Though Congress appeared headed for another government shutdown soap opera when the then-current continuing resolution (CR) expired on Nov. 17, we have avoided a closure. The proposal from Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) for a “clean” (no cuts, no amendments) two-part CR passed through Congress on a bipartisan basis and was signed into law by Read more
Landing Craft: How Bumpy Will It Be to Ease Inflation?
In recent conversations about the effort to ease inflation, you may have heard about the various landings—from a “soft landing” to a “hard landing” to “no landing” at all. Whichever way we land, we will likely feel some jostling in the economy. What does all of this talk of landings mean? When the Federal Reserve, Read more
Time For Medicare Open Enrollment: How It Works
Annual open enrollment for Medicare runs from October 15 through December 7. This is the time Medicare health and drug plans can make changes. It’s also, of course, a chance for you to make changes, as well. The open enrollment period is only for those who are already enrolled in Medicare. The standard monthly premium Read more
Great Greenbacks: Why the U.S. Dollar Dominates Reserve Currency
A reserve currency is held by a nation’s central banks in significant quantities and widely used to conduct international trade and financial proceedings, thus eliminating the costs of settling transactions involving different currencies. Any reserve currency must be easily convertible and have a stable value. The factors that determine the usage of a country’s currency Read more
You Bet Your Life: Actuarial Financial Planning
Here’s a sobering, inescapable truth: we’re all going to die. It’s a fact that nobody likes to think about for long, but our inevitable demise is a fact of life and keeping it in mind is a necessary part of financial planning. You shouldn’t let the grimness of the Grim Reaper’s inevitable arrival keep you Read more
Against the Wind: Headwinds Could Change the Course of the Economy
Throughout 2023, the U.S. economy has stayed resilient in the face of rapid monetary policy tightening; consumer demand has stayed solid, and the labor market has remained unflinching. Gross domestic product (GDP), adjusted for inflation, rose at a 2.4% annual rate in the second quarter, up from a 2% growth rate in the first three Read more