About reimbursements - they did some early this season, and you should be able to see it on your economy page if you filter on "GM Fines / Refund". There was a news bulletin on it as well, but it has since been removed - at least I'm not able to find it anymore. I believe the issue has been resolved.
With regards to your team vs the rest of your league - expect to underperform if the others have NT-players and/or homegrowns to a larger extent than you.
You probably know this already, but in case you don't - have a look at RiP's old FAQ on Economy (and other things), much of which is still relevant
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