Overview of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is a $1.9 trillion emergency economic stimulus package proposed by President Joe Biden and passed by Congress. It is intended to relieve individuals, families, and businesses impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.
In this article, we’ll discuss the key features of the ARPA, as well as its potential impact on the economy.
Summary of the Act
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021. The plan is intended to provide economic relief in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. At its core, the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act provides:
- Additional direct payments are $1400/person for Americans earning less than $75,000.
- Increased unemployment benefits.
- Additional funding for state and local governments.
- Additional aid to schools, health care providers and vaccine distribution.
- Rent relief and eviction moratoriums.
- Funding for a childcare tax credit.
- An extension of the payroll protection plan loan program through June 30th, 2021.
- Extended tax credits for those with dependents, education credits, incentives to rehire laid-off employees, and senior citizen retirement tax relief, among other provisions.
The Act’s measures are designed to support individuals and businesses in need across various sectors during this economic hardship due to the global pandemic. It also assists state and local governments and extends additional support to vaccine distribution efforts across all states with updated funds available immediately upon passage of the bill.
Overall, targeted assistance warranted by this act should help boost employment numbers following its passage thus bringing some short-term economic stability while allowing an opportunity for expansion in industries that have seen major losses in 2020 due to the pandemic and its effects on businesses around the country.
This Act includes direct payments to individuals, expanded unemployment benefits, and aid to states and local governments.
Impact on the Economy
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is a $1.9 trillion economic relief package proposed by President Joe Biden and approved by Congress. This bill includes $1,400 stimulus checks, billions of dollars in unemployment insurance, rental assistance, and direct payments for small businesses, among other items. It also expands child tax credits and increases the minimum wage across the US to $15 an hour over the next 4 years. These changes could impact both individuals’ finances as well as nationwide economic activity, including:
-Boosting consumer spending: The direct relief payments for people and families will circulate through the economy as consumers purchase with their additional money.
-Increasing government spending: In addition to direct aid to individuals and families of eligible workers, this bill provides grants for investments in public services such as infrastructure projects and health care. This could help boost employment and encourage local businesses to hire more workers.
-Encouraging economic growth: The increased spending could help stimulate economic growth by raising demand in the markets and creating new jobs in various sectors of the economy.
-Helping small businesses: The American Rescue Plan includes emergency grants for small businesses affected by the pandemic through various funding programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This could lead to increased employment at these firms, creating more jobs across numerous industries.
Overall, it is expected that this huge stimulus package will improve both short-term issues due to Covid-19 such as increased unemployment benefits or cash payments from taxpayers and long-term problems that were present prior such as raising minimum wage or increasing taxes on households making over $400 thousand annually. However, there are potential for mixed outcomes depending on how this legislation is implemented. Hence, staying informed about its upcoming impacts on your finances and the overall economy is important!
Impact on Individuals
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law in March 2021, is a $1.9 trillion relief package to help individuals, families, small businesses, and the economy.
This Act includes direct payments to individuals, expanded unemployment benefits, and aid to states and local governments.
In this section, we will explore the impact of this Act on individuals.
Stimulus Checks
In 2020, the federal government issued several rounds of stimulus payments, with individuals receiving up to $1,200 and married couples receiving up to $2,400. These payments have had a wide-reaching impact on individuals across the country.
The U.S. Census Bureau released survey data showing that one-third of Americans used the stimulus checks to pay down debt accrued from medical bills, student loans and other expenses. Additionally, many households used these funds for basic needs such as food and housing and purchasing essential items like clothing or electronics that they could not have afforded otherwise.
Many people also chose to focus their stimulus payments toward investments, such as stocks or mutual funds. This had an additional positive effect on both individual consumers and businesses in the stock market which experienced a steady increase during this period of relief spending.
The effects of these payments ran far beyond providing temporary relief for struggling households —stimulus checks had a major impact across multiple sectors. They gave families a way to manage their finances in uncertain times.
Expansion of Child Tax Credit
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) will significantly expand the Child Tax Credit (CTC) in the next two years. Under ARPA, the credit will increase to $3,000 per qualifying child ages 6-17 and $3,600 per qualifying child under age 6 for 2021. This is an increase from $2,000 that a parent or guardian could receive in 2020 from the CTC.
