COVID RENT RELIEF PROGRAM New York State has extended the deadline to Thursday, August 6, 2020 to apply for the COVID Rent Relief Program to help households experiencing an increase in their rent burden due to a loss of income during the COVID-19 crisis. Visit https://hcr.ny.gov/RRP for more information. To qualify for COVID Rent Relief Assistance, applicants must meet…
Seniors’ and Disabled Right to Part Ways With Their Landlord Update! The law was amended in June 2019 to include disabled persons. The New York State Legislature amended Real Property Law §227-a in 2019 to include “individuals with a disability” as additional covered persons under the statute. Under the amended statute, any individuals…
THE PANDEMIC AND YOUR FINANCES Many of us have been financially impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. There has been a lack of income due to loss of jobs, company layoffs and non-essential businesses being closed. Rent and mortgages are due, monthly bills are stacking up, spending has increased, and credit cards have been maxed out….
SMALL BUSINESS THREATENED It has always been a challenge for the small business person to develop and operate the business of their dreams. Regulations, big box and on-line competition, demanding credit sources and long hours are the price entrepreneurs pay for independence. Now on top of those forces has come the Covid-19 plague and society’s…
TAPPING INTO YOUR 401(k) DURING COVID-19 The coronavirus pandemic has reduced income to millions of Americans. As part of the CARES Act, Congress enacted special rules pertaining to early withdrawals and loans from tax-favored savings vehicles like 401(k) and IRA accounts. Withdrawals Previously, an early withdrawal from a 401(k) or IRA was subject to a…
THE STATE OF FORECLOSURES DURING COVID-19 The stage of foreclosures during COVID-19. In a recent Executive Order, Governor Cuomo addressed the need to provide financial relief to the citizens of New York. The directive set forth the following: Forbearance with respect to mortgage payments for 90 days from the due date for any person or…
TIPS FOR LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS COPING WITH THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN NEW YORK With the unprecedented impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, many landlords and property managers in New York are considering their options under existing leases to determine the best path forward. Whether you’re a residential or commercial landlord or property manager for a…
DEBT SETTLEMENT VERSUS BANKRUPTCY We have all seen the multiple television advertisements for various debt settlement companies as a way to pay your creditors, protect your credit, and a means to avoid bankruptcy. Bankruptcy, still to this day, carries a stigma that most people shy away from. The debt settlement companies play on this thought…
ATTENTION PROPERTY OWNERS OF RESIDENTIAL, MULTIFAMILY, AND INVESTMENT PROPERTIES Recent changes in landlord tenant-laws in New York have been impactful for property owners of residential, multifamily, and investment properties. Of particular significance has been the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (“HSTPA”), signed into law on June 14, 2019. HSTPA has impacted almost…
It’s Tax Protection Time Coming up fast is the one time of the year that you can question your real property taxes by having your real property tax assessment reviewed. That review should be done to make sure that you are not paying more than your fair share. If you…
