Author: Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press

Scammers steal hope, as well as cash, as they target job hunters during the pandemic. Some consumers report losing $1,500 or more to job scams.

The IRS has sent letters to roughly 9 million people who have not yet gotten stimulus checks. An Oct. 15 deadline looms to claim money before 2021.

Some who filed paper tax returns in February and March continued to wait for their federal income tax refunds in September after COVID-19 delays.

Look for ways to redirect any student loan payments that don’t need to be made until 2021, as the break doesn’t last forever.

The military and federal civilian employees will need to deal with a payroll tax break, which will need to be paid back next year. But others won’t.

The phony invoice is a way to trick businesses — and consumers — into handing over cash and ID information. A new batch hit some PayPal accounts.

Consumers filed 27,106 complaints relating to online shopping through Aug. 26, triggering more than $16 million in losses, according to the FTC.

Changes in the tax rules beginning in 2018 eliminated some tax breaks for home offices if the worker was required by the employer to work from home.

The COVID-19 crisis is driving more students to appeal for extra financial aid now. Given that some staff may be working remotely, plan for delays.

Four months after the rollout, those left waiting for stimulus include some lower income families with children and others with spouse is in jail.