BERMAN: What we all need right now, an early start on our money. Alison Kosik joins us for that.</s>KOSIK: You got it, John, the Federal Reserve looks like it's going to stay the course. Reportedly, it is set to keep short-term interest rates until later this year, June to be more expensive. Now, they have been near zero since late 2008. Now, the Fed meets next week. No big moves are expected. Once again, at least until June. Long-term rates could actually wind up going down over worries from investors about weak global growth and falling oil prices. The death toll linked to the faulty switches by GM is taking an increase now up to 49 deaths. The previously calculation was 13. But that only took into account people who sat on the front seats of cars and those front end crashes. The new numbers reflects anyone in the car involved the crash related to the defect. The change could mean payouts for more people impacted by the issue. There is a January 31st deadline to seek compensation for victims. The wealthiest 1 percent is expected to own more than anyone else on earth by next year. That's at least according to a just released Oxfam study. It estimates the richest1 percent will have as much wealth as the other 99 percent combined by 2016. That's actually the biggest inequality gap seen in years. The report comes as the president is unveiling proposals posing tax breaks on the wealthy in his State of the Union Address. Sure to be a crowd pleaser for some, not so much others.</s>BERMAN: Right. Although it probably a non-starter at least politically inside Congress.</s>KOSIK: Absolutely.</s>BERMAN: Alison Kosik, thanks so much. I appreciate it.</s>KOSIK: You got it.</s>BERMAN: EARLY START continues right now.
GM Raises Death Toll from Faulty Switches