The Latest Debt & Finance Blog

Fiscal Cliff Breached but Senate Deal Done; House Action Next

By Bill Fay | January 1, 2013

Congress allowed America to stumble over the fiscal cliff Tuesday morning but left itself enough rope to pull the country out of trouble, perhaps before lunch. Senate leaders of both…

Firearms Industry Hits the Bull’s-Eye in 2012

By Bill Fay | December 24, 2012

So the world didn’t end, after all. Whew! Looks like we dodged another bullet. Speaking of bullets, I hope everyone has their holiday shopping done. Just one last thought before…

Lawmakers Head Home after Failing to Solve Fiscal Cliff Crisis

By Bill Fay | December 21, 2012

The clock is winding down on the Jan. 1 deadline for the fiscal cliff crisis, and the Republican Party has punted. House Speaker John Boehner, who introduced what he thought…

C’mon, America! Let’s Take a Dive Off the Fiscal Cliff

By Bill Fay | December 20, 2012

Are you ready to take a dive off the fiscal cliff? I am. I have read, written and regurgitated enough information about the economic doom that awaits all of America…

12 Days to Fiscal Cliff: Obama, Republicans at Odds Again

By Bill Fay | December 19, 2012

The sword-fighting between Democrats and Republicans could get nasty in the next few days as the battle heats up over how to avoid the fiscal cliff. Republican House Speaker John…

Morgan Stanley Fined $5M; Fallout from Facebook IPO Continues

By Bill Fay | December 19, 2012

Morgan Stanley, the lead underwriter for the Facebook initial public offering (IPO), was fined $5 million for creating an uneven playing field among investors, Massachusetts’s top securities regulator said this…

Boehner’s ‘Plan B’ for Fiscal Crisis Gets Panned By Congress

By Bill Fay | December 18, 2012

The momentum Republican House Speaker John Boehner and President Obama built Monday toward a resolution of the fiscal cliff crisis lasted less than 24 hours. It ended when Boehner chose…

Iceland’s Economy Heats Up Faster than Most

By Bill Fay | December 18, 2012

Four years after the crash, the United States is still limping along in what can best be described as an anemic recovery — better off than some nations, but not…

Taxpayers Beware: Alternative Minimum Tax Could Mean Huge Hit

By Bill Fay | December 17, 2012

If you’re a taxpayer worried about Congress not extending the Bush tax cuts by Jan. 1, brace yourself: An even bigger hit – the Alternative Minimum Tax – might be…

FHA Extends Program that Allows Quick ‘Flips’ of Properties

By Bill Fay | December 17, 2012

As the nation continues to wrestle with high unemployment rates and a recuperating real estate market, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) decided to continue one of its popular programs. The…

Sources:

  1. Caldwell, L. (2012, Dec. 31) It’s official: Deal reached on “fiscal cliff”. CBS news. Retrieved from: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57561465/its-official-deal-reached-on-fiscal-cliff/
  2. Dixon, K. and Mason, J. (2012, Dec. 31) Senate to vote on “fiscal cliff” as deadline approaches. Reuters.com. Retrieved from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/01/us-usa-fiscal-idUSBRE8A80WV20130101
  3. O’Keefe, E. (2012, Dec. 31) Senate Dems expect ‘strong vote’. The Washington Post. Retrieved from: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2012/12/31/senate-dems-expect-strong-vote/