 TITLE: How Does Inflation Affect Your Credit? CONTENT: What Is Inflation?\n------------------\nThe federal government tracks inflation using statistical measurements known as the consumer price index (CPI). The CPI tracks the prices of consumer goods and services and breaks out separate measures of food and energy costs. Inflation happens when prices rise and each dollar of income has less buying power. In April 2021, the CPI saw its largest year-over-year gain in eight years. While inflation can be a byproduct of healthy economic expansion, and many economists expect the recent trends to be temporary, others are concerned about the trend. END