Questions tagged [government]

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-6 votes
3 answers
334 views

Why haven't government/banks acted to prevent money laundering and other scams?

I read about so many scams where people are given large cheques to deposit, and then asked to repay most of the money and keep a bit for themselves. The cheques then bounce, and the person is out the ...
GentlePurpleRain's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
232 views

Lack of response by FinCen?

I had all my FBAR information prepared well before the deadline to file. In order to avoid electronic signatures, I requested a paper FBAR, and received one. The paper FBAR contained instructions ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 150
2 votes
3 answers
364 views

What does it mean when I read in the news that interest rates were lowered or raised?

I was reading the newspaper, and an article mentioned that the government was going to lower interest rates. What does that mean? I'm confused because the news always assumes that you know what they'...
Michael Altfield's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
69 views

International student in the USA reselling in europe

I am a student studying in the USA and have a study visa. I have a business in Germany with a partner of mine. What i'm wondering is, if there are problems with my visa or if I risk something if i buy ...
MarcoDJ01's user avatar
  • 103
0 votes
3 answers
144 views

Can W-2 form be verified using QR code or something relevant? [closed]

I'm not familiar with US or how its tax system works Some countries provide forms similar to US' W-2. Here's how it works in one country I'm familiar with. On the form there's a government website ...
user119056's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
62 views

Is there any official/governmental website for cost of living in the US cities? [closed]

I am looking for a website that I can find cost of living in my city in California and refrence to it in my official claim. Is there any one?
GoodMan's user avatar
  • 140
0 votes
1 answer
193 views

How does the U.S. government "spend money into existence?" [closed]

What does that mean and how does it work? Are there other countries that do it? I heard this phrase just now in this video. https://youtu.be/KxdU_wRCzYM Update: Here is a more direct link to where the ...
JSNinja's user avatar
  • 129
10 votes
5 answers
4k views

What’s the difference between inflation and inflation tax?

I get that people seem to be using the term inflation tax as a metaphor for understanding inflation, but it seems to be a bit more than that. We all know that inflation reduces the buying power of our ...
Cybernetic's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
42 views

How to contact SBA regarding COVID19 loans?

I called SBA today on 415 744 6820 regarding a delicate PPP loan situation I am having. Over phone they delegated me to NorcalSBDC.org website (note the lack of .gov). And then they further delegated ...
user4910112's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
185 views

How much value has the US Dollar lost or gained in 2020, compared to the US Dollar in 2019?

There's a lot of news about the Federal Reserve printing money. I have a hard time imagining the relative change in value of the USD. (or EURO for that matter) I tried to calculate but it's hard: ...
Frank De Smedt's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
181 views

What determines the interest rates of government bonds?

It's not clear to me how the interest rate of a specific government bond changes. I would like to make a comparison with cryptocurrency exchanges. Consider, for example, the price of bitcoin on ...
DamiToma's user avatar
  • 193
2 votes
2 answers
326 views

Bypass credit agency and pay loan directly to US Dept of Education?

My employer received a letter from a creditor agency ("Central Research") ordering that they garnish up to 25% of my salary for the loan. The language that they used in the letter to them was ...
Joseph's user avatar
  • 21
0 votes
1 answer
565 views

What does it mean when central banks buy bonds (QE)? [closed]

If I lend money to the government, they issue me a bond with the agreement that they will pay me interest and when the bond matures they will give me back the money I have invested. When central ...
Yoan Arnaudov's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
150 views

What does it mean by Global recession? [closed]

I am bit curious to understand what it actually means when I read global recession is coming soon. There are some questions which pop in my mind reading such news. Some of them are: What causes ...
Mohit Sharma's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
65 views

To know if I want to hold Municipal Bonds, I want to know the percent of unfunded pension liabilities ($3.8T) to total state and local gov liabilities

I'm pondering whether or not to hold Municipal Bonds in my portfolio. My concern is that Municipalities seem to be stressed because unfunded pension liabilities keep growing and this seems alarming. ...
JorgeT's user avatar
  • 161
0 votes
2 answers
197 views

Am I eligible for applying PMAY scheme?

I am planning to buy a home and my father already own a home. Am I eligible for applying PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Housing for All (Urban)) scheme? Thanks in advance
user5751040's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
211 views

Text message about my tax return, fraud?

I am on holiday in Russia. I am from the United Kingdom. I received a text message from GOV saying: A tax return is pending due to previous overpayments. Follow the secure link to claim your ...
user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
131 views

if you're a federal employee and you quit during the shutdown will you still get backpay?

Right now there are 800,000 or so furloughed federal employees that aren't being paid. Many of these employees are being forced to continue working despite not having received a paycheck. My question ...
neubert's user avatar
  • 3,832
27 votes
5 answers
12k views

How does the government shutdown affect tax returns?

Has a government shutdown in the past affected tax returns? In terms of refunds, is there anything to be expected differently based on historical precedent?
Paul Sweatte's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
207 views

Why is tax so high on petrol and diesel in India? [closed]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_tax#India In India, the pricing of fuel varies by state, though central taxes still are part of the pump price of fuel. The Central and state government's ...
Stupid_Intern's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
92 views

Are taxes payable on bounties offered by governments?

Say the police is offering 1 million US dollars for information leading to a capture of a notorious criminal. Say you provide this information to the police, and they have to pay you 1 million of ...
Badalyan's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
6k views

Capital gains tax on US treasury bonds

If one buys 30 year bonds directly from the treasury, I understand the semi-annual interests are taxable at federal level. But what about capital gains in case the bonds are purchased at a discount ...
Kannan's user avatar
  • 556
3 votes
3 answers
210 views

Local government or private pension?

