Updates On The Coronavirus Aid, Relief And Economic Security Act

Words: Dan Kamys

Stimulus Checks
Good news! Those on Social Security who don’t file tax returns (because their income is too low) will indeed get stimulus checks. 

  • How much money will you get? Use this simple calculator to find out. 
  • On disability or getting veteran's benefits? As of now, if you didn't file in 2018/2019 because your income from SSDI or veteran's benefits was too low to owe income tax, you should file for 2019 right now in order to get a check. You obviously won't owe money in taxes, and it's a one-page form for most people in that situation. 

SBA Paycheck Protection Loans
Today is the day to apply! Last night, we received the new SBA guidance for their Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). That guidance is 31 pages long and hopefully helps move some loans out the door today. But we’ve heard your concerns about the program.

Know that the goal of PPP is for the government to pay for your business’s key expenses till June 30th, so long as you qualify and keep your payroll intact. The notion is that if the government is going to pay, better to keep people attached to their current employers and keep those employers solvent.

  • All of the PPP docs can be accessed through this link. Forms for both lenders and borrowers are attached. 

Unemployment Insurance Changes

Here is an overview of who is now eligible, how much they'll receive, and for how long. 

Restoring the Breath of the Building: The Life-Saving Science Behind Historic Masonry Repairs
July 2026

When I first set out to become a historic preservation and restoration mason, I imagined that most of my trade would involve repairing the effects of old age. Instead, 99 percent of my work is attempting to stabilize and reverse damage caused by recent an

Laying the Foundation for the Future: Workforce Development at the Arizona Masonry Council
July 2026

For generations, masonry has been built on a simple but powerful principle: knowledge passed from one set of hands to the next. In Arizona, the Arizona Masonry Council (AMC) is working to ensure that tradition continues by investing in one of the industr

What Mason Contractors Don't Know Is Costing Them Money
July 2026

Most mason contractors can tell you exactly what a job should cost before it starts. Bid labor hours, material takeoffs, and crew rates per square foot. The numbers are on paper, and they look right. What most can't tell you is whether those numbers held

Preserving Masonry Aesthetics with Concealed Lintel Systems
July 2026

Masonry has long been valued for its ability to create buildings with character, permanence, and visual appeal. Features such as arches, deep reveals, corbelling, and decorative brickwork continue to be popular design elements in modern architecture. Howe