City of Weston -

TROPICAL STORM IAN Community Notification #2 (4:00 p.m. Update)

(September 25, 2022 – 4:00 p.m.) - (Sept. 25, 2022 – 3:30 p.m.) -   Broward County and South Florida are no longer in the forecast cone, which means we are no longer expected to receive a direct hit from Tropical Storm Ian. However, and that is a big however – Ian is anticipated to quickly become a major hurricane Monday night and Tuesday as it passes over far western Cuba and into the warm waters in the SE Gulf of Mexico Tuesday night and Wednesday. Confidence is high in this general scenario, although there are significant track uncertainties once Ian enters the SE Gulf and nears Florida. Much of Florida remains at risk from significant impacts. Possible threats/impacts associated with Ian will increase beginning on Tuesday, including: - Widespread rain leading to flooding - Gusty winds, with at least gusts of tropical storm force - Coastal flooding, particularly along the Gulf coast - Risk of tornadoes   Impacts WILL extend beyond the cone!! - Small changes in the track can still make a BIG difference in impacts across South Florida, especially with a large and powerful hurricane moving parallel to the coast. Continue to closely monitor future forecasts. Recommended Storm Preparation   Residents should monitor storm information via local media sources, and continue preparations for the storm.   Prepare   While the storm track has shifted, South Florida and Broward County is still on the edge of the cone and impacts will extend beyond it. All tropical threats are still possible for South Florida including damaging wind, storm surge and heavy rainfall.   ·        Secure loose outdoor objects before the arrival of winds likely beginning Tuesday night. ·        Secure important papers (such as insurance and personal documents) in a waterproof container. ·        Check portable stoves and other cooking equipment, as well as flashlights and portable radios, to make sure items are in good working order.   ·        Keep your phone and backup batteries fully charged in anticipation of any power outages due to the storm's winds. ·        Always have several days of water, food and clothing for every member of the family. You should plan to be self-sufficient for at least the first 72 hours following a storm’s impact.   ·        Do not stress if you cannot find bottled water. Fill pitchers, containers, pots and pans and the bathtub with tap water to ensure an additional supply of safe drinking water should water service be interrupted. ·        Check storm drains near your home daily to make sure they are clear of debris.    Status of City Services ·        All City of Weston administrative offices are open regular business hours Monday. ·        Garbage collection – normal operations on Monday. ·        All City of Weston Parks will remain open for regular operating hours on Monday, September 26 until further notice.   Lake Levels - The City is following its own Emergency Operations plan. Staff is continuously monitoring the storm’s activity. The City’s Public Works Department staff works in coordination with the South Florida Water Management District, which operates the regional stormwater canal systems, to lower the levels of water in these canals to allow for the system to handle additional rainfall.   Information from Broward County: For information regarding special needs registry, the Broward County Hurricane Hotline is available at 954-831-4000 or dial 3-1-1. Visit Broward.org/Hurricane for countywide cancellations and closures. Information from the City of Weston: Details and resources are available in the NEWS section of the homepage of the City’s website, or on our Hurricane Preparedness page. Stay connected with your City! Visit WestonFL.org/Connect and subscribe to eNews to receive updates throughout the storm. Follow the City of Weston on Twitter at Twitter.com/CityofWeston for ongoing updates and set an audible alert for our Alert account at Twitter.com/WestonFLAlert. Register to receive CodeRED emergency notifications from the City of Weston.

Learn How the City of Weston Manages its Stormwater Lake Levels

Hurricane Preparedness - Are You Weston Ready?

CITY OF WESTON 17200 Royal Palm Boulevard Weston, Florida 33326 WestonFL.org 954-385-2000

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¿Por qué es importante tener un buen crédito?

Lo que necesita saber sobre su historial de crédito

Su historial de crédito describe cómo usa su dinero. Por ejemplo, si paga a tiempo o no sus facturas, si paga o no sus deudas, así como otra información relacionada con su crédito. Este historial afecta su capacidad de obtener un préstamo, un trabajo, una vivienda, entre otras cosas. Aprenda qué es un historial de crédito y otras cosas importantes como:   ¿Qué es un informe de crédito?  ¿Qué es el puntaje de crédito? ¿Cómo establecer su crédito?

 

On Aug. 24, 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a Student Debt Relief Plan that includes one-time student loan debt relief targeted to low- and middle-income families.

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) will provide up to $20,000 in debt relief to Federal Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 in debt relief to non-Pell Grant recipients. Borrowers with loans held by ED are eligible for this relief if their individual income is less than $125,000 (or $250,000 for households).

What Do I Need to Know?

An online form will be available by early October. Here are some steps you can take now and in the future.

