HLN Help Desk

jennifer, please help. i "exhausted" my unemployment benefits on the 12th. i still had another tier to go. i saw where congress voted extension down. when will another vote be taken? right now, i have absolutely no source of income and have to be out of my apt. in 5 days and have nowhere to go but the street. all the shelters are full. what are people going to do. i am a 51 year old male living in missouri.(kc). all the help organizations funds are depleted or just don't help men with no kids at home. will congress take a vote again soon? what about when all these census workers are done with census taking? if i keep filing every week, will i be paid retroactively? please investigate these questions because i can't get any answers from the state. they say they no nothing.

I have been watching the show daily and trying to keep up with the current status of unemployment. I live in GA. I am currently collecting unemployment from NJ. It is really difficult to get in touch with NJ's Unemploymnet system, especially being out of state. I have been trying to find a job in GA and have been unemployed since January 2009. Now that congress is stalling approval on unemployment extensions, what does this mean for me individually? I am a little confused on all of the extensions. What is the amount of time that will be covered? How many extensions are in place before this act of congress affects me? Please help!

My husband has reached the point at 70-1/2 years old that he has to withdraw so much money per year from his Retirement Fund. My question is what suggestions could you give me on how & what to invest this for growth + easy withdrawal???

I live in Nevada and have been unemployed since July 2009. With unemployment at over 13% in this state, and technically at almost 10% nationwide, prospects of employment are nil. My unemployment INSURANCE has now run out due to the non-passage of the emergency unemployment insurance extension. I would like to add my voice to all the others caught in this situation. The Federal Government has a duty to protect its' citizens in times of an emergency. The unemployment situation in this country right now is no less of an emergency than Hurricane Katrina was, or the Gulf spill is right now. In fact, if the government continues to ignore the cries of help from its' citizens whenever a disaster happens, then don't the citizens have a moral obligation, as guanteed in the Constitution, to make the government sit up, listen, and ACT? Over 1 million citizens without a single dime for the necessities of life is an obsenity!

I graduated school with a degree in Architectural Drafting and have not found a job since 2006.My dreams were shattered once again when i went to real estate school and the housing market fell apart.Maybe if i become a doctor there will be a cure for cancer.I have worked so hard and my savings are gone.I am going to be homeless very soon.I cannot find a job.Please help with that.Thanks

Last year I purchased a home thinking I would get the tax credit. I looked up the definition of a first time homebuyer in Aug 2009. It stated that if you are a displaced homemaker you were eligible for the tax credit. When I did my 2009 taxes, the definition that I had found in Aug 2009 was not there in March 2010. Needless to say they disallowed my claim to the tax credit. I am sending them the docs that I went by last year but I have a 'feeling' that this will not go well for me. Can you help me???
If you would like, I can send the email I received with the 'old' info on displaced homemaker. Without this, I will owe the irs about $2700. How am I supposed to play this game [of life] if they keep changing the rules????????????

For the past two days you've made comments on the Russia Spies! Why do you fail to mention that America has more spies than any other country in the world, our spies are in more countries across the globe and the USA spends more money on spying than any other country in the world. USA is the number #1 spy country in the world. So why do we react with such shock and surprise when we find out that someone is spying on us?

Do not understand why the president does not order deployment of Naval assets into the gulf. Underwater demolition, submercibles, and SEAL teams can work at that depth and their not that busy right now. The British are arrogant and do not like being told what to do. If this is not a national emergency by now I don't know what is.

FYI: the pre-existing conditions health insurance doesn't start in Pa until July 12th. Other things concerned me like the 6 options they stated when I filled out a brief form.
One that sticks in my head is that you had to have been turned down for pre-existing insurance. That isnt our problem, we cant afford the public insurance..
My wife and I both have pre-exsiting condtions.

We havent had insurance for over 10yrs.

Recently became unemployed after 20 years & feal like a fish out of water everything is done over the inner-net or computer & every time I go for an interview I'm competing with people half my age,heard the term fogotten generation to old to train to young to retire someday's I just want to stop looking for work & just go fishing but keep plunging away & hope for the best.

Does anyone know anything about this bill listed on thomas.gov: HR 5647??? Go search it, is this something new?? Do we have another shot at an extension, I haven't heard anything about this, just that the other one stalled.

Jennifer, I was out of work for 18 months, tried the temp agency's and they tell you they can't place you because you don't have a strong work history, in Michigan no less!! I have had to take a 50% pay cut and working as a temp, you never know from one day to the next if you will have a job. I know I was lucky to find an agency that would place me, but I still live in fear from one day to the next of being canceled, there are hundreds of thousands waiting to replace me.

I haven't heard much about the 3/4 of $1 trillion bailout recently. I was wondering who has paid us back, who still owes, and how much. I know GM paid back there bailout money plus interest, but don't we still own most of the company? I'm just curious and looking for a little update.

