There are a variety of factors that determine the strength of the U.S. economy, including government spending levels, imports versus exports and currency values. Yet, the biggest factor in determining the health of the economy is based on consumer spending, which is the case in most developed countries.

According to statistics from the Federal Reserve (the Fed), expenditures from American consumers account for more than two-thirds of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the measure used to determine growth in the economy. While the role of the consumer has not always played such a dominant role in driving the economy, it has generally been responsible for 60 percent or more of economic activity dating back to the post-World War II era.

It is notable that consumers have played a more prominent role in recent decades. According to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, a half century ago, in 1966, consumer spending accounted for 59 percent of total GDP. By 1991, the percentage had risen to 64 percent. Today, consumer spending represents 68.1 percent of GDP, and has been in a similar range since 2008.

What is the role of consumers?

Economists and market analysts often keep a close eye on trends related to consumer activity. If consumer spending is strong, it can be an indication that most Americans have a high level of confidence in the direction of the economy. The total amount of consumer spending isn’t the only measure people keep an eye on. The types of expenditures can help determine how high consumer confidence may be at any given time. For example, if sales of luxury goods (expensive cars, jewelry) are lagging and people are putting more money into necessities like food, shelter and clothing, it may not reflect a strong vote of confidence about consumer expectations.

The data on spending plays an important role in how businesses and government agencies plan for the future. If consumers show a high level of confidence, businesses are more likely to boost spending as well to try to capitalize on the opportunity for increased sales. By contrast, if consumers are cautious about spending, businesses may invest less and government policymakers have, at times, chosen to provide stimulus through tax cuts or increased spending to help give the economy a boost.

Consumer spending trends also have a big impact on monetary policy, which is directed by the Fed. If consumer spending is lagging, the Fed can decide to reduce interest rates and take other steps to help jump-start household and business spending. If consumers are spending too much too quickly, it might signal that inflation could become a threat. The Fed may take steps, such as raising interest rates, to try and control economic growth.

What can we expect?

It’s difficult to predict what the future will hold for the markets and economy. One thing is for sure – economists and financial analysts will likely continue watching trends in consumer spending to gauge where the economy is headed.

Are you dreaming about moving into your first home? While home hunting can be exciting, the process of buying a home can be somewhat challenging. Purchasing a home is a big financial commitment – potentially one of the biggest purchases you’ll make in your lifetime. With some planning, you can be ready to commit to a home with confidence. Here are some tips to help you get your finances ready for purchasing a home.

Determine your down payment and monthly housing cost. In most cases, you’ll need a minimum down payment of 10-15 percent. However, it can be advantageous to make a larger payment to reduce the interest you’ll pay and avoid fees attached to low-down-payment loans. As a benchmark, your down payment generally needs to be at least 20 percent to avoid Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones with a generous relative willing to help with your down payment. If that’s the case, ask your lender about rules pertaining to cash gifts. You can determine your monthly housing cost by adding the cost of your mortgage payment, taxes and homeowners insurance. Be sure to look at the total monthly housing cost before purchasing a home to make sure it fits into your overall budget.

Get preapproved for a home loan. With preapproval in hand from a reputable mortgage company, your offer has a better chance of being accepted. Plus, you may be able to shorten the closing period since the loan approval process has been completed. Keep in mind that getting prequalified for a loan is not the same as obtaining preapproval. Prequalification is merely an estimate of how much you may be eligible to borrow based on self-reported income information – it is not a guarantee you will receive a loan. You are still required to undergo an approval process.

Approach fixer-uppers with caution. Unless you are confident the house you’re buying has been deeply discounted based on the current housing prices in your area, you may place yourself at greater financial risk if your new home requires a lot of work. To avoid over extending yourself, look for a home that is in good shape and will stay that way for the foreseeable future. However, be realistic about what you can afford. If you have the time and know-how to retile the bathroom, paint the living room or enhance the landscaping, a moderate fixer-upper could be worth the financial investment.

Limit your demands. If you want to make a compelling offer, particularly in a strong real estate market, you may want to be selective about the conditions you’re adding to your offer. An inspection contingency is smart but asking for extensive repairs may tip the scales in favor of another buyer who is less demanding.

Do your research so you’re ready to act. Buying a home can be a very emotional decision and it’s important to go into the process well prepared. Take some time to lay out your priorities and research the market. What’s most important to you long-term – resale value, location, school district, number of bedrooms? Be practical about what you can truly afford and take the time to obtain preapproval from your bank or mortgage company. When you start seriously looking, you may have to act fast if you find the perfect house. If you’re prepared and thoughtful at the beginning of the process, you’ll be in a better position to make the right move.

What makes a couple successful in their financial relationship? Ameriprise Financial surveyed over 1,500 couples (those married or living together for at least six months) to learn about their money conversations and how they make decisions. The results revealed eight ways you can improve the financial health of your relationship:

1. Understand your partner’s money mindset. It’s normal to have differing views and habits about money, but that doesn’t mean you can’t agree on your financial goals. Couples who report being on the same page financially work to understand their partner’s approach to money and keep the lines of communication open.

