Money

Despite the coronavirus pandemic and a slowed-down economy, less than half of American adults are worried about money, according to a new Bankrate study.

The IRS released new financial relief guidance related to the coronavirus pandemic on Friday, allowing more people to draw from their retirement accounts without penalty.

SEATTLE -- Around 50 National Guard members arrived Thursday to help the Employment Security Department with the enormous backlog in claims. Another 50 are expected to arrive in the next few weeks.

The extra $600 a week in unemployment benefits put in place to help Americans who lost their jobs during the coronavirus pandemic is set to expire at the end of July, but lawmakers are at odds over additional aid for the tens of millions of individuals who are still out of work.

REDMOND, Wash. --  "All the kids come with their dogs, it's not a house, it's a home.

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. -- The Legislature's plan to fully fund public education is about to have a real impact on homeowners in Puget Sound.Last year, lawmakers made a deal to spend $2 billion more for education.This came after the state Supreme Court held legislators in contempt for not performing their paramount duty of fully funding public education.The ruling, known as the McCleary decision, came down in 2012.

SEATTLE -- King County homeowners should expect to see higher property taxes by an average of nearly 17 percent when bills are sent next month.King County Assessor John Wilson tells our news partner The Seattle Times that the state's new school-funding plan is the main reason.

REDMOND, Wash. -- Somewhere in your mailbox or near your kitchen table is a February 13 special election voters guide.Most of the measures on the ballot involve local bonds and levies to pay for education.And in many communities, the issue of passing local taxes and new bonds to build schools is a passionate one.In the Lake Washington School District, there is a heated campaign on both sides.Persuasion just takes one call or one sign.Q13 News met with two women campaigning for different outcomes.Martha Deamicis has been calling voters to ask for support for a new bond and the renewal of two levies.While Susan Wilkins is posting colorful signs all over town calling for the ballot measures to be rejected.Wilkins says she doesn't want her money to go into a new bond that's asking for $299 million to build two new schools and improve or rebuild existing ones.“To tear the whole thing down and rebuild it, such a waste,” Wilkins said.

SPANAWAY, Wash.  -- As the state pumps more money into schools, one local school district says the state’s new formula is flawed, at least for their district.The Bethel School District is worried about teacher salaries, saying they are at a big disadvantage compared to other districts in Pierce County.During class transitions at Cedarcrest Middle School in Spanaway, more than 700 students converge into the hallways.

SEATTLE -- Property taxes across King County will increase about 17 percent on average this year, primarily because of additional funding for K-12 education, the county announced Tuesday.About 57 percent of property tax revenue collected in King County pays for schools, the county said in a news release.

CARNATION, Wash. – The small Snoqualmie Valley community is a far cry from Seattle or the other bigger cities on the Eastside.

KENT, Wash. --  You have until  8 p.m. Tuesday to return your ballot for the February special election.

TACOMA, Wash. -- Brace yourself, property owners.Tax bills are coming.Homeowners in Pierce County will see anywhere from a 6.47 percent year-to-year increase at the low end, to a 24.52 percent increase at the high end, according to Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer Mike Lonergan."This is going to be a year of pretty big surprise when people open up their tax statement," Lonergan said.Tax bills will be mailed out Thursday, hitting mailboxes Friday or Saturday.A new state-mandated property tax increase for education will be added to existing school taxes, adding about $1.03 per $1,000 of assessed home value.

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Senate Democrats unveiled a plan Monday that would use a projected increase in state revenues to expedite the timeline on fully funding teacher salaries as they work on the final component to bring Washington state into compliance with a state Supreme Court mandate on education.The plan also looks to do a onetime property tax cut for homeowners.Last week, lawmakers learned that state revenue projections look to increase by about $1.3 billion more than expected through 2021.

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — House Democrats unveiled a budget proposal Tuesday that sticks to an education funding timeline that the state Supreme Court has previously rejected and also includes a capital gains tax for long-term property tax relief.

It’s not every day firefighters show up at your front step when you don’t have an emergency. But on Thursday, Graham firefighters went door to door personally asking for help.

Bringing City Hall to West Seattle, Mayor Jenny Durkan addressed the concern for affordable housing directly from those affected by King County’s property tax increase.