Step 1: Check if you're eligible

You're eligible for student loan debt relief if your annual federal income was below $125,000 (individual or married, filing separately) or $250,000 (married, filing jointly or head of household) in 2021 or 2020.

• $20,000 in debt relief: If you received a Pell Grant in college and meet the income threshold, you'll be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt relief.
• $10,000 in debt relief: If you did not receive a Pell Grant in college and meet the income threshold, you'll be eligible for up to $10,000 in debt relief.

Step 2: Prepare

Here's what you can do to get ready and to make sure you get our updates:

• Log in to your account on StudentAid.gov and make sure your contact info is up to date. We'll send you updates by both email and text message, so make sure to sign up to receive text alerts. If it's been a while since you've logged in, or you can't remember if you have an account username and password (FSA ID), we offer tips to help you access your account.
• If you don't have a StudentAid.gov account (FSA ID), you should create an account to help you manage your loans.
• Make sure your loan servicer has your most current contact information so they can reach you. If you don't know who your servicer is, you can log in and see your servicer(s) in your account dashboard.

Step 3: Submit your application (when available)

The application will be available online by early October 2022.

We'll share updates on this page and send you an email when the application is available. You'll have until Dec. 31, 2023, to submit your application.

Federal Pell Grants

How Do I Know If I Ever Received a Federal Pell Grant?

Federal Pell Grants typically are awarded to undergraduate students with low or moderate income.

Most borrowers can log in to StudentAid.gov to see if they received a Pell Grant. We display information about the aid you received, including Pell Grants, on your account dashboard and your “My Aid” pages.

Log In to Your Account

When you apply for debt relief, we'll make sure all borrowers who received a Pell Grant receive the full benefit of up to $20,000 in relief if they meet the income requirements. ED has data on all borrowers who received a Pell Grant. If you received a Pell Grant prior to 1994, that information won't display in StudentAid.gov, but you'll still receive the full benefit.

If I have a Pell Grant, do I need to do anything to get the full $20,000 in debt relief?

Do I still qualify for the full $20,000 in debt relief if I received only one Pell Grant?

If I have parent PLUS loans and my child received a Pell Grant, can the full $20,000 in debt relief be applied to my parent PLUS loans?

Which Loans Are Eligible?

The following types of federal student loans with an outstanding balance as of June 30, 2022, are eligible for relief:

• William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans
  
  
  • Subsidized loans
  • Unsubsidized loans
  • Parent PLUS loans
  • Graduate PLUS loans
• Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans held by ED or in default at a guaranty agency
• Federal Perkins Loan Program loans held by ED
• Defaulted loans (includes ED-held or commercially serviced Subsidized Stafford, Unsubsidized Stafford, parent PLUS, and graduate PLUS; and Perkins loans held by ED)

Consolidation loans are eligible for relief, as long as all of the underlying loans that were consolidated were first disbursed on or before June 30, 2022.

How do I know what kinds of loans I have?

Are defaulted loans eligible for debt relief?

Are private loans (i.e., non-federal loans) eligible for debt relief?

Are parent PLUS loans and graduate PLUS loans eligible for debt relief?

Are Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) or Perkins Loans eligible for debt relief?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

General Info About Debt Relief

How can I find out how much debt relief I'll get?

How will I know when debt relief has been applied to my account?

What happens if I still have a loan balance after debt relief is applied?

Am I eligible for a refund if I made voluntary payments during the pandemic?

Do I have to be repaying my loans to be eligible for debt relief?

If I have multiple loans, can I pick which loans get the relief?

How will debt relief be applied to my loans?

Will my debt relief be taxed?

How do I get help if I have questions or need assistance?

Applying for Debt Relief

Will any borrowers receive automatic debt relief?

How will I know if I automatically qualify for debt relief?

When will the online application be available?

How do I know if you received my application?

What happens if I applied for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?

How long do I have to apply for debt relief?

Is there a paper version of the debt relief application?

Beware of Scams

You might be contacted by a company saying they will help you get loan discharge, forgiveness, cancellation, or debt relief for a fee. You never have to pay for help with your federal student aid. Make sure you work only with ED and our trusted partners, and never reveal your personal information or account password to anyone. Our emails to borrowers come from noreply@studentaid.gov.

Learn how to avoid scams and what you can do if you're contacted by a scammer.

Get Support

We'll continue to update this page as we have more details. At this time, our contact center agents have the same information you can read here. After the online form is live, support for the form will be available at 1-833-932-3439.

Hurricane Fiona victims in Puerto Rico qualify for tax relief; Oct. 17 deadline, other dates extended to Feb. 15

 IRS: Hurricane Fiona victims in Puerto Rico qualify for tax relief; Oct. 17 deadline, other dates extended to Feb. 15

WASHINGTON — Hurricane Fiona victims in all 78 Puerto Rican municipalities now have until Feb. 15, 2023, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.

