Monetary Policy Normalization in the United States

Because of the Federal Reserve's unconventional approaches to monetary policy during the Great Recession and recovery, the Fed now finds itself in an unconventional situation. Short-term nominal interest rates have been close to zero for more than six years, and the Fed's balance sheet is currently more than four times as large as in 2007. This article explains how and why the Fed got into this situation and the challenges this creates in returning Fed policy to "normal"-a state in which the Fed's nominal interest rate target is above zero and its balance sheet is reduced in size.