Timothy Sumer

From red-hot inflation to a strong jobs market, and all the negative gross domestic product in between, economists are divided on the health of the U.S. economy. A top concern for Americans: Are there layoffs on the horizon? Economists break down the data and economic indicator complexities brought upon by the Covid pandemic and the war in Europe. More corporate leaders are anticipating a recession, according to a survey from Stifel. Big companies are already announcing layoffs, including Best Buy, Ford Motor, HBO Max, Peloton, Shopify, Walmart and Wayfair. Meanwhile, a survey from PwC shows 50% of firms expect to reduce their labor forces in the next six to 12 months. This comes at a time when the labor market could hardly appear stronger. In July 2022, there were 11.2 million job openings, revealing a shortage of workers for available positions. "I think it's very important to look at the number of job openings," Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecru...

If you're a small business owner, here are five key reasons you should consider offering a retirement savings plan: 1) to accumulate wealth, 2) attract new hires (and retain employees), 3) claim tax benefits, 4) put those savings back into your business, and 5) in some states, it's now the law. When offered as part of a total benefits package, retirement plans that can help employees prepare for their future, can also improve your business hiring and employee retention in today's tight labor market. Right now, the government is offering incentives to encourage smaller employers incentives to add a basic retirement plan option. With 401(k) plans in particular, there are many routes you can go when setting up and servicing a plan. Integration with payroll makes servicing and compliance easier than ever. Provisions in the SECURE Act also provide the most significant retirement savings reform legislation in 15 years, offering benefits such as a larger tax credit f...