How Interest Rates Can Influence Financial Decisions
The Federal Reserve has relied on its control of short-term interest rates to influence economic activity. Adjusting interest rates might seem to be an overly simple solution for steering the world's most powerful economy, but few mechanisms can influence behavior more effectively than interest rates.
Tracking the Rise of Target-Date Funds
Investments in target-date funds have grown during the last decade. They are often the default choice in employer-sponsored retirement plans and viewed favorably by some investors for their helpful approach to asset allocation. This article explains the advantages and disadvantages of these funds and cautions potential investors about several common misconceptions.
Tips for Surviving the Estate Tax
The federal estate tax was reinstated retroactively to January 1, 2010, by the 2010 Tax Relief Act. However, the favorable provisions are scheduled to expire at the end of 2012, when estates exceeding $1 million could be subject to the federal levy.
Another Economic Stimulus
Temporary incentives could affect businesses of all sizes. Although Congress was unable to tackle the controversial issue of future income tax rates before the 2010 midterms, it quietly passed a little-noticed tax package, the Small Business Jobs Act of 2009 (H.R. 5297), that may benefit small businesses and even individual taxpayers.
More Newsletters →