Sorry, we’re closed: The inside story of COVID-crushed small businesses and their comeback hopes
The only thing harder than shutting down the world’s largest economy is bringing it all back to life.
17 min read
Aug 17, 2021
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
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Fed keeps rates at near-zero, says economy has made progress
As the economy rebounds, don’t expect the Fed’s extraordinary support to last forever.
5 min read Jul 28, 2021 -
Survey: More than half of Americans couldn’t cover three months of expenses with an emergency fund
The coronavirus pandemic drained Americans’ savings accounts.
5 min read Jul 21, 2021 -
The COVID recession is officially over. Here’s why experts say that doesn’t matter
The worst downturn in a lifetime was also the shortest.
5 min read Jul 19, 2021 -
Child Tax Credit: Here’s how to collect your monthly payments
The first of six monthly Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments start July 15.
7 min read Jul 14, 2021 -
Survey: Top economists say U.S. economy won’t be fully recovered from pandemic 12 months from now
Here’s where the nation’s top economists see hiring, the Fed and inflation heading over the next year.
9 min read Jun 29, 2021 -
Fed holds interest rates near zero, sees two rate hikes in 2023
Higher inflation and a troubled labor market could be the Fed’s nightmare scenario.
7 min read Jun 16, 2021
