gracie Did you know loveseats weren't made for couples? Discover the surprising history of loveseat design and hoop skirts in this fascinating infographic.
sloane Property Taxes and Schools
Your property taxes, oh yeah! (Tell me, what for?) / They fund the schools in your district! (And so much more!)
Gossip
Should renters have a say in property tax votes?
sloane A millage rate is the tax rate applied to your property's assessed value, where one mill equals one dollar per thousand dollars of value.
sloane Property taxes are split among multiple local public services, with public schools typically receiving the largest share.
Fun Fact
Ancient property taxes: Pharaohs in Egypt taxed land based on Nile River flood levels over 5,000 years ago.
Glossary
property tax (noun)
A tax levied on real property, such as land and buildings, by a governing authority. In 1973, the Supreme Court upheld school funding systems reliant on this local real estate levy.
A tax levied on real property, such as land and buildings, by a governing authority. In 1973, the Supreme Court upheld school funding systems reliant on this local real estate levy.
Quiz
What tool do modern tax assessors use to value thousands of homes simultaneously?
sloane Cost of Raising a Child
A little one, oh what a joy! / (Oh-oh-oh!) But the bills, they pile up, boy! / From diapers to school, the years fly by, / (Yeah-yeah!) Over three hundred grand, oh my!
sloane Childcare is one of the most expensive hurdles for young families.
sloane Feeding a growing child represents a major ongoing financial commitment.
Fun Fact
USDA history: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been tracking the cost of raising a child since 1960, when it cost just $25,229.
Glossary
central bank (noun)
A national bank that manages a country's monetary policy and regulates its commercial banking system. In November 1910, a secret meeting at Georgia's Jekyll Island drafted the blueprint for America's modern system.
A national bank that manages a country's monetary policy and regulates its commercial banking system. In November 1910, a secret meeting at Georgia's Jekyll Island drafted the blueprint for America's modern system.
Achievement
Project completed!
Soy Maestro de Las prefecturas de Japón
sloane Jekyll Island Federal Reserve
Jekyll Island's hush, / A secret plan in a rush, / The Fed's real start!
sloane President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act in 1913, establishing a unique public-private banking compromise.
sloane The United States is divided into twelve Federal Reserve districts, each managed by its own regional Reserve Bank.
Fun Fact
Jekyll Island code: The founders of the Federal Reserve used fake names during their 1910 train ride to Georgia to keep the secret meeting hidden from reporters.
Glossary
mortgage (noun)
A legal agreement in which a person borrows money to buy property and repays it over time. The Federal Housing Administration introduced the thirty-year amortized version in 1934 during the Great Depression.
A legal agreement in which a person borrows money to buy property and repays it over time. The Federal Housing Administration introduced the thirty-year amortized version in 1934 during the Great Depression.