The legislation also makes this refundable credit fully-refundable for parents who owe no taxes. In addition, ARPA provides an additional advance payment option allowing up to 50 percent of the total CTC to be received in advance by July 15th of each year—providing support when families need it most. This advance payment provision could provide financial relief to millions of families with young children who may be unable to afford essential items such as housing and food throughout the year due to ongoing economic hardship.
Extension of Unemployment Benefits
The extension of unemployment benefits helps to decrease the economic strain on individuals who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, this support can provide them financial stability as they look for a new job or wait for the labour market to recover.
The United States federal government has enacted policies that expand current unemployment insurance programs and create additional assistance. For example, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act implemented a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which extended coverage to gig workers, independent contractors and other self-employed individuals who do not usually qualify for regular state or federal unemployment benefits. The extra $300 a week in Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) keeps unemployment insurance rates consistent across all states by supplementing existing state emergency funds. In addition, the extended Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation(PEUC), grants eligible unemployed individuals up to 24 weeks of additional payments after their previous PUA or traditional Unemployment Insurance claim period ends.
These provisions provide workers with much needed financial assistance during economic hardship due to the pandemics. This can prevent families from becoming homeless, hunger or increase stress levels related to money management during these challenging times. Greater access to these benefit programs can help reduce poverty and inequality while protecting millions of people from sliding deeper into poverty and financial insecurity.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is a $1.9 trillion economic relief package proposed by President Joe Biden and approved by Congress. This bill includes $1,400 stimulus checks, billions of dollars in unemployment insurance, rental assistance, and direct payments for small businesses, among other items.
Impact on Businesses
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) is an unprecedented economic stimulus plan passed by Congress to alleviate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This act is set to provide billions of dollars in tax credits and incentives to businesses, which will help them recover from the pandemic’s economic impact.
In this article, we will look at how businesses may benefit from the ARPA and its possible impact on the economy.
Tax Credits for Paid Sick and Family Leave
Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), eligible employers can receive tax credits that reimburse them for certain costs associated with providing employees with expanded paid sick and family leave. The tax credits are designed to encourage employers to provide this extra leave.
Under the FFCRA, eligible employers can claim a 100% payroll tax credit for any wages paid under the Act, up to a maximum of $511 per day for those giving expanded Family Medical Leave and $200 per day for those giving expanded Sick Time Leave when the employee cannot work but still must be compensated due to incapacity or quarantine.
Tax credits that qualify for reimbursement under the FFCRA may only be used against an employer’s share of Medicare taxes imposed on its employees and its share of Medicare taxes imposed on itself as an employer. Employers can also elect to receive a payroll tax credit against their total liability for social security taxes instead of Medicare taxes. The Department of Labor has clear guidance on how employers can access these tax credits.
Eligible employers can use Form 941, the quarterly Estimated Tax Return, to reduce their deposits against their estimated income and employment taxes or state equivalent withholding. At the same time, they await reimbursement from their refund applications concerning qualified wages that have been paid during periods covered by FFCRA Credits.
Employee Retention Tax Credit
The Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) is a tax incentive designed to help struggling businesses retain their employees during the COVID-19 outbreak. Under the CARES Act, businesses affected by COVID-19 can receive a refundable tax credit equal to 50 percent of qualified wages paid per employee up to $10,000 total for the period beginning March 13, 2020 and ending December 31, 2020.
This credit is available for businesses with revenue losses of at least 50 percent or those whose operations were fully or partially suspended due to governmental orders related to COVID-19. To claim this credit, employers must fill out IRS Form 941 and provide documentation showing that wages were paid during the year and that an economic hardship was experienced due to COVID-19. The maximum credit available per employee is $5,000 under this program.
For employers looking at ways to support their employees during this difficult time, ERTC can be beneficial as it helps provide relief without compromising cash flow or having additional payroll expenses. Employers may also save on employment taxes since qualified wages do not count toward Social Security or Medicare tax liabilities. Businesses should consult with their financial advisors before taking advantage of new laws or regulations surrounding taxes as certain conditions may apply depending on individual circumstances.