I am 61 years old, los my job 19 months ago. I am a mechanical engineer. Exhausted all my savings trying to save my home lost the house anyway. My car was repo'd 6 months after losing my job. was able to get an apartment, lost the apartment and now I am in a roomate situation. If I lose unemployment I will be on the street in 15 days. I have always kept in touch with my boss after I left. But I had not heard from him in some time. Today I found out he died from exposure to the cold last winter. They found him in a tent in the woods frozen solid.

I find it real nice that the senate can go on vacation when my husbands unemployment just ran out and there are no more extensions. I hope they have a great holiday while I try to find a way to make my house payment this month and no B-B-Que for the fourth. I hope you have a great time.

I have been watching HLN since Robin began as anchor. Great Show. Everyone is terrific. How tall is Bob Van Dillen and how much does he weigh? I would imagine he's 6'2" and about 225. He looks pretty big when standing up at the weather map. Thanks, Hal.

There are so many "options" to make money at home. How do you tell the schemes from the real deals?

Where in the US Constitution does it say the government is responsible for providing for you if you lose your job? Where are your savings people? Just imagine is this wonderful socialist government(thanks obama) did not exist, what would you do?

Oh, one other question, why does Congress get a week off and the rest of Americans only get the weekend? unless they take vacation time of course. Another point of fact, when our country first started it was considered a civic obligation to serve in Congress, a volunteer job, now a Congressmen get paid over 100k a year. anyone see anyhing wrong here

Jen

Please not that this unemployment extension being voted on is not an "extension of benefits" for how many weeks you get, but rather an extension of how long those weeks you are eligible for can be collected. There is a big difference. I was on my last extension for the OhioEB but because they EUC ended on June 2 I could no longer collect the benefits I was already eligible for. The Republicans say we cannot afford the extensions but my question is Can we afford to not extend these benefits?

Anne

Jen, I am a military veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan war. Me and my wife are both full time students that have a GPA of 3.98 and are about to graduate. We have two wonderful children and have fallen on hard times when congress decided to not extend my employment benefits. We have made ends meet lately but it has gotten very tough. It seems that nobody will hire me because that I will have a tight schedule once school starts back in August. My college education comes first for both me and my family and I want to better our lives with a great education. Do you have any advice for me or my family on what to do for the future? What can I expect congress to vote on once they come back from the so called holiday vacation. I wish they would take care of the people of this country instead of worrying about the banks, or the people of other countries. Thank you.

ms meade: I was just watching a governors conference on channel 350 where they were talking about all the states being broke, my comment is before george w. bush pushed congress to pass that big stimulus package to bail out freddie mack and fannie mae for all the bad decisions they made plus bailing out wall street not one state complained about needing money then all of a sudden they are all broke- my question is "where did all our money go to". One thing is for sure "that money did not leave this planet?"

Is Apple legally obligated to recall the iPhone 4? I clearly cannot understand the nerve they have to not have recognized and addressed this issue as of yet. NUTS to say the least!!

Ok some 18+ years ago I got a ticket in the State of Rhode Island. I moved to Florida 16 years ago. When I moved here I paid a huge impact fee to transfer a rhode island title, they took my RI plates, my RI lisence, and gave me all Floruida documents.

Well Last month I had to renew my lisence, and they told me Ri had suspended it a year and a half ago because of this $68 ticket for no insoection sticker. I was told to pay the ticket and write a letter to the judge asking him to vacate the reinstatement fee of $151!!!

A week later I got a call fromt he courts secretary saying that they are nto goign to even consider my letter to the judge becasue I only had a year to contest it??? But they have 18 years to persue me??? this is jsut wrong!!

I am on disability and get $947/mo. and my son gets $408 I can't afford to pay this at all we barely survive on what we have : ( please help what can we do! I do not think it is fair that they can make me reinstate a lisence in a state that I have not been a resident of nor have a lisence in for the past 16 years?

Please help, I can't not be without a lisence I need to be able to drive my son to school, dr. appts. etc.

Sincerely,
Julia

Jennifer – I have a question concerning Medicare, if a person is 65 years old and qualify for medicare and receives the benefits from that service, then why in hell do we need to also purchase a suplemental insurance?

Medicare should cover all the medical cost, it's a service provided by the Federal Government, yet the Insurance companies have their hands wrapped around our wallets in a death grip, and this phoney agency that's suppose to help the Elderly (AARP) condones this treatment by offering supplemental insurance of their own.

I'm not 65 yet, in two years I will be, can someone explain why we need a supplemental insurance for a government sponsored medical program. It's another ripped off and consession to the insurance industry. I wouldn't buy it if they all stood on their heads and change fell out of their pockets. When are companies going to STOP Ripping Off the Elderly?

