Every May, interest rates on federal student loans are reset for the upcoming school year. The rates are calculated by combining the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note with an additional fixed amount set by Congress. Based on this calculation, interest rates on federal student loans are set to decrease slightly for the 2025-2026 […]
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Moody’s Downgraded U.S. Debt: Does It Matter?
On Friday, May 16, 2025, Moody’s Ratings downgraded its rating on U.S. government long-term debt from its highest rating of Aaa to the next highest rating of Aa1. The move was particularly significant because Moody’s was the last of the Big Three credit rating agencies to maintain the triple-A rating for U.S. debt. S&P Global […]
Read MoreInfographic: The Cost of Building a New Home in the U.S.
This infographic breaks down the average cost of building a new single-family home in the United States in 2024 by stages of construction. The data is based on a survey of 4,000 U.S. home builders by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Home construction breakdown: what costs the most? Building a new home is […]
Read MoreThe Trust Company of Kansas is Hiring
We are excited to share a new career opportunity opening at The Trust Company of Kansas. Interested in joining our team? Qualified candidates may send a resume and letter to mlinsner@tckansas.com. Trust Administrator Job Summary: Assist one or more Account Officers with the day-to-day administration of trust clientrelationships and new business development. Must be interested […]
Read MoreBorrowers in Default on Federal Student Loans Face Imminent Collection Efforts
On April 21, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it will resume collections on defaulted federal student loans starting May 5, 2025. The federal government hasn’t collected on defaulted loans since March 2020. Here is some background followed by answers to questions about the new policy. A history of payment pauses and court […]
Read MoreREAL ID Deadline Fast Approaching
After years of numerous delays, the REAL ID enforcement deadline is scheduled for May 7, 2025.1 What is a REAL ID? A REAL ID is a type of enhanced identification card that is signified by a star marking in the upper top portion of the card. The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, […]
Read MoreInfographic: Ranking the World’s 20 Largest Economies
This graphic ranks countries by their forecasted gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 and compares their inflation-adjusted growth since 2015. All figures are in 2025 dollars. Growth highlights over the past decade Ten years ago, economists predicted that China would overtake the U.S. as the world’s top economy. However, a pandemic slowdown and malaise in […]
Read MoreRoll Over the Remaining Interest of an Inherited IRA or Retirement Plan
What is it? If your spouse dies and you are a primary beneficiary of their traditional IRA or retirement plan account, you may be able to roll over the inherited funds to your own traditional IRA or plan account. This is generally true even if your deceased spouse had begun taking required minimum distributions (RMDs) […]
Read MoreTariff Turmoil or Economic Signal? The Makings of a Stock Market Correction
On March 13, 2025, the S&P 500 Index landed in correction territory after a swift three-week drop of more than 10% from its February 19 record high. The NASDAQ index suffered an official correction a week earlier, having fallen over several months from its most recent peak in December 2024.1 President Trump’s rapid, on-and-off implementation […]
Read MoreScammers Are Getting Smarter – Here’s How to Stay One Step Ahead
Scammers are using all kinds of tricks to steal your money or personal information. They might pretend to be a government official, a friend in trouble, or even offer you a fake job – but their goal is always the same. Knowing the warning signs can help you and your loved ones from falling victim. […]
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