Government & Policy
Legislation, executive orders, regulatory changes, and government actions that directly impact personal finances, taxes, benefits, or the economy.
Latest in Government & Policy
SNAP theft victims can no longer get stolen benefits replaced with federal money after a program lapsed
Millions of Americans who rely on SNAP benefits to buy groceries lost a critical safety net on December 20, 2024, when Congress allowed the only...
Adults ages 55 to 64 must now work 80 hours a month to keep food stamps, and 4 million have already dropped off
Millions of adults between 55 and 64 years old now face a stark choice: log 80 hours a month of work, training, or volunteering, or...
The government has collected $282 million from defaulted student-loan borrowers since May
Millions of federal student-loan borrowers in default are losing portions of their tax refunds, federal salaries, and benefit payments after the Department of Education restarted...
Medicaid work-rule notices go out June 30 through August 31, and missing yours can cost your coverage
Medicaid expansion enrollees in states like Nebraska and Michigan are receiving notices this summer that could determine whether they keep their health coverage. Under the...
Babies born in 2026 get a $1,000 government-seeded investment account under a new law
Every child born in the United States in 2026 is now eligible for a $1,000 government-funded investment account, seeded automatically under a program created by...
Arizona’s food-stamp rolls have dropped 53% since new work rules hit
Hundreds of thousands of Arizona residents who relied on federal food assistance are no longer receiving benefits after tighter work requirements took effect under H.R....
A congressional plan could cut disability pay for up to 1.5 million veterans by $57 billion
Up to 1.5 million veterans could see their future disability payments reduced by a combined $57 billion over the next decade under a House Republican...
A federal program helps low-income families pay summer cooling bills, yet most never apply
Millions of low-income households across the United States qualify for federal help paying summer cooling bills, but most never receive it. The Low Income Home...
Georgia now makes stores take exact change and round in your favor if the penny disappears
Georgia shoppers paying with cash will now have every transaction total rounded to the nearest nickel, with the rounding tilted in their favor when pennies...
Florida’s new law forces restaurants to show mandatory fees up front, not on the final bill
Florida diners are set to see mandatory restaurant fees before they order, not as a surprise line on the check, under a new state law...
Who can claim $319 to $638 with no proof? Anyone who got a wrong-number Molina robocall
People who received automated calls from Molina Healthcare on a phone number that was never theirs could collect between $319 and $638 each, with no...
Washington’s July 4 airspace rules will close Reagan National and snarl East Coast flights
Travelers flying through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on July 3 and July 4 face a full shutdown of arrivals and departures as the FAA...
Montana and Arkansas start Medicaid work rules July 1, requiring 80 hours a month
Tens of thousands of adults enrolled in Medicaid expansion programs in Montana and Arkansas face a new condition for keeping their health coverage. Starting July...
Nearly 12 million people could lose Medicaid this decade, most over paperwork, not work
Millions of Americans enrolled in Medicaid face the prospect of losing coverage over the next decade, and the primary driver is not whether they hold...
New Jersey’s Stay NJ program can cut eligible seniors’ property taxes by up to $6,500
New Jersey seniors who own their homes stand to receive up to $6,500 in annual property tax relief under the Stay NJ program, which reimburses...
Enhanced ACA subsidies expire December 31, and premiums could jump for millions
Millions of Americans who purchased health coverage through ACA marketplaces during the 2026 open enrollment period could see their monthly premiums rise sharply when the...
A federal court blocked five states from banning soda and candy on food stamps
Millions of SNAP recipients in five states will keep buying soda and candy with federal benefits after a federal judge struck down USDA-approved waivers that...
The VA now decides disability claims in about 79 days, down from 141 a year ago
Veterans waiting on disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs are now getting decisions roughly 80 percent faster than they were at the start...
A bill raising benefits for catastrophically disabled veterans and Gold Star families cleared the House, now the Senate
Veterans with the most severe service-connected disabilities and surviving families of fallen service members stand to receive higher federal benefits after the House passed H.R....
Some New York cities can now cut seniors’ property-tax values up to 65%
Older homeowners across New York State stand to save thousands of dollars a year on property taxes after Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation raising the...