Have you ever bought something you really couldn’t afford? You simply swipe your credit card and leave the store with something shiny and new. That instant gratification overpowers any thought of the regret you’ll have when you must start paying off your accumulated debt. Economists call...

Inflation, deflation, disinflation. They affect the prices of everything we buy. To find out how and what’s happening in today’s economy, see the February 2011 newsletter, “Deflation: Who Let the Air Out?”

Although the recent Great Recession was severe, its financial impact never paralleled that of the Great Depression. The November Newsletter compares these two economic downturns and shows how lessons learned in the Great Depression helped current Federal Reserve policymakers stabilize the...

Financial crises and recessions have often led to significant financial reform. Perhaps the most noteworthy financial reform of the past century was the formation of the Federal Reserve System in 1913. This month's newsletter provides historical details of events leading up to the founding of...

Last July, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 brought the most sweeping financial regulatory reform since the Great Depression. The May 2011 Liber8 newsletter outlines key provisions of the Act intended to prevent or lessen future financial crises and enhance...

To find out more about fiscal and monetary policy— who conducts them, how they work, and their roles during economic downturns— read this month's newsletter.

The cost of a college education continues to rise.The Project on Student Debt estimates that a typical 2009 college graduate accumulated $24,000 in student loan debt. Is a college degree worth the cost? Read the August 2011 Newsletter for the latest data on college versus high school graduates'...

Holiday sales are expected to be weak again this year even though the economy and financial markets are improving. Shoppers are especially reluctant to use credit cards for holiday purchases. According to the National Retail Federation's 2009 Consumer Intentions and Action Survey, only 28.3...

Some U.S. taxpayers were angry and felt betrayed when financial company executives received large bonuses in the midst of the 2008-09 financial crisis. These executives headed some of the same firms whose risky practices contributed to the crisis—and then later received billions of dollars in...

Although the economy is rebounding, the unemployment rate remains high and private sector job gains remain weak. economists debate whether extending unemployment benefits keep unemployment artificially high by discouraging work.