Market Structures
Refers to how different industries are classified and differentiated based on their degree and nature of competition for goods and services.
What are Market Structures?
Regulates minimum wage, overtime pay (1.5) times the regular rate for over (40) hours/week), child labor, and recordkeeping. When state and federal minimum wages differ, the higher rate applies.
What are Wages & Hours?
The largest revenue stream, accounting for roughly half of all federal funds. These are levied on wages, salaries, investments, and other forms of earnings.
What are Individual Income Taxes?
The single largest federal program, providing retirement, survivor, and disability benefits to millions of Americans.
What is Social Security?
Trading ownership shares (stocks) in public companies, allowing businesses to raise capital.
What are Equity Markets?
A single company dominates the market with no close substitutes. The firm is a "price maker" and benefits from significant barriers to entry.
What is a Monopoly?
Protects against employment discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information.
What is Anti-Discrimination?
The second-largest source, typically earmarked for specific trust funds like Social Security and Medicare.
What are Social Insurances & Payroll Taxes?
Comprises Medicare (for the elderly) and Medicaid (for low-income individuals). This is primarily managed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
What are Healthcare Programs?
Trading bonds issued by corporations and governments (e.g., U.S. Treasuries) to raise funds in exchange for regular interest payments.
What are Debt / Fixed-Income Markets?
A few large firms dominate the market share. They can sell identical or differentiated products and must heavily anticipate the pricing and production moves of their competitors.
What is a Oligopoly?
Covers rules around health plans, retirement accounts, and protected unpaid leave, such as under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
What are Employee Benefits?
Levied on the net income or profits that corporations earn.
What are Corporate Income Taxes?
Encompasses operations, military personnel, weapons procurement, and the underlying costs of the Department of Defense.
What is National Defense?
Instruments like futures, options, and swaps whose value is derived from an underlying asset, often used for hedging risks or speculation.
What are Derivatives Markets?
Many firms sell products that are similar but highly differentiated (e.g., branding, quality). Firms hold some power to set prices based on their unique value proposition.
What is a Monopolistic Competition?
Ensures environments are free from recognized hazards via the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
What is Workplace Safety?
Selective taxes on specific goods (e.g., gasoline, alcohol, tobacco) and tariffs on imported goods.
What are Excise Taxes & Customs Duties?
What includes medical care through the VA hospital system and benefit payouts like disability compensation and pensions.
What are Veterans Benefits & Services?
The global marketplace for trading national currencies against one another.
What are Foreign Exchange (Forex/FX)?
Many small firms sell identical products. There are zero barriers to entry, and companies are strictly "price takers".
What is a Perfect Competition?
Focuses on the rights of workers to form unions, engage in collective bargaining, and participate in concerted activities.
What are Labor Relations?
Smaller streams including interest earnings, admission fees to national parks, and leases on government-owned land.
What are Miscellaneous Receipts?
Funds federal student aid, elementary and secondary education programs, and food and nutrition assistance (e.g., SNAP, WIC).
What is Education & Income Security?
Decentralized, blockchain-based tokens and digital currencies that function as alternative investments and transactional systems?
What are Cryptocurrency & Digital Assets?