Legislation
20 Second Advisor: Ready…Set…Wait!
Good things come to those who wait. At least that is what we are hoping for with the delay in FAFSA filing this year! The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is undergoing modifications to make the financial aid form easier to complete and more generous to families in need. Each year families with…
Read More20 Second Advisor: Federal Spending Duels and the United States’ Credit Rating
The crisis about the federal debt ceiling back in June was temporarily averted when lawmakers agreed to suspend the ceiling and ensure that the US didn’t default on our debt. However, there still may be a government shutdown looming later this fall, since the agreement reached included freezing some funding and capping spending. A fallout…
Read More20 Second Advisor: Debt Ceiling History
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…
Read More20 Second Advisor: New Money from Uncle Sam (aka: child tax credit) and why it may give families a surprise tax bill next year!
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…
Read More20 Second Advisor: The Costs of Inflation
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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