Political anxiety following the European elections hammered the euro last week, with significant gains for far-right parties and a snap election in France rattling EUR investors. This week, the UK’s latest consumer price...more
In October 2022, I circulated “An In-Depth Examination of Inflation Relief for a Government Contractor[.]” Much has occurred since. Inflation remains an acute problem. In turn, contractors and subcontractors continue...more
The Internal Revenue Service recently issued its annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for the 2023 tax year for retirement plans as well as health and welfare benefit plans. These COLAs reflect significant...more
Inflation is generally down from 2021, but is still high in too many places, and is expected to persist in 2023. With inflation eroding value for this long, a Government contractor may need to obtain contract relief. ...more
Employers in approximately a dozen states and twice as many cities and counties should expect significant hikes in minimum wage rates for 2023. Many of these hikes are due to state and local laws which account for...more
California’s minimum wage rate will rise to $15.50 per hour, beginning on January 1, 2023, due to a cost-of-living increase provision found in the state’s minimum wage law. California Labor Code section 1182.12...more
According to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the United States is facing the highest inflation numbers in over 40 years. On April 12, 2022, it was announced that the CPI has increased 8.5% over the last 12 months, based on...more
During his State of the Union address, President Biden indicated that getting inflation under control was a top priority, and to businesses he said, “Lower your costs, not your wages.” For many employers throughout the...more
Despite the reemergence of inflation and bubbles as the concerns-of-the-day that caused markets to quiver their way to a 3-month low yesterday, Fed officials remained committed to their “wait and see” strategy on removing...more
The Nasdaq has set Coinbase’s reference price at $250/share ahead of today’s first day of trading for the crypto exchange that’s making its public debut via direct listing ...more
The way the government calculates inflation affects eligibility for numerous programs -- ranging from Medicaid to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to food stamps -- that are relied on by people with disabilities. Now, the...more
Stock Market Commentary - Volatility returned to markets with a vengeance in the first quarter of 2018. After surging nearly 6% in January, the strongest start to the year since 1997, the S&P 500 plummeted by 10% from its...more
Nordstrom’s doing what it can to fight the seemingly inevitable decline of many retailers in the face of online competition. The family-run company has been revamping stores, amassing e-commerce companies, and launching new...more
Based on the Consumer Price Index for the 12-month period ending August 31, 2016, Thompson Reuters Checkpoint has released their projected inflation-adjusted Estate, Gift, GST tax, and other exclusion amounts for 2017, as...more
For the first time in 25 years, OSHA fines likely will be increasing. The change will take effect no later than August 1, 2016, and each year thereafter. A relatively obscure provision in the 2015 budget bill passed by...more
Employers woke up to a surprise on November 3. That’s when we learned that the Federal Budget Agreement, which was quickly worked out behind closed doors and signed the day before, includes surprise provisions authorizing the...more
It may be hard to believe that in 2001, the estate and gift tax exemption, also known as the unified credit, was a mere $675K. In 2016 that credit is anticipated to go up to $5.45M for single filers; potentially $10.9M...more
Stock Market Commentary - Despite the stock market's nearly 6% surge in February following a bumpy January, March brought heightened volatility, which nearly dissolved the year-to-date gains. The S&P 500 finished the...more
On November 5, 2013, New Jersey voters overwhelmingly approved (by a 61% to 39% margin) a constitutional amendment to raise the state minimum wage to $8.25 per hour starting on January 1, 2014. The amendment further mandates...more