While we shy away from “listicles,” it is difficult to get to the end of the year without posting some retrospective reviews of the past year’s events. Wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy New Year!

The Year in Review

• We will start with MarketPlace’s year in review. Lots of good graphics in this one.
• And Ben Carlson (A Wealth of Common Sense) provided his favorite and most telling charts from 2021.
• Inflation dominated headlines in 2021, particularly in the last half of the year. (NYT Upshot-subscription may be required.)
• (Yahoo Finance) presented this review of the housing market this year. The story covers buying and renting.
• The Washington Post presented a great review of the 2021 job market, with lots of pictures to tell the story. (subscription may be required)

Current Events

• And new unemployment claims continued at their low levels last week, looking like the pre-pandemic world. (CNBC)
• Here is more on the pandemic student loan deferments—will they ultimately be forgiven? (CNBC)
• It was a big year for IPOs, but many are now sitting well below their IPO prices. (WSJ-subscription may be required)
• Here is a quick look at how the markets are wrapping up 2021. (CNBC) (Yahoo Finance)

About the Author

Beth Tallman

Beth Tallman entered the working world armed with an MBA in finance and thoroughly enjoyed her first career working in manufacturing and telecommunications, including a stint overseas. She took advantage of an involuntary separation to try teaching high school math, something she had always dreamed of doing. When fate stepped in once again, Beth jumped on the opportunity to combine her passion for numbers, money, and education to develop curriculum and teach personal finance at Oberlin College. Beth now spends her time writing on personal finance and financial education, conducts student workshops, and develops finance curricula and educational content. She is also the Treasurer of Ohio Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.