SmartReads

It’s that time of year when many households assess their budgets ahead of holiday parties, gifting and sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Local businesses, ecommerce businesses, and even governments collecting associated sales tax benefit from these end-of-year purchases. To accommodate the seasonal surge in spending, businesses must often plan ahead to account… read more…

While some members of Gen Z may still be working entry level jobs while attending high school or college, much of this cohort has now entered the workforce in earnest. As the least experienced generation on the schedule, Gen Z is generally paid less than their older counterparts, with this holding true in 93% of… read more…

The top 1% of earners across the U.S. earn an average of 19.5% of all income – sometimes garnering criticism from pundits and politicians – but pay 37% of total income taxes. This cohort thus contributes the largest chunk of funding for infrastructure, healthcare, welfare programs, and more, despite advantages that may enable them to… read more…

In 2025, the average annual cost of raising a child under five in the United States reached $27,743. These costs – which cover additional housing, food, transportation, healthcare, miscellaneous items and childcare for a working couple – rose 4.5% between 2024 and 2025, slightly outpacing the 2.82% inflation rate during the same timeframe. But costs… read more…