The debt ceiling traces its roots to 1902. The US government wanted to build the Panama Canal and needed to ask Congress for authorization to borrow specifically for that project. During World War I, requesting such authorization on a project-by-project basis became too cumbersome to fund the war effort. To ease that burden, Congress passed…

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For many American families with children, the Treasury Department started depositing money into their bank account starting in July. What is this new money? Well, the American Rescue Plan (passed earlier this year) expanded the child tax credit from $2000 per child* to either $3,600 (for kids under 6) or $3000 (for kids over age…

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Let’s be honest – most of us don’t really understand inflation. The dictionary defines inflation as: 1“a continuing rise in the general price level usually attributed to an increase in the volume of money and credit relative to available goods and services.” In a nutshell, inflation is when prices go up. But why is that…

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