WV Judicial Emergency for COVID-19, most proceedings and deadlines delayed

Our state courts, including magistrate, family, and circuit courts, are administered by the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals (WVSLA). Municipal courts operate independently.
In response to the COVID_19 pandemic the WVSCA has issued 2 orders and a plan document. You can access all these and future COVID-19 related court administration documents at http://www.courtswv.gov/covid19/COVID19.html.
Pursuant to those orders all civil and criminal proceedings in our state courts, except emergency proceedings and certain criminal proceedings, are currently stayed through 4/10/2020. All deadlines that fall between 3/23/2020 and 4/10/2020 are extended to 4/11/2020. All statutes of limitation that fall within those dates are extended to 4/11/2020. Statutes of limitation that do not expire between those dates ARE NOT extended.
Emergency proceedings include:

• domestic violence
• child abuse and neglect where there is imminent threat
• infant guardianship
• custody cases involving threat to cbild
• juvenile detention/placement in state custody

Criminal proceedings necessary to ensure the right to a speedy trial are not subject to the stays.
Proceedings should continue utilize technology to limit physical contact when possible.
Note that eviction is not on the emergency civil proceedings list, so there should be no ordinary eviction proceedings at least through 4/10/2020.
If you are at least 60 and a West Virginia resident with a civil legal question or problem, or concerns about the status of our state courts you can call WV Senior Legal Aid at 1-800-229-5068 for help.

WV Senior Citizens Tax Credit process

NOTE: As of March 25, 2020, West Virginia’s personal income tax filing deadline is July 15, 2020.

When it’s tax time, everybody appreciates a little help, especially when tax credits are available. Each dollar of a credit eliminates a dollar of tax.

West Virginia’s Senior Citizens Tax Credit helps certain older residents pay lower income taxes, as does the Homestead Excess Property Tax Credit.

To claim either or both credits, a person does not have to itemize expenses on their return.

Both income tax credits are tied to owning residential property. The Homestead Exemption program reduces property taxes on owner-occupied property for those age 65 and older or disabled who sign up at their county assessor’s office for the exemption.

Under the state program, the first $20,000 of the home‘s assessed value is exempt, or non-taxable, for property tax purposes.

For annual income tax purposes, those who are eligible for the Senior Citizens Tax Credit receive Form SCTC-1 in the mail from the West Virginia State Tax Department each January.

The form lists the amount of the tax credit that can be claimed when preparing the West Virginia tax return. Be sure to save it for tax return preparation purposes.

There is also a low income requirement for Senior Citizens Tax Credit eligibility that is determined when calculating the numbers for the tax return.

Further, for those receiving the Homestead Exemption on their residential property taxes, there is the Homestead Excess Property Tax Credit to reduce income taxes.

When a person’s residential property taxes exceed 4% of their income, he or she may receive a state income tax credit for the excess amount. The maximum credit is $1000.

If a person is eligible for both of these state income tax credits, the amount of the Senior Citizens Tax Credit will reduce the amount of the Homestead Excess Property Tax Credit that can be claimed.

Neither of these state tax credits affect or reduce the federal taxes owed.

More information is available on the https://tax.wv.gov/Individuals/SeniorCitizens/Pages/SeniorCitizensTaxCredit.aspx page.

Checks from the government, here come the scammers!

We hear the government is planning to send out money to everyone. The details are still being worked out, there's not much known about how.

But one thing we know for certain: scammers want your money. They will creatively try many ways to get that money from you, perhaps before you even get it.

Here are a few important things to remember as we await the details of our government cash:

1. The government will not ask you to pay anything up front to get this money. No fees. No charges. No nothing.

2. The government will not call to ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number. Anyone who does is a scammer

3. These reports of checks aren’t yet a reality. Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer.

The 2020 census will tell us many things about the United States and its population.

Participating in the census is very important for West Virginians because of how multiple federal benefits are allocated and controlled.

Many federal programs focus on funding for those with low income or living in rural areas. Under-counting would also mean under-funding.

A George Washington University study revealed that West Virginia relies the most of any U. S. state on federal money that is guided through census results.

On both state and local government levels, federal funding is crucial, making accurate census results just as crucial.

Currently, information is being collected online, through phone calls from legitimate census takers and by mail. To expedite the process, the online process is the easiest.

The Federal Trade Commission wants everyone to be aware that fraudulent schemes to get an individual’s personal information are occurring, using the false pretense that the person is calling on behalf of the federal census.

If fraud is suspected in any contact that is census-related, call 800-923-8282 to speak with a representative at the nearest Census Bureau or go online to FTC.gov/Complaint to file a complaint.

Money Mule Scams