualify for the $1000 direct payment, but how do they expect that to last people for up to 3 months? 

[bar-29368]

Last I read it was $65k

[bar-29368]

Presumable those homeless are Americans.

And I don't punch anyone.

[cynthealee2]

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@bar-29368 wrote:
Last I read it was $65k

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Every one I know would qualify.  Thanks, I'll let em know.

[ekmadonna]

Etsy has a link to notify your congressman.

[turquoisetulips]

Politically, republicans want to give it to corporations (last time they did, those corporations gave themselves bonuses and stock buybacks rather than "investment), while Democrats want to give it to people.andrew 

That isn't true at all  and it's not what the president said . Are you actually listening  to the  messages being given  carefully  ? The president has been making himself and a  slew of advisors available to the public  every single day . I have watched each and every  one . The president  said he didn't want any money going to the corporations . He said he wanted it to go to the American people .. I get that you never supported the  president  in the first place . However attempting to put words into his mouth that aren't true  is never going to make  people believe that you were right and everyone else was wrong . Tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

Are you under the misguided impression that the homeless are also illegally here ? 

[mam98031]

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@electrola_man wrote:

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@andrew547 wrote:

Politically, republicans want to give it to corporations (last time they did, those corporations gave themselves bonuses and stock buybacks rather than "investment), while Democrats want to give it to people.

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That's not what I understand.  President Trump wants to get money to individuals, and is strongly opposed to corporations doing the stock buy-backs.  He's on video saying this.  The Democrats seem to prefer expansion of the Unemployment Insurance program to cover people, which would leave self-employed people like us out.

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Yes, that is my take on what the President said too.  However the republicans in the Senate have a different idea about that and want larger corporations included.  The Democrats are taking issue with that and I believe they should.  It is likely the Republicans will fall in line with what the Presidents wants so hopefully this problem will be short lived.

[kittykat.949]

I don't know what state you're in but here in Calif. I am pretty sure that people who act as care givers to someone in there house are eligible to get paid by the state---You might want to look into that.

[nc-daydreamer]

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@oaklandmaryland wrote:
Actually the latest update is that everyone who filed an income tax form in 2018 will receive a payment. Ebay sellers should report their income to the IRS and would be able to reduce the taxable amount by claiming shipping and fees paid.

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Have you (or anyone) heard if this check is supposed to be counted as income to pay taxes on it at the end of the year or not?  Or will it be $X less taxes paid out?

And what about those who receive other benefits which have an income cap, like Medicaid and Foodstamps? Will this money be counted against them?

And, how will these checks be distributed? In the [possible virus laden] mail, direct deposit, by the employer, etc.? What if the person no longer lives at the address they had in 2018, or has a different bank account or a different job?

What happens if by whatever date is estimated for the last payments to have been completed, if you don't get one? Who to call? How long to wait?

And of course not every check in the nation will be distributed on day one... so what is the criteria of who gets the first day issue... alphabetically, by SSN, by zip code, by income bracket, by marital status or those who have young children... etc.?? 

All I know is that I'll be grateful, whenever it comes in whatever amount it comes, how ever it comes... So many questions - does anyone have any answers? 🙂

[angwjea]

most  all? poor people wont get any money from this its mostly for big business & banks  ceos another pay out . there supporters the ones who contribute to them  are the ones who will get the billions .   see the poor man  is hated by gov and he will receive there private  prisons and death as his aid package 

[outdatedrecreated]

I feel your pain although in a very different way. I have 11 employees. All of which I guaranteed a paycheck and benefits to through the end of the year. If my sales drop by 50% the rest of the year, it will essentially leave me with $0. My saving will be wiped out. There is no aid coming for anyone at this point. At least thats the attitude we all should have. even if they were to agree to something, the government finds some of the most creative ways to fail at simple tasks. One thing I know for sure, is Americans aren't just going to stand around waiting for Washington to be done bickering. In pretty short order businesses are going to open back up and go back to work to survive and dare the government to do something about it. If the supply chain is healthy (which it is), then all of these "stay at home" orders, are not orders. Some may challenge in court, but most will simply say to the government, "what are you going to do about it". People need to start thinking rationally. Every pension and retirement plan in this country are directly tied to the stock market. Every one of my elderly neighbors are concerned about that, and more so than the virus. The old lady next door asked me to go to the store for her and literally said, "there's no sense in saving old people like me if they are going to crash the stock market. I'll be broke before I die which defeats the purpose of the entire system." I am not expecting anything from the government, and to be quite honest, I don't want anything from them either. Just get the hell out of the way.

[liawrig.nq8rdwqa3]

You can get Small business loan grants and interest free loans. That's in the Fed and State bills.

[oaklandmaryland]

The changes occur everyday and as of today the Democrats voted it down anyway. Good luck to the people who will rely totally on it such as Hawaii where ALL businesses close today at 4:30. Meanwhile the members of Congress will continue to get their paychecks.

[divwido]

Your best bet for money likely comes from your government and senior care programs.

[mam98031]

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@oaklandmaryland wrote:
The changes occur everyday and as of today the Democrats voted it down anyway. Good luck to the people who will rely totally on it such as Hawaii where ALL businesses close today at 4:30. Meanwhile the members of Congress will continue to get their paychecks.

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@oaklandmaryland 

They haven't voted on the Stimulus Package yet.  That comes later.  This current vote that the Democrats blocked was a procedural one, not the actual Stimulus.  

Here is a quote from an article that I've provided a link to below.

"Senators were voting instead on a shell bill that McConnell is using as a placeholder until a final deal is reached."

"Schumer told reporters after the procedural vote was initially delayed that the legislation initially presented to Democrats had "many, many problems," saying that it "included a large corporate bailout provision with no protections for workers and virtually no oversight." Schumer said, however, that "Democrats want to move forward with bipartisan agreement," adding that the staff-level work is ongoing "to change some problematic provisions" with the legislation."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/22/politics/stimulus-package-coronavirus-negotiations-congress/index.htm...