Survey: Half of American workers haven’t gotten a pay boost this year
The findings come at a time when job growth appears to be booming.
7 min read
Dec 19, 2019
EXPERTISE
- Economy
- Federal Reserve
- U.S. economic policy
- Personal finance
- Taxes
- Unemployment insurance (UI)
EDUCATION
- Bachelor of Science in News-Editorial Journalism, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Master of Science in Journalism, Northwestern University
The Federal Reserve is one of the most complex institutions in the world; yet, its decisions impact consumers’ wallets more than any other policymaker in Washington, D.C. My goal is to remove some of the mystery surrounding the U.S. central bank, so you can be an even smarter consumer.
— Sarah Foster
About the author
Bankrate.com writer Sarah Foster covers the Federal Reserve, the U.S. economy and economic policy. Originally from a small town in rural Illinois, Foster developed a passion for economics while watching her community recover from the Great Recession. She witnessed just how much Main Street is impacted by Wall Street and saw firsthand that the Federal Reserve’s most well-intentioned policies can still leave those most desperate for help behind.
Experience
Sarah previously worked for Bloomberg News, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Daily Herald and has been quoted in several national and regional media outlets, including Yahoo! News, NBC, the Toronto Star, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and more.
Media mentions
The Federal Reserve is one of the most complex institutions in the world; yet, its decisions impact consumers’ wallets more than any other policymaker in Washington, D.C. My goal is to remove some of the mystery surrounding the U.S. central bank, so you can be an even smarter consumer.
— Sarah Foster
Sarah's latest articles
-
-
Here’s what top economists predict will happen to the U.S. economy over the next decade
What’s the likelihood that the economy will be even more blockbuster in the 2020s? Not much, according to experts.
4 min read Dec 17, 2019 -
Fed keeps interest rates unchanged, expects no moves in 2020
Here’s what to expect with the Fed now on hold.
6 min read Dec 11, 2019 -
Fed forecast survey: Top experts predict borrowing costs will be left alone — for now
The Federal Reserve’s latest interest rate decision looks all but locked in.
5 min read Dec 06, 2019 -
Preview of the December Fed meeting: 4 key themes for borrowers and savers
When will the Fed move on rates again?
7 min read Dec 06, 2019 -
Survey: Recession odds diminishing for U.S. economy, but watch for a slowdown
The U.S. economy is going to be walking a fine line over the next year.
9 min read Dec 04, 2019 -
Fed cuts interest rates for third straight time, but signals it may now be on hold
Will it be enough to keep the economic expansion going?
5 min read Oct 30, 2019 -
6 big questions to focus on ahead of the Fed’s October meeting
A rate cut seems like a given, but what’s next?
9 min read Oct 25, 2019 -
Survey: 2 out of 5 Americans aren’t ready for next recession
The solid U.S. economy will not last forever and many Americans are unprepared.
8 min read Oct 16, 2019 -
Despite the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, many remain discouraged
Headline numbers on employment may not be telling the full story.
5 min read Oct 07, 2019 -
Here’s what it means when a bank gets a loan from the Fed’s discount window
This window may even prevent bank failures and insolvency. Here’s how it works.
9 min read Sep 30, 2019 -
Fed cuts rates by quarter point, split on further reductions
Here’s what the U.S. central bank decided to do with interest rates.
6 min read Sep 18, 2019 -
5 key themes to watch for at the Fed’s July meeting
How much of a rate cut can we expect from the Fed?
10 min read Jul 25, 2019 -
How likely is a recession by the 2020 elections? Here’s what top economists say
The major concern about the U.S. economy: How much longer will the expansion last?
5 min read Sep 16, 2019 -
5 key themes to watch for at the Fed’s September meeting
Will the Fed cut rates for a second-straight meeting?
8 min read Sep 13, 2019
