Business and Financial Resources
- Federal Benefit Programs (53)
- Federal Budget Process (36)
- Income Tax and the IRS (57)
- Small Business (72)
- US Government Grants (10)
5 Presidents Who Raised the Debt Ceiling
Learn about the debt ceiling under U.S. presidents. Find out who raised the debt ceiling the most. Discover what the borrowing cap is now and what it was under recent commanders in chief.
Highest Paying Postal Jobs
Find out how much top postal jobs pay. Read descriptions of postal jobs that pay well. See who currently holds the postal jobs at the top of the U.S. Postal Service. Learn about those who hold the top postal jobs.
SBA Levels the Playing Field for Women-Owned Businesses
Explains how the SBA is helping women-owned small businesses get their legally required share of federal government contracts.
Federal Courthouses - 7 Overpriced Federal Courthouses
The construction of federal courthouses between 2000 and 2010 cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in unnecessary spending because the building were designed too large, according to the Government Accountability Office .
See more: Our Expensive Federal Courthouses
Here are seven examples of federal courthouses being overbuilt...
Treasury Hunt
The U.S. Treasury provides a web site where individuals can search for and claim forgotten money.
Understanding the Ethanol Subsidy
Find out how the primary federal ethanol subsidy works. Read about the controversy surrounding the program. Discover the history of tax incentives for creating the biofuel. Learn who benefits from the tax breaks and how much it costs American taxpayers.
Tax Cheats Got Recovery Act Money, GAO Reports
In an investigation of 63,000 government contractors and grantees who got over $24 billion in stimulus Recovery Act money, the GAO found 3,700 (5.9%) who owe the government a combined $757 million in delinquent taxes.
Can the President Raise the Debt Ceiling Without Congress?
Find out whether the president can raise the debt ceiling without Congress. Learn about the history of cooperation between presidents and Congress in raising the statutory limit on government borrowing. Read a history of the debt limit and presidents who have raised it. Discover what the constitution says about the controversial issue.
Has the U.S. Ever Defaulted on the National Debt?
Find out whether the United States ever defaulted on its national debt obligations. Read about debt defaults and restructuring through history. Learn about what it means when a government defaults.
Wage Calculator App Offered by Government
Learn about the wage calculator app from the U.S. Department of Labor. Discover why the government created the wage calculator app and how the wage calculator can help American workers. Find out how the wage calculator app can help workers involved in labor disputes. See how to download and use the wage calculator app.
End of Paper Savings Bonds
Find out when paper savings bonds will no longer be available in the United States. Discover how to purchase bonds after they are no longer available at banks and credit unions. See why the fed stopped selling the popular investments over the counter.
Our Expensive Federal Courthouses
Read about the cost of building federal courthouses. See why taxpayers were overcharged for construction of federal courthouses. Discover how much unnecessary space was built into federal courthouses. Find out how to reduce spending on federal courthouses.
The State Small Business Credit Initiative
The State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) – a component of the Small Business Jobs Act – will strive to generate at least $15 billion in locally-available small business loan programs intended to help small business grow and create new jobs. Learn more about the State Small Business Credit Initiative.
How Unemployment Extensions Benefit the Economy
Find out how unemployment extensions benefit the economy. See how unemployment extensions compare to other methods of boosting the U.S. economy. Learn about the impact of modern unemployment extensions and their impact on the national debt.
How Much U.S. Debt Does China Really Own?
Find out how much U.S. debt China really owns. See what other foreign governments hold in American government-backed securities and investments. Read about criticism of the debt and who owns it.
The Federal Minimum Wage
What is the current U.S. federal minimum wage? The answer to that question can be trickier than you might think. Learn more about the federal minimum wage.
US Labor Union Membership Declined in 2010
United States labor unions lost approximately 612,000 wage and salary members during 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), but median weekly wages earned by union members continued to exceed wages for non-union members by $200.
Truth About Government Small Business Grants
Factual information about federal and state government grants for small businesses and how to find them.
The SBA Small Business Microloan Program
For small businesses needing small loans, the popular SBA Microloan program offers loans of up to $35,000 at interest rates averaging from 8- to 13-percent.
Government Contracting Training
Jumping into government contracting without some training rarely pays off. Here you’ll find free and low-cost training resources to help small businesses bid on federal government contracts.
How to Register as a Government Contractor
Before you can bid on or be awarded government contracts, you or your business must be registered as government contractor.
Government Resources for Women-owned Businesses
The number of women owned businesses in the U.S. has been increasing rapidly over the last 20 years. Here you will find information on US government programs that help women entrepreneurs start, grow and expand their businesses.
Finding Government Contracting Opportunities
Once you are trained, registered and certified as a government contractor, you can start looking for opportunities to do business with the federal government.
Government Contracting Employment Laws
Employment and labor regulations that apply to existing federal contractors.
Government Contracting - Government Acquisition Regulations
Federal Acquisition Regulations the FAR, the rules, regulations and standards that govern the federal government’s purchasing and contracting process.
Government Contracting – Green Purchasing
Learn about opportunities to sell environmentally sound, green products and services to the federal government.
Out of Work, but Not Unemployed?
If you’re out of work, you’re unemployed, right? You should be counted among the 14.9 million Americans reported to be unemployed in August by the Department of Labor, right? Well, maybe not, according to how the Labor Department really defines “unemployed.”
Reader Tips and Experiences with SBA Small Business Loans
SBA loan experiences and tips from readers
Reader Experiences and Advice on Running a Small Business
Reader tips, advice and experiences in owning a small business
Your Tax Dollars at Work, or Not? How to Find Out
Rather than simply paying our money and taking our chances, U.S. taxpayers now have a simple way of finding out which federal programs are working, which are not.
Money for Small Business
No direct grants to individuals for starting a small business are currently available, but the SBA offers several low interest, flexible loans which are funded by government grants.
Small Business Grants from the States
Unlike the federal government, the states do offer almost 200 direct grant programs for starting or growing a small business. Here you will find links to the business development resources of all 50 states.
Sample Small Business Plan
There may only be one sure-thing in starting your own business, and that is that you will not get a loan without a complete business plan. No plan - no loan - no business. Here is a sample of one that works.
Low, Mid Income Students Should Get More Education Aid
An overwhelming majority of Americans believe first priority in federal higher education aid increases should be given to low and middle-income students striving for college, rather than to college graduates who have already received an education, according to survey results released by the U.S. House Committee on Education & the Workforce.
Money for a Small Business
The U.S. government does not currently provide grants for starting or expanding a small business. However, the government does offer plenty of free help in planning how to start or improve your business and in securing low-interest SBA-backed small business loans. In addition, many states DO offer small business grants to individuals.
Federal Student Aid Primer
You want to go to college so you can make a lot of money but you don't have a lot of money, so you can't go to college. Congratulations! You have just met the main requirements for getting federal student aid.
About the EEOC's Retiree Health Benefit Rule
U.S. employers could reduce or eliminate health benefits for their retired employees who qualify for Medicare under a new federal rule proposed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Here are the background and facts surrounding this controversial action that could affect the health benefits of millions of American retirees.
Do You Need a Federal Tax ID Number?
The government form you're feverishly filling out has a blank demanding your business's "Federal Tax ID Number" or "Employer Identification Number (EIN)." Unfortunately, you don't have one. What is a federal tax ID number, does your business even need one, and how do you get it?