Fed Note: June 2022
The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee continued its aggressive tightening pace in the June meeting, by raising the key fed funds interest rate today by 0.75%—to a new range of 1.50-1.75%.
News
Federal Student Loan Repayment Postponed for Sixth Time
On April 6, the U.S. Department of Education announced a record sixth extension for federal student loan repayment, interest, and collections, through August 31, 2022.1 The fifth payment pause was set to end on April 30, 2022. The six extensions have postponed federal student loan payments for almost two and a half years — since…
Fed Note: May 2022
The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee turned more aggressive in this month’s meeting by raising the key fed funds interest rate by 0.50%—for the first time in over twenty years by that amount—to a new range of 0.75-1.00%. There were no dissents.
What Do Rising Interest Rates Mean for Your Money?
On March 16, 2022, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve raised the benchmark federal funds rate by 0.25% to a target range of 0.25% to 0.50%. This is the beginning of a series of increases that the FOMC expects to carry out over the next two years to combat high inflation.
Colliding Forces: Russia, Oil, Inflation, and Market Volatility
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has drawn condemnation and punitive sanctions from the United States, Europe, and their allies. The humanitarian cost of war cannot be measured, and the long-term economic effects could take months or years to unfold.
Cryptocurrency Investments: A Primer
Cryptocurrencies are digital assets, based on multi-user computer networks, which employ new ‘blockchain’ technology. These are unique from the physical assets we commonly think of and invest in, such as real estate, oil, metals, or shares of company stock. Unlike those physical assets, crypto is held in digital form, similar to how one would store computer files.
Market Update: Ukraine Conflict
A quick note from The H Group…With Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine, markets are experiencing increased volatility as they try to price in the geopolitical fallout. We do anticipate volatility may remain high until there is a better understanding of how far Putin’s plans may span and the extent of which sanctions may be applied by the West.
Year-End Charitable Giving
With the holiday season upon us and the end of the year approaching, we pause to give thanks for our blessings and the people in our lives. It is also a time when charitable giving often comes to mind. The tax benefits associated with charitable giving could potentially enhance your ability to give and should…
Employer Open Enrollment: Make Benefit Choices That Work for You
Open enrollment is the window of time when employers introduce changes to their benefit offerings for the upcoming plan year. If you’re employed, this is your once-a-year chance to make important decisions that will affect your health-care choices and your finances. Even if you are satisfied with your current health plan, it may no longer…
IRS Releases 2022 Key Numbers for Health Savings Accounts
The IRS has released the 2022 contribution limits for health savings accounts (HSAs), as well as the 2022 minimum deductible and maximum out-of-pocket amounts for high-deductible health plans (HDHPs). An HSA is a tax-advantaged account that’s paired with an HDHP. An HSA offers several valuable tax benefits: You may be able to make pre-tax contributions…