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Treasury Offset Program to the Rescue
The federal government and some state governments run budget deficits. Persistent budget deficits can become burdensome debt. The Treasury Offset Program provides revenue for the federal government and state governments that can augment their budgets. In addition, the program helps taxpayers by forcing individuals and corporations with delinquent taxes to pay their fair share, and it helps custodial parents and guardians receive support to help raise the children in their charge.
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Why Is It So Difficult To Buy a High-Quality Used Car?
With prices of new vehicles at all-time highs, many buyers are looking for used vehicles. It can be challenging, though, to figure out what is or isn?t a good deal. The September 2016 issue of Page One Economics explains why asymmetric information makes it difficult for used-car buyers to avoid ?lemons? and why lemons are a larger problem for the used-car market.
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On the Move: Renting Basics
Getting your own place is a major step toward independence and adulthood. It is often considered a rite of passage, and living successfully on your own helps build confidence. You can get started on a successful path through careful preparation and effective planning. Creating a realistic budget is important. Once you've started your search for a new place to live, weighing your options with important criteria will help you find the best choice. And when you sign a lease, make sure you clearly understand the terms so there aren't any financial surprises. Finally, if you maintain a good credit ...
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How Does the Gig Economy Support Entrepreneurship?
Entrepreneurs take risks to develop new products and start new businesses. In the early phases of starting a business, when an entrepreneur’s income is sometimes lacking or unstable, the gig economy offers opportunities to supplement and smooth income. This Page One Economics® essay discusses this relationship, including some interesting research on the topic.
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Investing in yourself: an economic approach to education decisions
"Human capital" may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about investments, but investing in education and training is an important economic decision. Learn about human capital and the return on such an investment in the February 2013 Page One Economics Newsletter?"Investing in Yourself: An Economic Approach to Education Decisions."
Newsletter
Inflation Expectations, the Phillips Curve, and the Fed’s Dual Mandate
This Summer 2021 issue of Page One Economics describes how to think about stable prices, how inflation has evolved in recent years, how the relationship between inflation and employment is changing, and what the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) has recently stated about its strategy to meet its price stability goal.
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Beyond Inflation Numbers: Shrinkflation and Skimpflation
Inflation numbers are important economic indicators. But thinking beyond the numbers reveals a deeper reality. For example, how do businesses respond to inflation? Some resort to shrinkflation and skimpflation. Learn about these practices and their effects on consumers in the December 2022 issue of Page One Economics®: Focus on Finance.
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A Dollar’s Worth: Inflation Is Real
Understanding the reality of inflation can help consumers make decisions in personal finance. Learn more about inflation, how it’s measured, and how the inflation rate is calculated in the December 2021 issue of Page One Economics: Focus on Finance.
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Data Geographies with FRED
FRED can display data in choropleth maps, using shading and colors to convey historical and current data for a given area. This Page One Economics Data Primer describes the different data geographies available in FRED, which help shape the stories behind the numbers.
Newsletter
Making Sense of Unemployment Data
Job growth has been healthy over the past five years. However, many people are still concerned about the overall health of the labor market. This issue of Page One Economics explains what the unemployment rate does?and does not?measure and whether it is a reliable indicator of the health of the labor market.