Inflation and the Real Rate of Return

Inflation and the Real Rate of Return

The real rate of return is an important personal finance concept to understand. It’s the rate of return on your investments after inflation. The real rate of return indicates whether you are gaining or losing purchasing power with your money. So if inflation checks in...
What If You Get Audited?

What If You Get Audited?

“Audit” is a word that can strike fear into the hearts of taxpayers. However, the chances of an Internal Revenue Service audit aren’t that high. Between 2010 and 2018, the IRS only audited 0.6% of all individual tax returns.¹ And being audited does not necessarily...
Life and Death of a Twenty Dollar Bill

Life and Death of a Twenty Dollar Bill

Every year, the government prints millions of notes a day. Here’s a quick look at what goes into creating a $20 bill and what determines when a bill’s lifespan ends.1 Paper A $20 bill starts out life as part of a large sheet of paper. While most paper is made...