Your Money: Federal data, back-to-school supplies, tariffs and more

The new school year is about to begin, which means that parents are facing an often-resented task: buying the items on their children's back-to-school supply lists.

View in browser|nytimes.com August 4, 2025 By Tara Siegel Bernard If you have time for only one piece of financial news today, make it Ben Casselman's analysis of President Trump's decision to fire the Senate-confirmed official in charge of producing the unemployment data report. As you may have heard, Mr. Trump pushed her out after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released a surprisingly weak jobs report, which economists interpreted as evidence that the administration's policies were weighing on the economy. President Trump alleged, without evidence, that the report was "rigged." The integrity of government data helps undergird democracy, as Ben's piece illustrates, but it also directly affects millions of Americans' banks accounts. Social Security beneficiaries' payments are adjusted each year, for example, to account for the cost of living, a data point that is also generated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A lawyer who helps Social Security disability claimants recently raised related questions on his blog. If President Trump's tariffs create price inflation and the data reflect that, will he also charge those figures are "rigged" too? Till Lauer your money adviser It's Time for That Often-Dreaded Task: Buying Back-to-School Supplies Parents of children in kindergarten through high school are spending an average of $144, and that's coming as families are feeling financial stress. By Ann Carrns Treasury Secretary Says Trump Accounts Could Pave Way to Privatizing Social Security Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's comments about the safety net program ventured onto the so-called third rail of American politics. By Alan Rappeport and Andrew Duehren What the Fed's Rate Decision Means for Your Finances Here's how the central bank's interest rate stance influences car loans, credit cards, mortgages, savings and student loans. By Tara Siegel Bernard A.I. Researchers Are Negotiating $250 Million Pay Packages. Just Like N.B.A. Stars. A.I. technologists are approaching the job market as if they were Steph Curry or LeBron James, seeking advice from their entourages and playing hardball with the highest bidders. By Mike Isaac, Eli Tan and Cade Metz square feet Triangles, Crescents, Slivers: Can Odd-Shaped Lots Help Ease the Housing Crisis? As needs escalate, more U.S. cities and states are making it easier to build on irregular and long-overlooked lots. By Patrick Sisson After a Lag, Consumers Begin to Feel the Pinch of Tariffs There are growing signs that President Trump's levies are filtering through to consumer prices, as companies exhaust options for keeping them stable. By Sydney Ember News Analysis Trump's Tariffs Are Making Money. That May Make Them Hard to Quit. The tariffs are a substantial new source of revenue for the federal government. The budget may start to depend on it. By Andrew Duehren Stock Market Posts Worst Week in Months on Renewed Economic Fears Data showing cracks in the U.S. labor market and President Trump's newest barrage of tariffs shook investors around the world, weighing on stocks, the dollar and more. By Danielle Kaye How Tariffs Raise Costs for Farmers, Making Food More Expensive The latest round of tariffs is likely to make agricultural production even more expensive and, potentially, limit access to goods not produced in the United States. By Kevin Draper Federal Government Shed 12,000 Jobs in July The U.S. government has lost 84,000 jobs since January as the Trump administration aggressively reduces the work force. By Sydney Ember and Eileen Sullivan Big Downward Jobs Revisions Could Be a Warning Sign for the Economy Employers added far fewer jobs in May and June than previously reported. Such downgrades have historically meant trouble for the labor market. By Ben Casselman Strategies The Stock Market Is Good, Bad and Ugly, Often in Quick Succession The market's best days frequently occur in the midst of misery, our columnist says, so don't bother trying to figure out where stocks are heading. By Jeff Sommer Stock Market Posts Worst Week in Months on Renewed Economic Fears Data showing cracks in the U.S. labor market and President Trump's newest barrage of tariffs shook investors around the world, weighing on stocks, the dollar and more. By Danielle Kaye Ask Real Estate How to Stop Your Landlord From Making You Pay for Repairs Owners must provide and maintain required or essential services for their tenants, including repairs. By Jill Terreri Ramos Travel 101 What to Know About Medical Insurance When Traveling Abroad For most Americans planning international trips, this is the kind of travel insurance that's a must. By Elaine Glusac How are we doing? We'd love your feedback on this newsletter. 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