Consumers should prepare for higher interest rates this year by putting their finances in order. The Fed recently increased interest rates by 75 basis points for the third straight time. Although the Fed doesn’t control consumer interest rates directly, the trend is clear: rates will rise this year. So, if you’re thinking about buying a home or refinancing your mortgage, now is the time to get ready for higher rates.
2022
The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates again, this time by 75 basis points, or 0.75%. This is the largest single rate hike since 1994, and is consistent with the central bank’s commitment to fighting inflation. As of September, the target policy rate stands at 2.25%, which is the highest level since 2008. Several experts believe the Fed will hike rates more often in 2022. The next anticipated hike is expected to occur in November, when the Federal Open Market Committee meets again.
2023
The Federal Reserve recently announced a plan to increase the federal funds rate 11 times through 2023. Each time, it would raise the rate by a quarter percentage point. This plan is expected to slow economic growth because it will increase borrowing costs. As a result, the Fed expects the economy to grow 0.2% this year and 1.2% in 2023. Fed officials are predicting a higher rate of growth in both years, but that rate will still be far less than the rate needed to bring persistent inflation down.
2024
Federal Reserve policymakers are unlikely to reduce the benchmark interest rate until at least 2024. The central bank is battling high inflation while maintaining maximum employment. A consensus among policymakers is building toward gradual tightening of policy to keep inflation at bay.
2025
Interest rates are expected to rise in the years ahead but the timing is far from clear. The Federal Open Market Committee, or FOMC, makes decisions about the direction of interest rates. They release guidance, which includes a “dot plot” of individual members’ expectations. As of June, the consensus of FOMC members predicted that the federal funds rate would increase to nearly 3% by the end of the year.
2027
The Fed has issued its annual forecast and this gives a clue as to when it will start raising interest rates again. For instance, the median Fed official projection for 2021 calls for inflation to reach 2.6 percent. The preferred inflation measure is the personal consumption expenditures index. Moreover, investors are increasingly buying long-term Treasury securities, which will lead to lower long-term interest rates than before.
2028
There’s no single answer to the question “When will interest rates increase again in 2028?” The answer to this question depends on the underlying economic conditions. While demographic trends and slow productivity growth have reduced the natural rate of interest, other factors are driving rates upward. These factors include a higher federal debt and an increasing share of older workers. These factors will make borrowing and saving harder and lead to higher interest rates.
2029
The Fed has stated that it plans to get interest rates back to 2% by 2024. Although this is still a long way away, it is not far from the average estimate of what a neutral rate of interest should be. Meanwhile, inflation expectations are increasing, which reduces the real interest rate that borrowers pay. This, in turn, offsets the effect of Fed tightening.
2032
The CBO, a nonpartisan scorekeeper for Congress, recently estimated that by 2032 the cost of servicing the federal debt will reach a new high of 3.3 percent of GDP. This will likely lead to higher borrowing costs for consumers and businesses. In addition, it’s likely that the cost of servicing the debt will increase in tandem with the costs of inflation. The CBO’s projection comes at a time when the Federal Reserve is poised to announce an interest rate increase. Meanwhile, mortgage demand fell for a fourth straight week, another sign of a weakening housing market.
2033
The Fed raised short-term interest rates by three-quarters of a percentage point and forecast that the benchmark interest rate will rise to 4.6% by 2023. By raising interest rates so aggressively, the Fed is signaling a hawkish stance. But if rates continue to rise at their current pace, the market could see a sharp drop in the value of its assets.
