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For anyone hoping that new IRS direct deposit relief payments would arrive this November, the IRS and federal officials say no new stimulus or relief payments have been approved for 2025. IRS Direct Deposit Relief Payment The claims follow months of online discussion about potential federal aid programs. According to USA Today, payments have been referred to under labels such as “direct deposit relief,” “tariff rebate,” or “DOGE dividend.” The IRS says no new federal stimulus payments or rebates have been authorized, per the outlet. The only proposal under consideration is the American Worker Rebate Act of 2025, introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), which would provide payments ranging from $600 to $2,400 to qualifying taxpayers if enacted. As of November, the bill has not moved through Congress, and no payments are currently authorized. USA Today also noted that the last round of federal stimulus payments was distributed in response to the pandemic. Individuals who did not...
Citibank has lowered its base lending rate by 0.25% on Oct. 30, 2025, from 7.25% to 7.00%, according to a Citibank news release. This follows a similar reduction in September, the bank announced, and comes a day after the U.S. Federal Reserve lowered its policy rate to a 3.75%–4.00% range, the lowest in three years, CNN reports. Borrowers with floating-rate loans tied to Citibank’s base rate may see lower interest payments, potentially saving hundreds of dollars annually, according to The Economic Times. The cut aligns the bank’s lending rate with the U.S. prime rate, standardizing borrowing costs for individuals and businesses. Loans such as mortgages, auto financing, and business credit lines tied to the base rate will see immediate changes in monthly payments. Citigroup, Citibank’s parent company, operates in more than 180 countries, offering personal banking, wealth management, and capital markets services, the outlet notes. Citi has a market capitalization of $177.36 billion,...
Millions of people across the U.S. felt the effects of Amazon Web Services (AWS) going offline. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the global outage on Monday, Oct. 20, disrupted access to websites, apps, and services across sectors. As recovery continues, new details are emerging about just how integral AWS is to everyday digital life. According to CNN, the outage rippled through nearly every aspect of daily routines. People couldn’t order coffee through mobile apps, teachers couldn’t access lesson plans, and smart home systems like Ring and Blink cameras stopped working. For many, it was more than just an inconvenience. Hospitals also lost key communications tools, and customers at digital banks such as Chime couldn’t access their money. The shutdown underscored how essential AWS has become to digital infrastructure. The platform provides the behind-the-scenes computing power for millions of businesses, offering storage, servers, and data management tools that keep operations...
The U.S. government has been shut down since Oct. 1, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. Two weeks later, both the Republicans and Democrats show little sign of compromise. Senate Votes On Government Shutdown On Oct. 14, the Senate rejected the House-passed stopgap funding bill for an eighth time, a bill that would have funded the federal government through Nov. 21, NBC News reports . Another vote is scheduled for Oct. 15, according to the outlet. Republicans argue that Senate Democrats should approve the short-term funding measure to reopen the government and address policy differences separately, while Democrats insist that any funding bill must include provisions to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies. Republicans have accused Democrats of holding the government “hostage” to their healthcare priorities. On the other hand, Democrats see the debate over healthcare funding as a strategic opportunity to unite their party after the 2024 election and reset the narrative ahead of the 2026...
Will there be another round of a federal stimulus or state-issued refund? The Austin American-Statesman reports that officials have no confirmed plans for new payments for Texans. The outlet shares that any federal relief would require approval from Congress. Some states have recently issued their own relief payments. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, New York is sending one-time inflation refund checks of up to $400 to more than 8 million residents throughout the state. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, the Treasury Department announced in September that it would send property-tax relief payments to nearly 300,000 residents, including renters, according to the New Jersey Digest. Texas, however, has not launched a similar program, per the Austin American-Statesman. At the federal level, lawmakers have not authorized a fourth round of stimulus payments, and the IRS has not scheduled any new direct deposit checks. President Donald Trump suggested rebate payments funded by revenue from recent...