Has anyone got any information about the internet scam, stating that you are in a far away place, been mugged, credit cards stolen, police not helping please send me money. With me it used my email contacts and everyone I know received emails asking for help. I have been able to restore my email account and changed my passwords....however, I have not yet been able to get into my facebook account, I have contacted facebook, but they have not responded to my request to reset my password. Any ideas??? Jack

Twp Things: President must simply get his head out of the sand!
1. I know a good number of individuals who have been laid off in the past year, all of which have stated they are not looking for work until their unemployment runs out.

2. With our country's current financial debt, which my great-grandchildren will still be paying for, how can we possibly promise financial aid to foreign countries?

Dear Jennifer,

It is very nice that we can help the Pakistan's rebuild there country, but please explain to me why it is more important to keep the Pakistan people and it's country growing than it is to ensure income for millions of Americans who still have unemployment benefits to collect but cannot because the extension ceased the first part of June?
The Republicans feel it would add to much to the deficit, geez,, won't the billions of dollars we are sending overseas, not just to Pakistan but other countries as well doesn't add to the deficit???

I have worked very hard all my life working in the educational field then the business field. I raised three kids and now have 7 grandkids. I found myself unemployed and it has been devistating!! I have already lost my car and will evenutally loss my house, yet the government and many people in this country could care less.

WE NEED TO SPEND LESS ON WORLD RENEWEL AND MORE ON AMERICAN RENEWAL!

Anne

Hillary Clinton is recommending sending Pakastan hundreds of million dollars. But the Senate questions giving additional financial help in unemployment benefits to the people of this country because of the cost. I think there is something wrong with this picture.

why has congres approved almost 8 billon dollars for pakastan . yet they stopped to extend unenployment for hurting americans.

Is there help on the unemployment extension for people who lost their job early on and have exhausted the 99 weeks?

Jennifer Westhoven; Excellent story on the Chevy Volt. Especially the way you explained how the Volt HAS a small gas engine to recharge the batteries as you drive. Or you can charge it at home on a 110 outlet or have a dedicated 220 outlet for a quicker charge. Trade up! Buy American!

I personally have been boycotting BP stations since the start of the oil spill. My reasoning is because of BP's arrogant attitude they have taken in response towards the clean-up. Thier add campaign they have started to get their customers back is appaling to me. Where I live people will trip over a nickle to get to a penny. They are lined up out BP's stations driveways to save a couple cents per gallon. I hope BP goes down. Not happy how they treated Americans that live in the gulf.

I not going to say HELP! But Hello! One Morning I heard you say something about where the best place to rent collage books. Could you please send that informationto me. I have twins going to collage this year.Also would you no if it's to late to look for financal aid? And if so a good place to look. Trying to get them there has been harder then raise them. I can tell you this and Not Them "I don't no What the he– I'm doing." If you call the Collage for Help like me No one pickup the phone or e-mail me back. Thank you... for helping me. Your collage degree can now help someone else.

I saw your comment on the watching out for you segment on Headline news on 08-17-10 regarding the IPad scam in your emai. I could not find any links to this article on this website. My husband fell for the scam before I could warn him and I was trying to find out what we needed to do to correct this problem.
Thanks for your help Deb

Hi my name is Chad Blankenbaker. I know your probably just reading the start of this letter to see if it is worthy or worth enough to put on your show or column. All the letters i havebeen online to read are truely sad. I pray for everyone and i hope the same. Regardless this is a short version of my story. I was recently working for Turner Industries ltd. when i got fired for going up to my pickup truck to get my lunch. My boss told me AND everyone to go to our vehicles on our own time (which is breaks, & especially lunch, because i dont get paid for lunch- considered MY TIME) So i did exactly that ( LOOKN AT MY LAST TIME OUT OF THE GATE IT WAS 12:03 or something like that, u can check the records for yourself. (Just beware of a security guard named diane bailey.) . I was one of the first one's the first 5 people hired there in soda springs idaho, and was the very least to get paid! $18 an hour when everyone else got raises to $22-27. I have beautiful twins that i am more proud of than anything! (Trey & Taylor). I was wrongfully let go and if you see my story u will see it was wrong. Everyone else's story i have read is sad to. But almost everyone else i read had unemployment (which i dont) that is starting to run out. Well I have news for ya. I dont have that luxory of unemployment ( seriously call me & listen to my unemployment record when i d0 my weekly claim). My kids mean everything to me and im not trying to make ANYONE feel bad for me! I am a dad that has never grew up with a father and have done my very best to be a father figure! I grew up without a dad ( Roger Sorweid) was best friends with john Elway. He owns a furniture store in my birthplace of Denver Co. He has gotten away with child support for me for 18+ years and is still paying someone off from either Nebraska or Colorado. I dont expect this to be on tv but all i want is not unemployment but a opportunity to have a new job that supports my family and I. Im sorry for taking up your time but pls hear my story and I PROMISE you there is more to hear! I swear. All i know is god is good and i wont quit believing.....