2. Make finances a priority and don’t give up. Couples who are willing to have the hard conversations and who work together to find financial harmony will reap the benefits over time. As you might expect, the study found that couples who had been together longer tend to have better communication and are on the same page when it comes to financial matters.

3. Agree on financial goals. It’s tough to pool your money with someone who overspends or who isn’t willing to save for the vacation you’ve always dreamed about. Sharing financial goals does bring you closer together-or at least it’s one less thing to argue about. To make it easier to save, challenge yourselves to add a timeframe to each goal so you know what you’re working toward first.

4. Assign and accept financial roles and responsibilities. Most couples split up tasks such as paying bills or monitoring investments. Clear responsibilities allow you to hold one another accountable without worrying if the cable bill was paid. However, be sure to work together on tasks such as retirement planning that requires close collaboration.

5. Invest in your future together. Make it a priority to set aside a portion of your earnings for short- and long-term goals, including retirement. Know how much you collectively have in retirement savings-a surprising 23 percent of couples are unsure of this number. If you have kids, talk about how much you’d like to contribute to their college expenses so you can save accordingly.

6. Set a spending limit. Spending habits were the leading cause of contention for couples. Consider setting a spending limit to ensure you’re on the same page as your partner regarding large expenditures. On average, couples said a purchase over $400 should trigger a discussion.

7. Understand that disagreeing is okay. According to the Ameriprise study, even couples who say they’re in financial harmony disagree on financial matters. What’s important isn’t that the partners don’t always agree, but that 82 percent resolve their issues and move on.

8. Enlist a professional to solidify your financial plan. When you need an objective opinion – or a deciding vote – meet with a financial advisor. Together the three of you can create a financial plan that meets your specific needs as a couple.

Ultimately, it feels good when you are in sync with your partner regarding financial decisions and can work together toward managing your finances. Couples who actively work on improving their financial relationship will likely be less frustrated over money matters and may even feel better about their relationship overall.

As a landlord, your return of investment comes in the form of rent. If your property is not leased, it does not earn the income that you need to pay the mortgage.

However, many landlords have difficulty in collecting the rent. Even if there is a solid lease agreement, which indicates late rent fees, some tenants have the problem of paying on time.

How could both parties meet halfway to make sure that the landlord receives the payment, and that the tenant will find it easy to pay the rent before or on the first day of every month?

Let’s take a look at how tenants pay their rent and the pros and cons of each payment method:

In the Form of Check

Paying a check is a secure method, which informs the bank to withdraw from the checking account to pay money to anther party. Most landlords still accept checks.

Pros: Tenants can mail checks in advance and also postdate them to cash on the specified date.

Cons: In case the check bounces, the bank charges the tenant, who has to pay a fee. Additionally, getting a check does not necessarily mean that there is money in the account of the tenant.

Take note that checks are not commonly used by millennial, which you need to remember when renting to students.

By Means of Cash

It is not practical to accept cash as payment because it can get lost, it’s difficult to trace, and could have discrepancies on the amount the tenant paid against the cash you received. One more disadvantage of cash payment is that you need to collect from the tenant every month.

If ever you accept cash payments for rent, which is common among landlords who have their basements leased or live close by, make sure to give your tenant an acknowledge receipt as proof of payment and a record of their payment.

There are tenants that still choose to pay rent with cash since many of them use it to monitor their spending. Yet, this appears on their bank statement simply as a withdrawal – that is why it can be difficult to use is as rent payment.

With a Cashier’s Check or Bank Draft

Another secure form of payment is through a cashier’s check or bank draft, wherein the bank withdraws on its funds after withdrawing the amount from the account of the tenant.

Though these may be a secure payment, this is not practical for a lot of tenants, since a fee is required to draw one up. Besides, the tenant has to go all the way to their bank to issue it.

With the holiday season in full swing, most people begin to think about what’s on their loved one’s annual wish list. While the latest high tech gadget might be a great idea, have you ever thought about how far a monetary gift can go? A gift to the youngest generation in your family can help teach the importance of saving and self-discipline, ultimately leading to a lifetime of good habits and fiscal responsibility. For 20 & 30-somethings, a monetary gift can not only reinforce good habits, but can immediately ease the debt of those coming out of college, or help boost a loved one’s retirement account. And although we always assume that a gift exclusively helps the receiver, the tax benefits associated with these types of gifts can also be good for your wallet. As the “gifter” you can reduce your estate by giving to whomever you choose and if it’s to a registered non-profit charity, you could even be eligible for a tax deduction.