The IRS has announced several updates that will impact how Americans file their taxes over the next two years. According to CNN, the agency released new details about inflation-based adjustments and changes resulting from the tax law passed in July. These updates will affect federal tax filings for both 2025 and 2026. How much the changes matter will depend on an individual’s income and deductions, but CNN reports that most taxpayers may see “modest relief” as thresholds move higher in response to inflation. Standard Deduction Increases The IRS confirmed that the standard deduction — the amount most taxpayers claim vs. itemized — is rising again. For tax year 2025 (returns filed in 2026), the deduction increases to $15,750 for single filers, compared to the planned $15,000 before the tax law passed; $31,500 instead of $30,000 for married couples filing jointly; and $23,625 for heads of households, up from $22,500. By 2026, those amounts will rise further due to inflation adjustments...
Electronic Arts (EA), the video game publisher behind major franchises like “Madden NFL” and “The Sims,” is being taken private by a group of investors. According to AP News, EA will reportedly be acquired in the largest private equity-funded buyout in history, valued at $55 billion. EA shareholders will receive $210 per share in cash. So, who bought EA? The consortium includes: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF): Held a 9.9% stake in EA before the deal, the largest insider stake, and will roll over that investment. With “intentions to scale,” PIF owns Savvy Gaming Group and has purchased companies such as ESL, FACEIT, and Scopely. Silver Lake Partners: A private equity firm focused on technology and media investments. Silver Lake is also part of the new Oracle-led joint venture set to take on management of TikTok’s U.S. operations. Affinity Partners: Led by Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, the firm is a participant in the buyout. The transaction requires...
Millions of federal student-loan borrowers are stuck in limbo as changes to repayment and forgiveness programs under President Donald Trump’s administration face delays. Advocates and lawmakers warn that if the Department of Education does not speed up its processing, borrowers could soon be hit with unexpected tax bills on debt relief. According to Business Insider, the Department of Education reported that as of July 31, more than 1.3 million income-driven repayment (IDR) applications were pending, along with 72,730 requests for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). These backlogs stem from ongoing litigation and policy shifts tied to the administration’s overhaul of student-loan repayment. The delays come at a critical time. A temporary provision in the 2021 American Rescue Plan made student-loan forgiveness tax-free, but that protection expires on Jan. 1, 2026. If borrowers’ forgiveness applications are not processed by then, the amounts forgiven could be taxed as income,...
A casino backed by Nas will be making its way to Queens, NY. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the “If I Ruled the World” artist teamed up with Resorts World Casino New York City and its parent company, Genting Americas East, to open a $5.5 billion “Las Vegas-style casino” in his neighborhood. Project plans include a performance space that can seat 7,000, a partnership with 30 new food and beverage vendors, and 1,600 new hotel rooms inside the Hyatt Regency at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Beyond revenue-generating additions, the proposal includes housing units that could serve up to 3,000 employees and a 10-acre park space for commuters. “This is an ambitious project that will give new opportunities to the hard-working families who call Queens home, attract top-tier talent, and build up the next generation of leaders. Clearly, with this project, the world is ours,” Nas said in a February 2024 Instagram post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nasir Jones (@nas)...
New Yorkers are starting to see relief arrive in their mailboxes. As of Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, the state is issuing inflation refund checks worth up to $400 to households across the state, according to CBS News. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance confirmed that more than 8 million households qualify for the one-time payment, which helps residents manage rising living costs. CBS News reports that the state is mailing the checks automatically. Residents do not need to apply or submit additional paperwork. Delivery will continue through October and November, though the timing may vary depending on where you live. Governor Kathy Hochul underscored the purpose of the program during a press conference, describing it as a way to ease the daily struggles many families face. “You work hard and, you know, the bills keep piling up, and you just look at them and say ‘when will it ever stop?’… It’s utility bills, your grocery bills, the...
