Global economic growth is projected to drop from an estimated 6.1% rate in 2021 to 3.2% in 2022, as the world grapples with repercussions from the Russia-Ukraine war and ever-changing conditions wrought by the pandemic. Growth forecasts of 2.3% for... Read more
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law on August 16, 2022, is a package of climate, energy, health-care, and tax legislation. It authorizes about $440 billion in new spending and will generate an estimated $740 billion in revenue and... Read more
When thinking about life insurance, you might focus on the death benefit that can be used for income replacement, business continuation, and estate preservation. But life insurance policies may include other provisions that allow you to access some or all... Read more
If you earn money through an app or online digital platform, you may be affected by a tax reporting change that took effect on January 1, 2022. A provision of the 2021 American Rescue Plan requires third-party payment processors to... Read more
The average price for a new vehicle reached $47,077 in December 2021, which amounts to a 14% price hike in just one year. Perhaps more startling, the average price paid for a nonluxury vehicle was $900 above the Manufacturer’s Suggested... Read more
An extraordinary number of new business applications — nearly 5.4 million — were filed in 2021, far surpassing the previous record of 4.4 million set in 2020.1 Although some of these start-ups will replace businesses that closed earlier in the... Read more
For the 12-month period ending in June 2022, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) — the most widely used measure of inflation — increased 9.1%, the fastest pace in more than 40 years.1 The rate may trend... Read more
In an early July poll, 58% of Americans said they thought the U.S. economy was in a recession, up from 53% in June and 48% in May.1 Yet many economic indicators, notably employment, remain strong. The current situation is unusual,... Read more
With more than 7,400 mutual funds to consider in the United States alone, some investors may feel overwhelmed by the thought of deciding which ones to select for their portfolios. At the same time, most mutual fund–owning households base their... Read more
With home values skyrocketing recently, your home may be one of your largest assets. Using home equity to help finance other financial objectives is a strategy many people consider, but before doing so be sure you understand the risks as... Read more