7 On Your Side shares pay disruption assistance programs for furloughed workers
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Nearly 1.4 million federal workers are going without their salaries as the government shutdown continues.
Some financial institutions are stepping up to offer relief for government workers.
The first zero pay day for furloughed workers was two weeks ago.
With no money coming in and bills piling up, many companies have solutions to bridge the gap in income. But proceed with caution.
"We know there has been anxiety and uncertainty about meeting basic needs," USAA financial expert Daniel Diaz said.
USAA's government shutdown program offers pay disruption assistance for federal employees and military service members.
"We have issued over $400 million in relief to 120,000 impacted USAA members that are federal employees or military service members," Diaz said.
From credit unions like Navy Federal to traditional banks like Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo, the range of relief programs includes:
- Waiving Fees
- Payment Deferrals
- No Interest Loans
PayPal set aside $25 million worth of interest-free cash advances for federal workers with a minimum of $250 and a max of $500.
Synchrony Bank, which handles store cards for Amazon, Lowe's, Walmart and other big retailers, is allowing affected customers to defer payments until after the shutdown.
If you are having trouble making mortgage, car or credit card payments, contact your loan servicer directly.
Pay disruption assistance for those who qualify includes:
- Loan modifications
- Payment Deadline Extensions
- Late Fee Waivers
- Interest Pauses
Debt will be due in full and not forgiven, so make sure to budget as best as you can.
"We don't want people to take on high-interest credit cards or high-interest loans just because they're trying to figure out their day-to-day finances, doesn't mean they need to be put in a position to be taken advantage of," Diaz said.
Beware of scammers posing as your bank. If you get a text message or a phone call, hang up or delete the message. Only call the phone number on the back of your card.
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