US Economy

The economy is, in essence, the way in which resources are distributed in a society. Economists play a role in studying this distribution in resources in order to help both private individuals and...

Trade agreements are negotiated between sovereign states to facilitate economic trade. They provide the rules and boundaries for trade.

There are two types of economic policies employed in the United States: monetary and fiscal policy. These are used by policy makers to influence the behaviors of participants in the economy for...

Sometimes regarded as one of the last remaining bastions of free market capitalism, the United States economic system has evolved into a mixed economy, albeit one with more capitalist...

When news reports refer to the U.S. dollar as "weak," they mean its exchange value has depreciated against the value of other currencies, such as the euro or the Japanese yen. Although a weak...

Not everyone pays the same amount in taxes and the amount of income that someone brings in affects the percentage of taxes that they will pay. However, debate exists over whether or not...

Economists often refer to the difference between direct and indirect taxation. When the government imposes some sort of tax, it can either be directed toward a specific target or spread out to...

An economic system is the type of rules and schemes used by a group of people to exchange valued goods and services between different parties. Having a system that this group agrees upon is...

Indirect taxes are one way in which the state can collect money from taxpayers. Indirect taxes can come at any time and they can come in a variety of forms. Indirect taxes are not only efficient,...

The U.S. free enterprise economic system is the overall organizational structure that makes the exchange of goods and services possible in America and with other nations. The system is based on...

Paper currency became national legal tender in the 1860's. Before then, state banks issued currency. The Civil War and the public's lack of trust in state banks caused the government to issue its...

Different voices offer different perspectives on the impact of unions on manufacturing jobs. While unions are often seen as defenders of workers' rights, they are seen by others as detrimental to...

Governments influence the course of a nation's economy through fiscal policy, which refers to government spending and taxation, and monetary policy, which involves regulation of a nation's...

Labor unions are workers' rights organizations that bargain with employers on behalf of the workers that they represent. Workers form labor unions as a means to gain bargaining power in...

The United States Office of Management & Budget creates and carries out the President's "management, budget and legislative agenda." Consisting of various sub-offices, this organization is the...

Citizens of the United States are not actually required to have a Social Security number, but most are given one at birth when their parents consent to it, and therefore the government considers...

Central banks, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of England, set monetary policies for their respective nations. World leaders closely monitor monetary policy decisions, and the stock...

Credit card debt is a painful burden. Despite what some of the scam artists say and regardless of rumors out there, the government does not give out money to pay for recklessly accrued debt. Your...

The policies of supply-side economics became well-known during the administration of U.S. President Ronald Reagan due to its influence on some Reagan administration policy makers. This has led...

Retail stores rely on counterfeit detection pens because they are cheap and easy to use. They assume these pens will detect counterfeit currency. Detection is not so easy, and experts recommend...

Business retention is part of any good profit strategy. Repeat business indicates a good product or service, a good pricing strategy, a good location and good employees. Business retention may...

When monetary policy makers such as the U.S. Federal Reserve take actions to reduce a nation's money supply, they are engaging in restrictive monetary policy. They usually take these actions to...

The federal government plays a vital role in the industrial operations of the United States. From economic development to taxation laws and labor policies, government actions help bring about a...

The stock market and the economy are closely interrelated, and the health of the stock market serves as an indicator for the health of the economy. However, part of the reason why the stock market...

The Federal Reserve may be one of the least-known and least-understood political institutions in the country, yet arguably the most influential, for it controls the money supply by setting the...

Dependency on paper currency evolved in the 19th century due to banking and economic problems. Although initially backed by gold and silver, paper currency is now backed by the federal government...

Franklin Roosevelt's strategy for dealing with the Great Depression is summed up in his "New Deal," a phrase coined in his 1932 presidential campaign. This strategy approached the economic crisis...

A FICO credit score is a rating that is given to a person based on his debts and payment history, according to Transunion Interactive. Your credit score can affect whether you get a loan or credit...

Viewed from eight decades of hindsight, the Great Depression remains a vivid example of economic calamity at its darkest level. To this day, historians use the Depression as a model for debating...

A minimum-wage hike is meant to increase the pay of workers who earn the least amount of money in the United States. Traditionally, minimum-wage workers are teenagers, unskilled workers and...

In 2008, the United States federal government approved an economic stimulus payment. More than 124 million households began receiving the checks in May 2008 and the program completed at the end of...

The United States Social Security number (SSN) is issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or legal working immigrants for tax purposes. The numbers were first issued by the Social Security...

A primary responsibility of the Federal Reserve System, or "the Fed," is to set and execute monetary policies designed to promote stable prices, economic growth, and high employment. Monetary...

Getting a traffic ticket from an officer is never a pleasant experience. Between the process to pay the fine and the problems with your record or insurance as a result, it's quite inconvenient to...

Social Security numbers are personal identification numbers that are granted to United States citizens. Generally, you are only issued a Social Security number once in your lifetime. However,...

Living with a disability is not easy, but it is far from impossible in the United States. The U.S. government offers considerable support to people with disabilities, including funding for...

Before the American Revolution began, the need arose for an administration to oversee the treasury of what-would-become the United States. After the foundation of the American government, the...

All but a handful of U.S. states impose some kind of income tax on their residents, paid on top of the federal income tax. Most states have progressive income taxes.

The U.S. national debt is the amount of money owed by the federal government on all of its borrowing programs, including both public debt and intergovernmental debt. Despite many attempts by...

Economics does not consist of vague theories that are disconnected from real life. Quite the contrary, the study of economics is rooted in the pursuit of rational explanations of human behavior...

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is designed to aid low-income citizens in the purchase of food. Many people don't apply for food...

The definition of a Helping Hand program for the disabled is a program or concept which improves their quality of life. There are so many Helping Hand programs with disabled and non-disabled...

When you need to ship a package rather than a letter, the U.S. Postal Service offers options for postage rates. Amongst these options is parcel post or postage.

Predicting how technology may affect ordinary people's lives has never been the forte of federal and state legislatures. As the intellectual-property debate illustrates, technology has a habit of...

Financial depressions mark troubling times for those who are involved as it affects lives from all social classes.

The 1920's in the United States was a period of optimism. The recent creation of the Federal Reserve was expected to add stability to the economy. Speculators rushed to the stock market. The...