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has released the payment schedule for October 2025, outlining when millions of Americans will receive their benefits. According to Newsweek, more than 70 million people rely on monthly Social Security payments, which include retirement, disability, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). To manage the program’s scale, the SSA staggers payments throughout the month rather than sending them all at once. Payment Dates For October 2025 Most retirees are paid according to their birthdate, but there are exceptions. People who began collecting retirement, spousal, or survivor benefits before May 1997, or those who also receive SSI, follow a different schedule, per Newsweek. The SSA will issue October payments on these dates: Oct. 1: SSI recipients Oct. 3: Social Security benefits for those who also receive SSI Oct. 8: Retirement, spousal, and survivor benefits payments for people with birthdays between the 1st and 10th Oct. 15: Payments for people...
Dame Dash may have passed on a million-dollar opportunity, according to rapper Cam’ron. On a recent episode of his talk show, “Talk with Flee,” on Revolt, Cam’ron criticized Dame Dash following his appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” and reportedly accused him of “mixing the truth with the lies.” Cam’ron said Dame Dash rejected a $1 million offer from him and fellow rapper Mase to purchase his 33.3% stake in Roc-A-Fella Records after rapper NBA YoungBoy allegedly offered $2 million, Complex reports. “I’ve never known Dame to be a liar, but the way he was mixing the truth with the lies? Bro, that was really, really disappointing,” Cam’ron said, per Complex. “For instance, just one of the scenarios: He was like, ‘Yo, Cam and Mase, they didn’t really want to buy my third of Roc-A-Fella; they were just doing that to tease [Jay-Z].’” As previously reported by AFROTECH™, Dame Dash had to sell his Roc-A-Fella stake in 2024 to settle an $800,000 judgment stemming from a copyright and...
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is taking legal action against Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and its Ticketmaster subsidiary with a lawsuit over ticket resale practices. As NPR reports, the complaint, filed in federal court in California, alleges that Ticketmaster allowed automated ticket bots and large-scale resale operations to thrive by failing to enforce its own purchase limits, enabling resellers to acquire large quantities of tickets for popular events. “The company routinely chooses to turn a blind eye to broker circumvention of ticket limits,” the FTC said in its complaint. Ticketmaster’s “unlawful conduct and tacit coordination with brokers injures fans, who have paid far more than the advertised ticket price for both box office and resale tickets, and who are forced to pay inflated resale prices for high-demand tickets,” the complaint adds. The FTC alleges that Ticketmaster profits from these resales , a practice sometimes called “triple dipping,” by collecting...
Group Black, co-founded in June 2021 by Richelieu Dennis, Bonin Bough, and Travis Montaque, sought to secure advertising commitments from brands and agencies to channel spending toward Black-owned publishers. According to Adweek, backed by an initial $75 million investment from GroupM and multimillion-dollar deals with Ziff Davis and NBCUniversal, the collective aimed to raise and distribute funding of $500 million. However, the group is now the center of two lawsuits. In May 2025, Essence Communications filed a lawsuit against Group Black, which responded with a countersuit in June. These legal actions follow a dismissed October 2024 lawsuit by Essence Communications, alleging that Group Black owed $20 million to its publishers, Essence and Afropunk, and had misused the funds. Essence Communications is a subsidiary of Dennis’ Sundial Media and Technology Group. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Sundial Media Group is a vertically integrated media, technology, and experiential...
American Express (Amex) is giving its Consumer Platinum and Business Platinum cards a major refresh. The update adds new credits, expanded perks, and a sleek mirror card design, according to a company news release, to provide more value for lifestyle, travel, dining, and business expenses. Expanded Consumer Benefits Per the release, with the Amex Platinum refresh, Consumer Platinum cardholders can now access over $3,500 in annual lifestyle benefits. Updates include: $600 Hotel Credit: Up to $300 semi-annually for Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings through Amex Travel. $400 Resy Credit: Up to $100 in statement credits each quarter for eligible purchases at more than 10,000 U.S. Resy restaurants. $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Up to $25 in statement credits each month (up to $300 per year) for subscriptions, which now include Paramount+, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV. $300 lululemon Credit: Up to $75 per quarter for eligible purchases at lululemon stores or...