An individual can give up to $14,000, and a married couple as much as $28,000, to as many recipients as they’d like without any tax ramifications each year. These gifts can be made directly to the individual or put into an account in their name that they’ll benefit from in the future. Savings bonds, or deposits into custodial accounts or educational savings plans are very popular gifts for young children, ensuring that the gift is saved for a future purpose. For those 20 or 30-somethings, consider a gift into a traditional or Roth IRA. If you’re worried that your children will grow to expect these gifts instead of saving themselves, consider offering some type of match. One common strategy is to offer a retirement match, putting one dollar in an IRA for every dollar that the child puts toward their IRA or company 401k plan. For those paying student loans, another common strategy is to match dollar-for-dollar into a retirement account every dollar the child pays over the minimum monthly payment on their loans.

The holidays are also a time of year when people contribute more to charitable organizations close to their heart. If you own highly appreciated stock, this year consider gifting those shares instead of a cash gift. Let’s assume you bought a share of Apple for $20 that’s worth $100 today and that you’d like to use it to give to charity. If you were to sell this share yourself and then gift the proceeds, you’d pay capital gains taxes on the $80 of growth. If the charity is a tax-exempt non-profit, they don’t pay capital gains taxes. By gifting the share of Apple directly to the charity, you’re able to avoid the $80 taxable gain and also tax a deduction for the full $100 market value of the stock. If you’re growing your investment savings, write yourself a check for that tax-deduction and re-deposit the value back into your investment account. If you have required minimum distributions (RMDs) from your IRA, you can donate up to $100,000 of these assets each year to satisfy your required withdrawal and avoid paying ordinary income tax.

Many people only make plans in their will for gifts to their loved ones. As advisors, we see cases where a person with a large estate leaves gifts in their will that are below the annual gift exemption. When this happens, in addition to possible estate and generation-skipping taxes paid by the estate, certain states require the recipient to pay inheritance tax on the gift as well. By giving to your loved ones while you are alive you can reduce your estate and help avoid taxes, but more importantly, you get to see the recipient benefit from the gift. You also have the opportunity to warp your gift in a story, sharing your hopes and desires in giving the gift. Share with the next generation the importance of financial independence, why you enjoy giving to your favorite charity, or the biggest money mistake you made over the years.

Holiday gifts of cash can do a lot to help your loved ones, teach strong financial lessons and potentially lower future taxes. But, monetary gifting is most successful when it is about sharing your success and your values at the same time.

The ease of making financial transactions and financial services in general, had first been revolutionised when telegraph companies introduced wire transfers. But with the coming of new age financial services like Bitcoin and Ripple, it is the time we address the question of what the future holds for the financial services of the world.

Traditional Wire Transfers

Let us begin by first taking a look at how things have been going on for these past 150 years since wire transfers were first introduced. Transferring funds using a wire transfer method via a bank is not a single step process but a multi-step process. It is like this:

• The sender approaches his or her bank and orders the transfer of funds to an account. Unique codes like BIC and IBAN codes are provided to the bank by the sender so that the bank knows exactly where the funds need to be transferred.

• The sender’s bank contacts the receiver’s bank by sending a message through a security system, such as Fedwire or SWIFT, signalling it that a transfer needs to be made. The receiver’s bank receives this message, which includes settlement instructions as well, and then asks the sender’s bank to transfer the amount specified in the message.

• The sender’s bank now transfers the amount. This is not done in one go but bit by bit, so it can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days for the entire sum to be transferred.

• To make the transfer, the two banks must have a reciprocal account with one another. If that is not the case, the transfer is made through a correspondent bank that holds such an account.

As one can see, this form of transfer relies overly on a mediator, takes more time than it should, and can prove to be costly as the banks charge some fee for their service. Distributed currencies like Bitcoin provide a viable alternative to this process.

Decentralized Currencies

What sets services like Bitcoin apart from traditional services is that they do not rely on a central mediator but rather operate using cryptographic protocols. The process is therefore faster, simpler, and much more efficient. The system is quite transparent to both end users as well while traditional systems are susceptible to fraud due to the complex process involved.

However, there is a downside to this too. With services like Bitcoin, it is simple to trace a transaction back to each unit value’s creation.

Solution? A Common Ground

More and more people are opting for services like Bitcoin and peer-to-peer mobile transfers, where a network operator could help users transfer funds by simply sending an SMS. Although these are indeed more efficient, they are a long way from global acceptance because there are many who still do not have bank accounts, plus there is the issue of limited user identification in such services.

What would be ideal for everyone is if banks could tap into the potential of decentralized currencies and overlap the source code of services like Ripple on their existing system to form a hybrid of the two. It would kill two birds with one stone as:

1. Decentralized currency systems provide more efficient transfers

1. Bank systems ensure only registered users access the service, taking away the possibility of foul play.

Conclusion

The world has come a long way since the last time an indigenous financial service system was introduced. There is definitely a crying need to improve this traditional service and decentralized currencies like Bitcoin have shown them the way.

Although these are two different services and proper cyber security measures with their own shortcomings, if they were to be applied together, they could fit each other’s gaps perfectly, making for a system that revolutionizes the financial service system again.