hello I recently skimmed over your article. I have been unemployed since June 15, 2009 was denied unemployment benifits. I had some money in the bank until a student loan took everything I had. I used to live in michigan but went to florida with my boyfriend to help his ailing dad and thats when life as I call it took a turn for the worst. We were stuck in florida with no income no money, we tried everything just to get by. We even made crafts to sell at rummage sales and flea markets but barely made enough to supply our 30 year old camper in gas. We spent 2 months living in a walmart parking lot til they told us to leave. We went to stay by a friend til we found out he had other intentions so we spent 2 weeks broke down in an out of business building til a friend from new york sent us money to fix our camper and gas to get us to georgia where we are broken down again. The foodstamps we had in florida have long since gone we are back to struggling just to survive. what food we have has to feed us and my dogs

cont. and my small cat. we are on a friends property and cant stay here for ever. my boy friend works on cars and doesnt make enough to get our camper fixed. we have exhausted every idea we have come up with to make money and arent getting any where. we want to apply for foodstamps here in georgia but with no home other than our camper and not even a mailing address that isnt going to happen. we are a distance away from anything for getting a job and when i have applied for work im told there is none. this being homeless is trying on our relationship. we would ask family for help but mine have all passed away and his refuse to help. we are trying to fix our camper hard to do with no money. we are even too far from food banks to get emergency food. we are also running out of time when i need to get insurance on the camper again and my michigan tags are up for renewal in december. we are really at a loss for what to do. we really need help with getting amiable work and a solid place to live. winter is coming.

cont. we are reall in need of some kind of assistance. with winter drawing near and the nights getting colder we dont have heat at the current time. we have exhausted all our funds and it seems any of the assistance programs wont help us unless we have some kind of address and i tell them 1979 rockwood camper and they think im trying to be funny. we have been homeless now for 1 year its getting old rather fast. we need someone to point us in the direction of some real help.

If all the fast food chains raise they prices and if you go to any store the prices or up. How can the Gov say the cost of live has not gone up . So the the people on SS get's it in the pants again.

I voluntarily left my job of 10 years after my husband and parents passed away. I wanted to be by my only family (son) and moved out of state. I have applied to date for 73 jobs. I haven't received one call. All my retirement is gone. I have been using it to live on. I have applied for unemployment (in NJ). I now live in Seattle. What can I do if I can't collect from my last job? I am not eligible for re-training because I don't receive unemployment benefits! Help.

Hi Jennifer--–Please help. My husband and I have been approached to invest in Iraqi Dinars. Is this a good investment or a scam? I'm sure many people are wondering about this. I really enjoy listening/watching you on HLN. THANKS--Sandra

I have $50,000.00 in an IRA making NOTHING to speak of. Last quarter it made $1.22! Should I take it out, pay the taxes and put the remainder in a regular savings account? Would it be a good idea to pay off my car, $15,000.00, and then pay myself back? What other suggestions would you have. I am not interested in taking a chance on losing any money. I am 64 years old and am currently still working.
Thanks!

Hi,my husband and I are 50 yrs old and just paid off our mortgage.Now we want to move to a nicer area with a view.We owe about 5,000.00 on a car loan and no credit debts.Our daughter is heading off to college in the fall.Is this a good time to buy or should we wait till the market gets better We don,t want to get into another big mortgage and we can only get so much this house.Thanks ,
Pat
Bucks County Pa

We live in Tn and own a home and want to retire here. My husband was working in NJ for 3 years and we thought at the time that buying a condo would be a good idea. He has since lost his job and is back in TN. We tried to refinance the condo but they say since he is unemployed we can't refinance. Then when he does get a job we have to wait so long before refinancing. So we put the condo up for rent. I don't understand why we can't get it refinanced....we have the money and we have no intention of not paying our mortgage. Since then my husband has been doing consulting, we called to see if we could again refinance and again they say he has to do it for 2 years now and then try again. I don't get it....
husband lost his job, we have always paid our mortgage on time, we want to refinance, we have the money and we have the money to pay it off if we need to, but what is the point...what differance does it make if he is working? He is 63. You would think that they would do whatever they can do to make sure that we continue to pay our mortgage. My second question is what tax breaks can we take and what is the best way to file? Thanks

I was injured on the job, had surgery for a torn meniscus. All this took a year from 2010-2011. In June of 2011 I received a lump sum settlement of 42000.00 paid off old debts, back taxs for 6 yrs. I was getting 1023.00 every 2wks. For workmans comp. disability I also filed for SSD and reported I was getting workmans comp. so my SSD was off set for 321.00 a month. No longer getting workmans comp. Notified SSD of the change now SSD is saying they over paid me and want to give me 771.10 a month to live on instead of 1113.00 a month. What do I do? E-mail address is portlandfire7@yahoo.com. Thank you