The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This means that individuals and households that reside or have a business anywhere in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico qualify for tax relief. The current list of eligible localities is always available on the disaster relief page on IRS.gov.

The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on Sept. 17, 2022. As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until Feb. 15, 2023, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.

This means individuals who had a valid extension to file their 2021 return due to run out on Oct. 17, 2022, will now have until Feb. 15, 2023, to file. The IRS noted, however, that because tax payments related to these 2021 returns were due on April 18, 2022, those payments are not eligible for this relief. 

The Feb. 15, 2023, deadline also applies to quarterly estimated income tax payments due on Jan. 17, 2023, and the quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Oct. 31, 2022 and Jan. 31, 2023. Businesses with an original or extended due date also have the additional time including, among others, calendar-year corporations whose 2021 extensions run out on Oct. 17, 2022. Similarly, tax-exempt organizations also have the additional time, including for 2021 calendar-year returns with extensions due to run out on Nov. 15, 2022.    

In addition, penalties on payroll and excise tax deposits due after Sept. 17, 2022 and before Oct. 3, 2022, will be abated as long as the deposits are made by Oct. 3, 2022.

The IRS disaster relief page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for the additional time.

The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. Therefore, taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to get this relief. However, if an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS that has an original or extended filing, payment or deposit due date falling within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.

In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area need to contact the IRS at 866-562-5227. This also includes workers assisting the relief activities who are affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization.

Individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this instance, the 2022 return normally filed next year), or the return for the prior year (2021). Be sure to write the FEMA declaration number – DR-3583-EM − on any return claiming a loss. See Publication 547 for details.

The tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the damage caused by Hurricane Fiona and is based on local damage assessments by FEMA. For information on disaster recovery, visit disasterassistance.gov.

200GFS: Contribuyentes deben saber qué anticipar al elegir a un preparador de impuestos

 La fecha límite de prórroga pronto se acerca, pero las personas que se apresuran a presentar sus declaraciones de impuestos deben tener cuidado al escoger un preparador de impuestos. Cualquiera puede ser un preparador de impuestos de oficio si tiene un Número de identificación de preparador de impuestos del IRS. Sin embargo, los profesionales tienen diferentes niveles de destreza, educación y experiencia.

Las necesidades de un contribuyente determinarán el tipo de preparador de mejor conveniencia. La mayoría de los preparadores de declaraciones de impuestos proveen un servicio tributario excelente y profesional. Sin embargo, cada año, algunos contribuyentes son engañados por preparadores de impuestos de poca confianza y sin ética. Al final del día, el contribuyente es responsable por la información en su declaración, sin importar quién la preparó.

Para escoger un preparador de impuestos que cumpla con sus requisitos, los contribuyentes deben:

• Consultar el Directorio de preparadores de declaraciones de impuestos federales del IRS (en inglés). Este directorio público para buscar y clasificar a preparadores ayuda a los contribuyentes a encontrar un preparador con calificaciones específicas.
• Investigar el historial del preparador con el Better Business Bureau. Contribuyentes deben investigar alguna acción disciplinaria hacia un preparador de impuestos con credenciales. Para un contador público certificado, verifique con el consejo estatal de contabilidad. Para abogados, verifique con el colegio de abogados del estado. Para agentes inscritos, verifique el estado del agente (en inglés) en IRS.gov.
• Preguntar acerca de cuotas. Contribuyentes deben evitar usar preparadores de impuestos que basan sus cuotas en un porcentaje del reembolso o que ofrecen depositar el monto total o parcial de su reembolso a sus propias cuentas financieras. Deben tener cuidado con preparadores de impuestos que dicen que pueden obtener un reembolso mayor que sus competidores.
• Preguntar si su preparador planifica usar Free File del IRS. Contribuyentes deben asegurarse de que su preparador ofrezca presentar su declaración electrónicamente a través de Free File del IRS.
• Asegurarse de que su preparador esté disponible. Algunos preparadores de impuestos trabajan por temporada. Contribuyentes deben considerar si el preparador de impuestos estará disponible después de que pase la fecha límite de la temporada de declaraciones de impuestos. Puede ser que lo necesiten para contestar preguntas acerca de la preparación de su declaración.
• Asegurarse de que el preparador firme e incluya su número de identificación de preparador de impuestos. Todos los preparadores de impuestos de oficio deben tener un PTIN para preparar declaraciones de impuestos. Los preparadores deben firmar las declaraciones e incluir su PTIN.
• Entender las credenciales del preparador. Agentes inscritos (en inglés), contadores públicos certificados y abogados tienen derechos ilimitados de práctica y representan a contribuyentes en cualquier asunto tributario ante el IRS. Sin embargo, preparadores que participan en el Programa anual de temporada de impuestos (en inglés) tienen derechos limitados de práctica. Deben preparar y firmar la declaración y solo pueden representar al contribuyente por actividades del Servicio del Defensor del Contribuyente y de servicio al cliente, solo antes de cualquier análisis de la declaración de impuestos.
• 200GFS

