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A financial boost could be on the way for many Americans this summer, as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) prepares to distribute tax refunds in June and July. For eligible taxpayers, IRS tax refunds close to $3,000 may be deposited into bank accounts or mailed out within the month, as Mint reports. Who’s Eligible? According to the outlet, taxpayers who submitted their 2024 tax return before the end of May 2025, or filed for an extension, may be eligible to receive the refund. Eligibility is also determined by the accuracy and completeness of your return. If your paperwork was filed electronically and you opted for direct deposit, you’re more likely to receive your refund faster than someone who mailed in a return or is receiving a paper check. The IRS has emphasized that e-filers with no significant errors or missing information, whose returns are not under review or audit, will be prioritized. That means if you submitted your return accurately and early, you could see your refund...
Nearly 630,000 Fortnite players were reportedly “tricked” into making purchases through the game and will receive a refund. According to a press release, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reportedly accused Fortnite developer Epic Games of leading gamers to make “unwanted purchases” by carrying out tactics through its game button configuration. “For example, players could be charged while attempting to wake the game from sleep mode, while the game was in a loading screen, or by pressing an adjacent button while attempting simply to preview an item,” the press release from the FTC read. It had also been brought to light that Epic Games had allowed minors to accumulate charges without parental approval and blocked gamers who filed disputes of unauthorized charges, preventing them from obtaining items they had purchased. For these reasons, the company received an order from the FTC to refund players in December 2022 who had been subjected to these “unlawful billing practices.” The...
Google is awarding Black and Latino startup founders who are disrupting the artificial intelligence (AI) space. The tech giant established the Google for Startups Founders Funds to ensure Black and Latino entrepreneurs receive financial assistance and necessary support to influence multiple sectors. According to information provided to AFROTECH™, each recipient will receive $150,000 in non-dilutive cash awards and $100,000 in Google Cloud credits. Recipients also receive mental health resources and mentorship from Google’s experts across AI and sales. This is Google’s fifth year in funding, and it has allocated more than $50 million t o 570 Black and Latino founders. Moreover, founders who received funding support have later secured more than $590 million in additional investments. Google has unveiled its latest round of recipients, whose work encompasses using AI in preventative wildfires, keeping fast fashion out of landfills, and education. The 2024 Google for Startups cohort...
Black-owned rideshare company Goldsainte is making significant strides. The Charlotte, NC-based company, founded by Andre Powell in 2021, is marketed as “the world’s first franchised rideshare.” The business is looking to disrupt the $70 billion dollar industry and is taking on a business model that will allow riders to benefit from luxury vehicles with advanced proprietary technology provided by franchisees. The model is also inspired by Powell’s background as a multi-unit Jimmy John’s franchisee through his venture APEM Restaurant Group. “It made more sense to scale through franchising because the better part of my career was spent as a multi-unit franchisee,” Powell told the Charlotte Business Journal. Currently, Goldsainte offers two verticals featuring franchisee-owned vehicles. The first, Goldsainte XL, offers Infiniti QX80s to lease or own by the franchisee and is available for franchising across 38 states . Goldsainte Premium is available in select U.S. markets, according to...
A program working to “break the cycle of homelessness for good” in the Bay Area of California has launched, and Google is backing its mission. Google.org, the charitable arm of Google, is a funding partner for It All Adds Up (Bay Area Thriving Families Study), a pilot program that is providing 450 families in the Bay Area who have faced homelessness with guaranteed basic income for a year. Each family is given a randomized amount of either $1,000 a month for 12 months or $50 a month for 12 months, according to the program’s website. Its fellow funding partner is J-PAL North America, a regional office of the global research center Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab housed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Bay Area families that receive services from Compass Family Services or Hamilton Families and are part of their rental subsidy/rapid re-housing programs qualify for the recurring cash payments as long as they are in the final three months of their housing subsidy....
Bun B’s Trill Burgers has been wrapped in a legal feud. In 2021, Bun B, also known as Bernard Freeman, unveiled the concept of Trill Burgers restaurant, as previously shared by AFROTECH™. Later i n June 2023, the rap legend and businessman opened his first brick-and-mortar location in Houston, TX, his hometown. The success kicked into high gear as the restaurant reportedly sold more than 53,000 smash burgers within 30 days of its opening. Now, the Houston Chronicle reports that Bun B is suing former employees Patsy and Benson Vivares for fraud. The lawsuit, filed in August 2023, claims that the Vivares siblings used $45,000 in earnings from the 2022 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to support their own restaurant, Sticky’s Chicken, which is no longer in operation. The outlet details that Patsy and Benson were fired in July 2022 following the alleged misconduct as well as further misuse of Trill Burgers’ funds. The two reportedly have yet to give back the money. While Trill Burgers...
Picture it, the year is 2007, and from speakers all across the nation, you could hear the melodic echo of, “You can stand under my umbrella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh.” From dirty whining to fans singing at the top of their lungs, Rihanna had music listeners in a proverbial chokehold with her chart-topping hit. This phenomenon would prove consistent as the Barbadian artist continued to make Billboard hits for almost every occasion. Want to set the straight record straight about who you really are? Consider playing “Needed Me.” In a particular mood to be in the streets? “Rude Boy” may be your song of choice. And if you need to get what you’re owed, there’s little doubt that “B-tch Better Have My Money” is your anthem. No matter where you land, there is not a lot of space to deny Rihanna’s impact on music. However, the 34-year-old artist didn’t limit herself to music. Born Robyn Fenty, the musician got deep into her cosmetic and lingerie bag with her brands Fenty Beauty and Savage x...
When it comes to setting trends and establishing viable businesses, Black women are at the forefront. From Madam C.J. Walker to Beyoncé, the range of goods and services provided by Black women are endless and necessary. According to a report by the Harvard Business Review, Black women are more likely to start a business as compared to white men and women. Ashley Edwards is a testament to this success with her business MindRight Health, recently announcing a $1.8 million seed round.