While the fourth quarter of 2020 saw a 4% increase in the U.S. economy, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the overall year’s GDP actually contracted by 3.5%. However, 2020’s volatility may make it difficult to determine what role the TCJA played in the GDP decrease. Here are some impacts of the TCJA to consider. The Effect of Tax Brackets President Trump initially proposed to lower income taxes and reduce the number of tax brackets from seven to three—12%, 25%, and 35%....

“I helped brainstorm ideas for campaigns.““I generated ideas that were used in award-winning, successful campaigns.” Both answers are reasonable. But where one conveys significant accomplishments and makes a strong, positive impression, the other response is a bit bland and forgettable. Let’s dig in to see why the second response is more powerful. To start, the word “helped” (which is seen in the first response) is vague. To an interviewer, this could mean that you presented a list of powerful ideas—but it could also signify that you were a near-silent participant on a conference call to discuss the campaign....

Many commercial property policies contain a mortgage clause similar to the one found in the ISO property policy. Entitled Mortgageholders, this clause is located under the heading Additional Conditions. It outlines the obligations the insurer must fulfill if mortgaged property is damaged or destroyed. Who Is Covered? The ISO mortgage clause applies to the mortgage holder named in the commercial property declarations. The declarations should list the name and mailing address of each mortgage holder as well as a description of the mortgaged property....

Rafe Swan / Getty Images Learn more about TIPS mutual funds and how they can help you during times when inflation is rising. What Are TIPS? TIPS are bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury that pay a coupon on the adjusted value of the bond. The bond is adjusted every six months with the rate of the Consumer Price Index (used to measure the rate of inflation). TIPS are said to keep pace with inflation by giving the owner coupon payments; they also give them an adjusted value when the asset matures....

Employers look for certain types of answers to scenario-based questions. They’re trying to pin down your thought processes rather than have you recite learned responses from memory. How to answer: It’s easy to simply say you would report the officer to his superiors and be done with it. However, employers are looking for indications that you understand why the other officer’s action was wrong. They want to know that you’re conscious of the high ethical standards you’ll be held to and that you can overcome peer pressure to do the right thing for your community....

The average rate offered to homebuyers using a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 5.91% from 5.83% the previous business day. Last week it vaulted to 6.19%, its highest point since at least 2019, and likely much farther back. (Our daily mortgage rate data only goes back to April 2021, but our data on yearly highs and lows date back to 2020, so we know rates weren’t higher in 2020, and if other measures are any indicator, may have hit their highest point in over a decade....

The average rate offered to homebuyers using a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 5.22% from 5.31% the previous business day, while the average rate for the 15-year edged down to 4.32% from 4.34% the previous business day. Both had been at their highest in more than two years. (Our daily mortgage rate data only goes back to April 2021, but our data on yearly highs and lows dates back to 2020, so we know they hadn’t been higher in 2020....

The average rate offered to homebuyers using a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage—the most popular type of home loan—rose to 3.74% from 3.70% the previous business day, reaching its highest level since 2020. (Our daily mortgage rate data goes back to April 2021, but our data on yearly highs and lows dates back to 2020, so we know it was higher in March 2020, when it hit 4.71%.) The average for a 15-year fixed mortgage rose to 2....

The average rate offered to homebuyers using a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage—the most popular type of home loan—rose to 3.79% from 3.76% the previous business day, moving closer to its recent peak of 3.85%, the highest we’ve seen since 2020. The average for a 15-year fixed mortgage rose to 2.91% from 2.86% the previous business day, nearing its recent high of 2.92%. Fixed mortgage rates tend to track the direction of 10-year Treasury yields, which usually rise with heightened inflation fears (and fall when those fears subside....

In fact, the 36% of unpaid taxes estimated from this top bracket is probably an understatement, given that random audits at that level are less likely, the study by researchers at the IRS and three universities asserts. Their working paper, yet to be peer-reviewed, was published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) this week. With the federal government pumping out money for pandemic relief, income tax revenues become increasingly important to pay for the spending....

