The federal government reported $186 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2025, according to the Government Accountability Office — an increase of $24 billion from the prior year. The figure spans 15 agencies and 64 different programs, and it puts a concrete number on a problem that’s persisted for more than two decades: getting […]
Roughly 1 in 4 unemployed Americans have now been out of work for 27 weeks or longer — the standard definition of long-term unemployment. As of January 2026, about 1.835 million people fell into that category, representing 25.0% of all unemployed workers. That’s a striking share given that overall layoffs remain historically low, and it […]
New unemployment claims fell to their lowest level in 10 weeks, the latest sign that U.S. layoffs remain historically low even as other parts of the economy send mixed signals. The Labor Department’s weekly snapshot points to a labor market that, for now, is holding up better than many forecasters expected. What the Numbers Actually […]
Michigan has added a new exception to its unemployment insurance rules specifically for domestic violence survivors. Under a law that took effect July 17, 2026, survivors who quit their jobs because of domestic violence can now qualify for unemployment benefits — a significant departure from the usual rule that voluntarily leaving a job disqualifies a […]
The high-profile July 10, 2026 deadline for filing protective claims tied to the Kwong decision has now passed — but that doesn’t mean every taxpayer who missed it is out of luck, and it doesn’t mean everyone who qualifies has already filed. Here’s what the Kwong deadline actually covered, who still has options, and how […]
Michigan unemployment claimants now have to work harder to keep their benefits. Starting the week of July 19, 2026, the state tripled its weekly work-search requirement — from one job-search activity a week to three — and failing to log them can put a claimant’s benefits at risk. What Changed, Specifically Before this change, claimants […]
August 2026 brings a mix of scheduled federal benefit payments and a fair amount of online misinformation about payments that don’t actually exist. Here’s what’s real, what’s confirmed, and what to ignore if you’re trying to track government money coming your way this month. SSI Payments Land a Day Early Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients […]
Canadian families are seeing a bigger Canada Child Benefit (CCB) deposit this month, as the annual indexation increase that took effect in July 2026 carries through to the August payment. The Canada Revenue Agency recalculates CCB amounts every July using the prior year’s income and the latest inflation adjustment, and this year’s bump pushes the […]
UK households on Universal Credit, the State Pension, and other Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) benefits are heading into July 2026 with a mix of good and bad news: payments should land on time with none of the bank-holiday disruption that hits other months, but a fresh jump in the energy price cap will […]
A new quarterly payment worth up to $1,826 a year started landing in Canadian bank accounts this month. It’s called the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB), and it replaces the GST/HST credit — with a real increase built in. What it pays Household type Maximum amount (2026-27) Single person $679/year Couple $890/year Per eligible […]