"Fiscal stress is a problem of growing concern to all levels of government. This volume provides in-depth analyses of the causes and consequences of financial stress, and offers solutions for managers charged with the responsibility for maintaining fiscal solvency and adequate and equitable services"--Back cover.

Discover current uses and future development of stress tests, the most innovative regulatory tool to prevent and fight financial crises.

Fiscal health of local governments and municipalities has remained an important issue since the crises of the 1970s in places like New York, Philadelphia and Cleveland. More recently, the bankruptcy of Orange County California raised the possibility of a different type of financial failure than earlier ones. The beginning of the 21st century has witnessed two major economic bubbles including the dotcom and housing bubbles. These economic cycles combined with increasing health care, pension and other structural costs continue to challenge the fiscal viability of many jurisdictions. In particular, the economic and financial crisis of 2007-2008 is likely to result in potentially serious fiscal challenges for local jurisdictions.

End financial stress for good and learn how to manage your money—without a change to income! Studies have shown time and time again that money is a leading cause of stress—but a life free from financial worry isn’t exclusive to the rich and powerful. End Financial Stress Now gives you practical, actionable instructions you need to improve your money management—no matter what your income level is. You can learn how to achieve the mindset of financial flexibility, which can help you navigate any money issues you face. These practical, step-by-step instructions on budgeting can help you track expenses, pay off debt, and save money. Featuring straightforward advice on how to increase self-discipline so you can stick to your budget as well as techniques to help you identity misinformation and false beliefs you have about money, you can follow this guide to create a fulfilling life free of financial stress.

Accountability of government to citizens is the foundation for good governance. Unfortunately, many developing countries suffer the results of dysfunctional governance systems that fail to provide even minimal levels of vital public services. The key message of the New Institutional Economics is that incentives matter. In the public sphere, the countries' accountability frameworks rewards, sanctions, and measurement of performance shape public sector performance. This book applies this fundamental insight to fiscal/budgetary analysis and public service delivery, giving the reader tools and around the globe examples of institutional arrangements that help citizens hold government accountable for their performance.

Managing the Fiscal Metropolis: The Financial Policies, Practices, and Health of Suburban Municipalities is an important book. This first comprehensive analysis of the financial condition, management, and policy making of local governments in a metropolitan region offers local governments currently dealing with the Great Recession a better understanding of what affects them financially and how to operate with less revenue. Hendrick’s groundbreaking study covers 264 Chicago suburban municipalities from the late 1990s to the present. In it she identifies and describes the primary factors and events that affect municipal financial decisions and financial conditions, explores the strategies these governments use to manage financial conditions and solve financial problems, and looks at the impact of contextual factors and stresses on government financial decisions. Managing the Fiscal Metropolis offers new evidence about the role of contextual factors— including other local governments—in the financial condition of municipalities and how municipal financial decisions and practices alter these effects. The wide economic and social diversity of the municipalities studied make its findings relevant on a national scale.

This paper explains specifics of stress testing at the IMF. After a brief section on the evolution of stress tests at the IMF, the paper presents the key steps of an IMF staff stress test. They are followed by a discussion on how IMF staff uses stress tests results for policy advice. The paper concludes by identifying remaining challenges to make stress tests more useful for the monitoring of financial stability and an overview of IMF staff work program in that direction. Stress tests help assess the resilience of financial systems in IMF member countries and underpin policy advice to preserve or restore financial stability. This assessment and advice are mainly provided through the Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP). IMF staff also provide technical assistance in stress testing to many its member countries. An IMF macroprudential stress test is a methodology to assess financial vulnerabilities that can trigger systemic risk and the need of systemwide mitigating measures. The definition of systemic risk as used by the IMF is relevant to understanding the role of its stress tests as tools for financial surveillance and the IMF’s current work program. IMF stress tests primarily apply to depository intermediaries, and, systemically important banks.