Why do workers in these occupations earn the most? In short, it’s because they have valuable skills—and employers must pay a premium for them. If you’re set on earning a high salary, you might consider one of these career paths. But be advised: most require advanced education (which significantly increases your earning potential), training, extensive work experience in the field, and/or licensure. Top 10 Best-Paying Jobs The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is an independent statistical agency that tracks unemployment and other essential data about the U....

Nikada / Getty Images For example, suppose an international investor has generated healthy returns over the past several years from Brazilian equities. An investor that tracks the consumer price index may notice that inflation is rising, which means the central bank may decide to hike interest rates. Knowing that interest rate hikes tend to hurt equities, the investor may reduce his holdings. That’s only one example. There are multiple economic indicators that investors should track, so it’s important to be familiar with the top ones....

Once you’re ready to choose some mutual funds, there are ways to analyze them, such as looking at each fund’s past performance history, management team, and expense ratios. You can also entertain different investment strategies that will drive your fund choices, such as diversifying your portfolio with international exposure, buying the market index (S&P 500), or dollar-cost-averaging your money into different funds. As an investor, you’ll have upwards of 10,000 mutual funds from a plethora of fund management companies to choose from, so it helps to set some goals to narrow the field....

Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, gas prices have increased about 23% on the West Coast and Mountain West. Despite the slight relief in gas prices for much of the country, prices are still high—the national average is at $4.24 per gallon according to the latest EIA data, compared to $3.53 in the last week of February. Gas prices have been on the rise since February, with the first two weeks in March showing steep increases in the cost per gallon in every state tracked by the EIA....

An index measuring homebuyer interest in vacation homes plummeted in February, reaching its lowest level since the early days of the pandemic, according to real estate firm Redfin. As the chart below shows, February was also the first month of the pandemic when demand for second or vacation homes was exceeded by demand for primary residences, relative to pre-pandemic levels. Redfin’s index is based on data from analytics firm Optimal Blue showing how many prospective homebuyers had locked in mortgage rates with their lenders....

The world’s largest retailer said Tuesday that its U.S. pharmacies would begin selling private-label analog, or synthetic, insulin this week. The product is called ReliOn NovoLog Insulin, and it’s available for adults and children with a doctor’s prescription. Walmart’s Sam’s Club pharmacies will start offering the new medication, manufactured by Novo Nordisk, in mid-July. Walmart said the insulin injections, which come in vials for use with a syringe and in prefilled FlexPen applicators, will save customers between 58% and 75% off the cash price of branded insulin products....

Learn how to make sure the person you hire is properly representing himself, and what steps you can take to assure that you’re getting the best service you can get during your home inspection. Check Credentials and Qualifications There’s no shortage of home inspector associations. One of the oldest and best-known is the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). This group requires that people who wish to become certified must pass an exam and complete at least 250 paid inspections....

In June of 2019, Mastercard launched the True Name initiative that offers this option to some cardholders. Learn about how this program works, how to get a True Name card for yourself, and which other credit card issuers have similar policies. Why a Name Is Important to Transgender and Other Cardholders Having a card that displays your chosen name is about more than just a series of letters. At its core, it’s about validating your identity....

Tetra Images - Erik Isakson / Getty Images If you’re interested in aligning your investments with your values, take a closer look at ESG criteria—how to find it, how ESG compares to other types of socially conscious investing, and whether ESG investing impacts performance. What Are Environmental, Social, and Governance Criteria? ESG criteria allow investors insight into a company’s adherence (or lack of adherence) to ethical practices. The three components are defined in the following ways: Environmental: A company’s impact on the environment and its ability to mitigate various risks that could harm the environment....

In addition to the potential for capital appreciation and dividends, owning shares grants the holder a right to elect members of the board of directors and vote on some key management decisions, such as mergers and acquisitions or stock splits. How Shares Work The number of shares a company may issue is defined in the corporate charter. The maximum amount allowed is known as the authorized shares. A corporation does not always issue all of the authorized shares....