The Debt Ceiling and Deficit Spending
On January 19, 2023, the outstanding debt of the U.S. government reached its statutory limit, commonly called the debt ceiling. The current limit was set by Congress at about $31.4 trillion in December 2021. On the day the limit was reached, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen instituted well-established “extraordinary measures” to allow necessary borrowing for a […]
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REAL ID Deadline Extended Again
After years of numerous delays, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has once again extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline from May 3, 2023, until May 7, 2025. What is a REAL ID? A REAL ID is a type of enhanced identification card. The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, set minimum security […]
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Five Ways SECURE 2.0 Changes the Required Minimum Distribution Rules
The SECURE 2.0 legislation included in the $1.7 trillion appropriations bill passed late last year builds on changes established by the original Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE 1.0) enacted in 2019. SECURE 2.0 includes significant changes to the rules that apply to required minimum distributions from IRAs and employer retirement plans. […]
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College Cost Data for the 2022-2023 School Year
Every year, the College Board releases new college cost data and trends in its annual report. The figures published are average cost figures based on a survey of approximately 4,000 colleges across the country. Over the past 20 years, the average price for tuition, fees, and room and board has increased 46% at public colleges […]
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Student Loan Repayment Delayed Again to FutureDate in 2023
The Biden administration has announced another extension for repayment of federal student loans to an unspecified date in 2023 due to legal challenges that have blocked the implementation of the student loan debt relief program. The previous payment moratorium was set to expire on December 31, 2022. Under the new extension, student loan payments will […]
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Establishing a Budget
Do you ever wonder where your money goes each month? Does it seem like you’re never able to get ahead? If so, you may want to establish a budget to help you keep track of how you spend your money and help you reach your financial goals. Examine your financial goals Before you establish a […]
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Is the Yield Curve Signaling a Recession?
Long-term bonds generally provide higher yields than short-term bonds, because investors demand higher returns to compensate for the risk of lending money over a longer period. Occasionally, however, this relationship flips, and investors are willing to accept lower yields in return for the relative safety of longer-term bonds. This is called a yield curve inversion […]
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