Author: edward
Rising Oil Prices Could Pose the Latest Threat to the Economy
Oil prices have increased more than 30% since late June, driving up transportation costs for consumers and businesses and putting financial markets on edge. On September 27, West Texas Intermediate crude — the U.S. benchmark for oil prices — topped $93 per barrel, the highest level since August 2022. Brent crude (the global oil benchmark) […]
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Claiming the Home Energy Audit Tax Credit
When considering making energy-saving home improvements, it may be helpful to have a home energy audit done. Fortunately, there is a federal income tax credit available equal to 30% of the amount paid for home energy audits, up to $150 per tax year. (There are also credits available for many other energy-saving expenditures.) The IRS […]
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U.S. Economy: Soft Landing or Delayed Recession?
Economists have been predicting a recession for the U.S. economy ever since the Federal Reserve began aggressively raising interest rates in 2022. This is Econ 101. High interest rates, which make it more expensive to borrow, are intended to tame inflation by slowing business and consumer spending. A rapid and extreme increase in rates, as […]
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Department of Education Launches New SAVE Income-Driven Repayment Plan
The Department of Education recently launched the most generous federal student loan income-driven repayment (IDR) plan to date — the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. The SAVE Plan comes after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked federal student loan cancellation in June and before payments are set to restart in October after more than […]
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Why Did Retirement Confidence Falter in 2023?
In its annual Retirement Confidence Survey of current workers and retirees, the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that workers’ confidence in their ability to fund retirement fell by the largest extent since the financial crisis of 2008, to levels not seen since 2018. Retirees’ confidence also took a substantial hit. Overall, just 20% of respondents […]
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RMD Relief and Guidance for 2023
In early 2022, the IRS issued proposed regulations regarding required minimum distributions (RMDs) to reflect changes made by the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019. The IRS has held off on releasing final regulations so that it can address additional changes to RMDs made by the SECURE 2.0 Act of […]
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What’s Happening in the World of Higher Education?
A 2023 survey revealed a notable shift in public opinion over the past decade about the value of a college degree: 56% of Americans think a four-year college degree isn’t worth the cost due to students graduating with significant debt and a lack of specific job skills vs. 42% who believe college is worth it. […]
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Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, signed into law on June 3, 2023, suspends the federal debt ceiling until January 2025. The legislation also includes a number of spending cuts. It is estimated to reduce federal budget deficits by about $1.5 trillion over the 2023-2033 period relative to the May 2023 baseline projections, according to […]
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Transformative Tech: Will AI Upend the American Workforce?
A chatbot with uncanny human-like writing abilities has become the poster child for artificial intelligence (AI) since it was released in late 2022, inspiring new levels of attention, excitement, and concern about recent advances in this life-changing technology. As the race among tech companies to monetize AI picks up speed, it’s worth considering how widespread […]
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Congress Tells Treasury to Expect SECURE 2.0 Technical Fixes
In late May 2023, Congress sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel saying that it will introduce legislation to correct several technical errors in the SECURE 2.0 Act. The letter, signed by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mike Crapo (R-ID), chair and ranking member of the Senate Finance […]
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