200gfs Presenta: Todos los contribuyentes deben conocer los tipos de autorizaciones para representantes de terceros

 Al trabajar con el IRS, los contribuyentes tienen derecho a representarse a sí mismos. También pueden elegir una tercera persona para que les represente, como un profesional de impuestos o un miembro de la familia. Los contribuyentes deben asegurarse de que su representante está autorizado a ejercer ante el IRS (en inglés).

Los contribuyentes que quieran que un tercero les represente deben concederles formalmente la autorización para hacerlo.

A continuación, se presentan diferentes tipos de autorizaciones de terceros:

• Poder legal (en inglés) – Permite que alguien represente a un contribuyente en asuntos tributarios ante el IRS. El representante debe ser una persona autorizada para ejercer ante el IRS.
• Autorización de Información Tributaria (en inglés) – Designa a cualquier persona para revisar o recibir la información tributaria confidencial de un contribuyente para el tipo de impuesto durante un período determinado.
• Tercero autorizado (en inglés) – Designa a una persona en el formulario de impuestos del contribuyente para discutir esa declaración de impuestos específica y el año con el IRS.
• Divulgación oral (en inglés) – Autoriza al IRS a revelar la información tributaria del contribuyente a una persona que el contribuyente trae a una llamada telefónica o reunión con el IRS acerca de un asunto tributario específico.

Incluso con un tercero autorizado que les represente, los contribuyentes son en última instancia responsables del cumplimiento de sus obligaciones tributarias.

Representación para personas con bajos ingresos

Las Clínicas para Contribuyentes de Bajos Ingresos (LITC, por sus siglas en inglés) son independientes del Servicio de Impuestos Internos y del Servicio de Defensa del Contribuyente. Las LITC representan a personas con ingresos menores a un determinado nivel y que necesitan resolver problemas tributarios con el IRS. Estas clínicas pueden representar a los contribuyentes en auditorías, apelaciones y disputas de cobro de impuestos ante el IRS y en los tribunales. Además, los LITC pueden proporcionar información acerca de los derechos y responsabilidades de los contribuyentes en diferentes idiomas. Los servicios son gratuitos o pueden costar una pequeña cuota.

Es importante decir la verdad sobre la ayuda para deudores hipotecarios

 Si estás teniendo dificultades para pagar tu hipoteca, tenemos algunos consejos sobre lo que puedes hacer. También queremos que sepas que hay compañías que te dirán que te van a ayudar pero que se aprovecharan de ti.

Hoy, la FTC y el Departamento de Protección e Innovación Financiera de California (DFPI) anunciaron una demanda contra Home Matters USA, Academy Home Services, Atlantic Pacific Service Group, Golden Home Services America y contra sus propietarios por cobrarles ilegalmente a las personas miles de dólares por adelantado con la falsa promesa de que la compañía negociaría tasas de interés o pagos mensuales más bajos para sus hipotecas.

Según la FTC, Home Matters también les hizo creer a las personas que la compañía estaba vinculada con programas gubernamentales de alivio para deudores hipotecarios y programas de asistencia relacionados con el COVID-19 y les dijo que podría inscribirlas en dichos programas. La compañía también le dijo a la gente que dejara de pagar y de comunicarse con sus compañías hipotecarias durante los tres meses estimados que Home Matters dijo que tardaría en obtener la modificación.

Pero en muchos casos, la compañía nunca obtuvo la modificación prometida, y la gente no solo perdió el dinero que le pagó a Home Matters, sino que también tuvo que pagarles más a sus respectivos prestadores hipotecarios para evitar la ejecución hipotecaria. El resultado fue que mucha gente terminó con puntajes de crédito más bajos, con sus casas bajo ejecución hipotecaria, e incluso perdiendo sus casas por completo.

Si estás teniendo problemas para pagar tu hipoteca, o si recibiste un aviso de ejecución hipotecaria, comunícate con el administrador de tu hipoteca, incluso si ya estás en el proceso de ejecución. También tienes la opción de hablar con un consejero certificado en temas de vivienda gratuitamente. Busca la lista de agencias de asesoría en temas de vivienda aprobadas en hud.gov.

Two Hundred Global Financial Solutions