In the November 2013 issue of In the Balance, read about how the housing recovery is improving household net worth, but may be favoring higher-priced houses and, thus, wealthier families.
The global financial crisis and ensuing Great Recession reduced the income and wealth of many families, but older families generally fared better than young and middle-aged families.
Central to Bitcoin is its independence from any institution or government, allowing anyone to engage in a direct transaction at a low cost. So, what exactly is it, and how does it work?
Raising income taxes for top earners is controversial. As a starting point for discussing tax policy in the U.S., we examine the calculations used in a study that recommends such a tax increase.
An examination of student-loan debt in the Eighth District evaluates why the amount of debt has expanded and considers how differences in tuition and college-enrollment growth can cause state-to-state variations.
Positive, albeit modest, signs indicate the U.S. is on the road to economic recovery. But what can we expect moving forward? Will the economy plod onward like the tortoise or speed ahead like the hare?
Economic growth requires more labor, more and better capital, and up-to date technology—what might be collectively referred to as social infrastructure—to support entrepreneurship and efficient markets. It is hardly surprising that periods of more-rapid economic growth include invention, innovation, new methods of production (e.g., the assembly line, robotics), and entrepreneurship.
The latest issue of Agricultural Finance Monitor reports that Eighth District farmland values and cash rents were down in the third quarter, but farm incomes rose modestly across the District.
The latest “Dialogue with the Fed” examines findings of recent research on gaps and opportunities for improvement to the U.S. payments system and shares a vision on the direction the payments system needs to take in the next 10 years.