A government shutdown began on October 1st, and while markets are still sitting at all-time highs, the impact could grow the longer it drags on. In this week’s Fastest 4 Minutes in Finance, Scott Inman breaks down: Why Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits keep flowing (but with possible delays) How a prolonged shutdown could trigger market volatility and impact Federal Reserve decisions The real economic cost — from furloughed workers missing paychecks to GDP shrinking Bottom line: short-term uncertainty can rattle investors, but sticking to your financial independence plan is key.