Expansion of the Paycheck Protection Program
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) is designed to provide important economic relief to individuals, families and businesses in response to the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. One key new law provision is expanding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The PPP was created by the CARES Act in 2020 and was designed to help small businesses during the pandemic, with loans that can be forgiven if certain criteria are met. The ARPA allows for an additional allocation of $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program and extends it until May 31st, 2021.
The purpose of this extension is to provide additional financial support for small businesses hit hard by coronavirus restrictions and help them keep their employees on payrolls. It also opens access to PPP funds for newer small businesses, such as those that opened in 2020 and did not operate during part or all of 2019.
These expanded funds should provide a much-needed boost for small businesses, allowing them to pay their staff and expenses while adapting to new regulations and restrictions imposed due to the pandemic. It will also ensure that they have enough resources to keep trading while focusing on recovery efforts going forward.
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 is set to provide $350 billion for state and local governments to help aid the economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. This economic relief package is designed to put money in the hands of those who need it most and help stimulate economic activity and job growth.
This section will discuss the impact this act could have on state and local governments.
Allocation of Funds
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 will provide $350 billion for state and local government assistance, allowing them to cover costs related to COVID-19 incurred due the pandemic. Most funds will be allocated according to a formula considering population density and lost revenue resulting from tax decreases due to the pandemic. Additionally, some funds are allocated based on labour costs related to COVID-19 response (e.g. contact tracing).
In terms of how state and local governments can use these funds, they are generally available for responding to health care needs such as testing and vaccinating individuals, providing relief money to individuals in need, supporting public services such as schools and childcare programs, addressing economic consequences such as job loss or small business closures, or assisting with other measures related to the continued response against COVID-19. The funds are also available for paying back debts incurred in 2020 for governments to cover costs related to their respective pandemic responses.
Allocation of funds through this bill could provide much needed relief for state and local governments that reduced revenues have severely impacted due to economic downturns during the pandemic – likely allowing them more flexibility when it comes time for budgeting those types of expenses next year than would be possible without it.
Impact on Education
Public education is one of the primary focuses of state and local governments, with much of the budget directed to K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions. As a result, changes at the state congressional level can profoundly impact educational standards, curricula and funding for both K-12 schools and universities.
State policies govern which educational standards are implemented within each school district. These standards determine what students are to learn within each grade level and the extent to which they may advance academically within their school district or even move on to a post-secondary program. State legislation also influences student expenditures in extracurricular activities such as sports, band or other clubs.
These public funding measures also impact university admissions, with more eligible students receiving grants from government programs if state policies allow for expanded support from these sources. Moreover, student achievement is often directly linked to local education spending levels; thus, changes in funding levels can significantly influence the quality of a student’s instruction and access to higher levels of education or employment opportunities upon graduation. State policies can undoubtedly shape student experiences inside and outside their learning environment.
This economic relief package is designed to put money in the hands of those who need it most and help stimulate economic activity and job growth.
Impact on Health Care
The impact of Covid-19 on states and local governments has been significantly felt in areas such as health care. The virus has strained the state and local government healthcare budgets by increasing medical spending. In addition, many health care workers were infected while testing, caring for, and treating patients with the virus. As a result, hospitals were left short-staffed and had to cut back on resources due to the financial strain.
The drop in public health funding has severely impacted state and local governments. For example, many states experienced drastic cuts in hospital reimbursement rates for services related to Covid-19; this resulted in hospitals being forced to ensure only essential treatments are covered due to shortage of resources and finances. Besides this, many states have had difficulties providing support for facility expansions and adaptations as well as emergency staffing shortages among healthcare staff due to closed or overburdened facilities.
Due to limited resources available, the virus has made it difficult for state and local governments to adequately provide health care services. The outbreak will likely leave long-term mental and physical health consequences if no concrete solutions are developed soon.
tags = Resources on Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, Resources on Other Sources of Funding in American Rescue Plan Act, Economic Development Resources, Assistance to Individuals and Businesses, 700m american rescue plan vafeinercnbc, virginia 700m american rescue plan vafeinercnbc