This question relates to the UK LGPS. On the surface, this seems less flexible and potentially gives less return than a private pension. Yes, private pension pay-outs fluctuate depending on the ...
Cloud's user avatar
  • 3,655
-1 votes
1 answer
117 views

What does cryptocurrency mean for governments? [closed]

As far as I understand, governments & banks create money into existence. Governments, when run correctly, use it to build infrastructure, give grants and create jobs. What if everybody begins to ...
mateos's user avatar
  • 273
2 votes
1 answer
168 views

What happens to brokerage accounts during severe financial crises? [closed]

It's well known that during, for example, the recent Argentinian great depression (1998-2002) or the ongoing Greek government-debt crisis, the bank accounts of members of the public were frozen, and ...
seekingknowledge's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

What is the difference between section 8 and section 515 housing in the U.S.?

I have been looking for an apartment. I found a place that is inexpensive, and I did more research and discovered that it is section 515 housing. Apparently this is among the types of housing people ...
Ryan Mortensen's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
117 views

Why is there a lack of correlation between the global usage of oil and the price of oil? [closed]

The list below illustrates the world's usage of oil and it's respective average price for that year. Given that the global demand for oil is rather inelastic what explains the large disconnect between ...
Michael878's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
2k views

How secure is my 403(b)? Can its assets be "raided"?

I work at a state university and contribute to my 403(b) retirement account on a twice-monthly basis, maxing out the matching funds. I also contribute a smaller amount to another account, after ...
Alex Reynolds's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
127 views

What solar panel subsidies does Australia have right now?

I'm thinking about buying solar panels for my house. Only thing is I'm not sure whether to wait. I've been told that the value of solar power in Australia has remained largely the same - this is ...
JPM's user avatar
  • 51
2 votes
1 answer
4k views

Can customs access PayPal payment data

After buying an item internationally customs intercepted the package and was asking in its declaration form for the PayPal receipt if applicable. Falsifying such a receipt would be beyond easy, so, ...
David Mulder's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
478 views

For Federal Crimes, where does the money collected from penalties go? [closed]

Today it was announced that Hewlett-Packard, HP, has to pay a $108 million dollar penalty to the Department of Justice, DoJ, for pleading guilty to bribery and money laundering. My question is, where ...
Scott's user avatar
  • 109
7 votes
2 answers
802 views

How does the Pension system work in Poland?

I've been reading articles I found in chat about the Polish pension system and how it is changing. (Chat room: http://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/22/show-me-the-money) I'm trying to understand how ...
Alex B's user avatar
  • 17.3k
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why do interest rates increase or decrease?

Do interest rates increase based on what the market is doing, or do they solely increase based on what the Federal Reserve sets them at? Why is it assumed that interest rates are going to increase ...
Jon's user avatar
  • 629
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

Does total US public debt include state debt?

When I see total US public debt, I wonder whether state debt is included. If "total US public debt" used differently for different cases, I will restrict my case to the usage in national accounting/St....
accounting's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
209 views

Protecting savings from exceptional taxes

Cyprus sets a sad precedent in the sense that a government considered taxing up to 10% of private bank savings in order to improve the financial situation of a country. The decision did not pass but ...
James P.'s user avatar
  • 149
12 votes
3 answers
14k views

can the government or debt collectors garnish money from any bank account to which the debtor has access?

A trusted family member has access to my savings account. The savings account is mine, but the family member's name appears next to mine, which means that they are entitled to withdraw money from the ...
J Smith's user avatar
  • 221
2 votes
1 answer
3k views

How can I donate money to the Canadian federal government?

Lots of governments accept donations from members of the public. For example, I know the government of Ontario accepts donations through the Ontario Opportunities Fund. I also know that the US federal ...
unforgettableidSupportsMonica's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
333 views

Governments Debt/GDP and Budget (deficit/surplus), how to read the figures to decide what bonds to buy?

After searching for hours on Google I found these two great tables (theya are also sortable): list of Government Debt to GDP ratio list of Government budget (I took hours to find this because I ...
Marco Demaio's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
2k views

What does "running a very large fiscal deficit" mean?

Recently I was reading an article on ft.com, and I came across this quote: They [yield on gilts and bonds] are particularly striking in the cases of the US and UK,which unlike Germany, run very ...
Anup's user avatar
  • 141
4 votes
1 answer
11k views

FAFSA: Do I still report my parents' income if I am not claimed as dependent?

I'm 19 and it's nearly time to fill out the FAFSA again. Most of the time, until you're 24 (or is it 25?) you report your parents' income on the FAFSA. However, my parents do not claim me as a ...
nick's user avatar
  • 217
2 votes
2 answers
144 views

Open budgets in open data [closed]

I heard about the idea of open data which aim is to provide various data from governments. Will data about the government budget (money gained mostly from taxpayers), finances, spendings be available ...
xralf's user avatar
  • 123
5 votes
2 answers
368 views

What are the risks of euro deposit accounts in Greek and Cypriot banks?

What is the risk of having 100k euro in accounts in Greek banks and Cypriot banks? Is there a guarantee? I assume that the state guarantee for deposits doesn't hold when a country defaults.
St.k's user avatar
  • 51
9 votes
4 answers
7k views

How can all these countries owe so much money? Why & where did they borrow it from?

When I look at this long list of countries with debt, I get the feeling we've all been sold a load of manure. How can so many countries owe so much money? Generally speaking, why did they borrow it, ...
boatcoder's user avatar
  • 893
29 votes
6 answers
58k views

Where do countries / national governments borrow money from? [closed]

It seems that every country on Earth is in debt, but nowhere on the news do they ever mention to who. If countries are all in debt to each other then why not just cancel all the countries debt. If it'...
Jonathan.'s user avatar
  • 675