The new Republican-passed tax law deploys a new method of tracking inflation called the “chained” Consumer Price Index (CPI), a tool that will dampen future adjustments to federal tax brackets and standard deductions, reducing over time the value of touted tax breaks for individuals and companies.

Business success hinges on customers — what they like, who they patronize, their purchasing experience, and more. If your business has no customers, it’s not going to last very long, so regardless of the