Fiscal standoff puts payrolls, taxes in doubt

WASHINGTON -- If the nation goes over the "fiscal cliff," some Americans will wake up Tuesday with financial headaches to rival a New Year's Eve hangover.

More than 2 million long-term jobless would receive their final unemployment benefit check within days. Millions of taxpayers would be unable to file their returns early, resulting in delayed refunds. Taxes would rise immediately on workers across the board. And although some of those increases eventually might be reversed, the first paychecks of the year would be smaller until any legislative fixes kick in.