Our goal for this page is simple. With so much confusing fiscal cliff coverage out there, we want to cut through the daily noise and give you only the information and analysis you need as an investor.
Whether it's this fiscal cliff or the next media-fueled "crisis," our aim at The Motley Fool is always to lend perspective and help you invest. Better.
Here is our latest fiscal cliff coverage, updated as we have more insights:
Is It Over Yet? The Latest on the Fiscal Cliff (Morgan Housel)
The fiscal cliff is averted for now ... here are the details.
5 Companies Welcoming the Fiscal Cliff With Open Arms (Sean Williams)
Some rare possible winners in a fiscal cliff scenario.
Companies Sound Off About the Fiscal Cliff (Demetrios Kalogeropoulos)
Starbucks and other companies give their two cents.
Fiscal Cliff: What Does It Mean for Energy Stocks? (Travis Hoium)
As the title says, the energy view.
Fiscal Cliff Hits Health Care (Brian Orelli)
A sector-specific look at health care.
The New Obama Offer (AP) and Boehner's Plan B (AP)
The most recent public negotiating.
An Interactive History of the U.S. Debt Ceiling (Alex Planes)
A pretty infographic detailing how we got here.
5 Stocks in Trouble Regardless of the Fiscal Cliff (Sean Williams)
A look at the micro rather than the macro at five troubled companies.
Fiscal Cliff Notes: What Does the Cliff Mean for Defense Contractors? (Rich Smith)
Here's a high-level run-down of what you need to know about the most obviously affected industry.
Bernanke Says Fiscal Cliff Already Hurting Economy (AP)
The Fed chief weighs in with his thoughts.
'Twas The Night Before the Fiscal Cliff (Justin Loiseau)
A little poetic relief.
Former Romney Advisor John Taylor
Rob Arnott on the Fiscal Cliff: "Comical If It Wasn't So Tragic"
Mohnish Pabrai: How Investors Should Think About the Economy
Motley Fool exclusive fiscal cliff interviews conducted by Morgan Housel.
The Strange Debt-Ceiling History Behind the Fiscal Cliff (Alex Planes)
There wouldn't be a fiscal cliff without the debt ceiling. So why does the United States have a debt ceiling? And how did it pass into law? To understand how we got here, it helps to know where we've come from.
5 Stocks to Consider Regardless of the Fiscal Cliff (Nicole Seghetti)
Here are five companies that should be fine for decades to come fiscal cliff or no fiscal cliff.
Will the Fiscal Cliff Destroy Dividend Stocks? (Justin Loiseau)
How much could increased dividend taxation hurt your investments? Here is some quantitative perspective.
Here Are the Numbers. You Fix the Fiscal Cliff (Morgan Housel)
Do you like playing armchair budget quarterback? Here's what a year's worth of spending and taxing looks like, line by line. Have at it!
Could the ‘Platinum Coin Option’ Solve the U.S. Debt Crisis? (Washington Post)
File this under both "amuse" and "is this what it's come down to?" A kinda silly but technically legal trump card for the president: mint a couple trillion-dollar platinum coins.
Why the Fiscal Cliff Will Crush Business (Dan Carroll)
The article below this one talks about the effect of the fiscal cliff on individuals. Here's a look at how it could affect businesses.
How the Fiscal Cliff Will Affect You (Dan Caplinger)
Complete with spiffy graphics from the Tax Policy Center, this article gives you an idea of the actual amount of extra taxes you could pay if the fiscal cliff isn't resolved.
4 Questions to Understand the Fiscal Cliff (Alex Dumortier)
The questions answered here include the basic "What is the fiscal cliff?" and the not-so-basic "So if Congress and the White House act in time, we can avert any negative impact on the economy altogether?"
Does the Fiscal Cliff Threaten the Dollar's Dominance? (Arjun Sreekumar)
Recently, Goldman Sachs' CEO Lloyd Blankfein suggested that a failure to resolve the upcoming fiscal cliff could threaten the dollar's status as the leading global reserve currency.
Warren Buffett on the Fiscal Cliff (Morgan Housel)
Come on, you know you want to read what the Oracle of Omaha has to say!
The Fiscal Cliff That Saved Christmas (Rick Munarriz)
In anticipation of potential dividend rate hikes, some companies are doling out juicy special dividends.
The Fiscal Cliff in Pictures (Dan Newman)
Here's a set of graphs and charts from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office showing what would happen given either no compromise or what it calls an "alternative fiscal scenario."
What to Look At Beyond the Fiscal Cliff (Dan Caplinger)
As Dan puts it:
The fiscal cliff is an incredibly important issue for investors, but it's not the only one. By staying aware of the next big issue folks are going to look at, you'll be ahead of the game when the fiscal cliff gets resolved -- one way or another.
Beware: There's More Than One Fiscal Cliff (Dan Newman)
A reminder that globally it's not just the U.S. that's dealing with tricky economic decisions.
What Happens to Dividends After the Fiscal Cliff? (Morgan Housel)
One consequence of a fiscal cliff scenario is that dividend tax rates would go up. But would companies start paying significantly less dividends? Not necessarily. And would the economy be drastically hurt? Again, not necessarily.
What You Need to Know About the Fiscal Cliff (Morgan Housel)
A primer on the fiscal cliff that includes this great investing advice:
What should investors be doing in the meantime? Probably nothing. If you're contemplating making big changes to your portfolio ahead of the fiscal cliff, stop. There's a good chance you're driven more by emotion than reason. If you were happy with your investment strategy three months ago, you should be happy with it three months from now. Smart investing is about long-term businesses, not short-term politics.
Let's Dive Off the Fiscal Cliff (Dan Newman)
Includes a bulleted list of what happens if we go off the fiscal cliff:
- The capital-gains tax rate increases from 15% to 20%, while the 15% dividend tax rate increases to the income tax rate.
- The Department of Defense reduces its budget by 10%.
- Discretionary programs, including education, law enforcement, low-income energy subsidies, roads, and homeland security, will see an 8% cut in budgets.
- Unemployment benefits will revert back to a 26-week limit from the 99-week limit.
- The child tax deduction of $1,000 is reduced to $500.
- A $2,500 tax credit for school expenditures per year for four years falls back to a $1,800 credit per year for two years.
- The payroll tax holiday that saves 2% on Social Security taxes on the first $110,000 in wages will end.
- The estate tax changes from a $5 million exemption and a 35% tax rate to a $1 million exemption and a 55% tax rate.
- Medicare provider payments drop by 2%.
The Fiscal Cliff's Biggest Danger (Dan Caplinger)
An unintended consequence of higher taxes on big corporations.
