What's Really Behind the Stock Market Rally?
So far, the stock market has avoided a spring slump like it experienced during the past three years, and some market watchers credit that to one clever UMass graduate student.
National Debt
The 10 Biggest Things Your Income Taxes Pay For
Now that tax season is over, it's natural to wonder exactly where the hard-earned dollars you paid in income tax over the past year actually went.
Don't Fear a Moody's Downgrade - Fear a China Slowdown
Credit rating agency Moody's is threatening to downgrade U.S. debt if Washington doesn't get its act together soon -- which could (perhaps) increase the government's borrowing costs. That would be troublesome, but the really scary U.S. debt problem is China's economic slowdown.
Get Ready, America: The Debt Ceiling Debate Is Back
The U.S. is again closing in on its debt limit, and if a recent statement by Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner is any indication, another fight with the Obama administration over the issue is ahead. Here's a preview of what we might expect.
Gen Y's Troubles: You'll Never Guess Who's Really to Blame
Today's economy is especially rough for the young members of Generation Y. And it's hard not feel sympathetic for them ... until you hear this alarming tidbit: Gen Y believes that success comes through luck. Yes, luck, not hard work.
Interactive Calculator Shows You Exactly Where Your Taxes Go
As April 17 approaches, politicians and pundits of all stripes are taking potshots at the usual tax-debate villains. But there's never much talk about exactly how are our tax dollars are really spent.
How Uncle Sam Spends Your Taxes: The U.S. Budget in 8 Easy Bites
Almost everyone agrees the federal deficit is a ticking bomb, but when it comes to ideas for solving the problem, some are contradictory and all are controversial. No wonder: If you look at where the money actually goes, it's easy to see why it's so hard to balance the budget.
Why Taxing the Rich Is Good for America
Last week, Warren Buffett wrote an incredible opinion piece in The New York Times asking the government to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans, himself included. "My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress," he argued, and he's not alone in that view.
How U.S. Debt Stacks Up Against Other Nations
It's true that the U.S. has racked up the largest debt of any developed country. But when you consider the debt in relation to the country's gross domestic product, it's only No. 7 on the list, according to Fortune. Here's what you need to know to make sense of all the numbers.
Debt-Ceiling Law: States Brace for Another Hit
The debt-ceiling discussions may be over, but the fallout for states is just starting. Many states, still struggling to recover to pre-recession levels, have depended on federal money to make up their shortfalls. As the flow of money slows, which states will take the biggest hits?
Five Takeaways from the Debt Debate
As the debt-ceiling discussion winds down in Washington and everyone laments over the meaning and mutual downside of compromise, the economy is still in trouble. But we learned some lessons along the way. Here are some key points from the debacle.
Debt Hawks, Take Your Own (Virtual) Axe to the Budget
Think you can do better than Congress in coming up with a balanced U.S. budget? Several smartphone apps let you play along with all the fiscal fun happening in Washington. Raise taxes on market speculators? Cut spending on social services? You decide, and these apps will show you the results.
Digging Into the U.S. Budget: What We Spend, and How
Getting even a tentative handle on the multi-trillion dollar federal budget is no easy matter. Still, as the debate surrounding U.S. spending, taxes and the looming debt ceiling continues, it's worth asking: Exactly how does America spend all that cash, and what do the choices being debated really mean?
Where's an Extra $1 Trillion in Spending Going?
Washington now spends that much more than it did a mere three years ago. But trying to figure out what we're getting for all that extra money is no simple matter. A lot of slicing and dicing does yield some answers -- none of which are very satisfying.
Uncle Sam Wants You. . .to Buy Treasury Bonds
The Treasury has to find buyers for trillions of dollars in new bonds needed to fund the federal deficit. It hopes average citizens will pony up and invest in some $337 billion worth. But for a host of reasons, "safe" T-bonds might not be a winning investment for you.