(January 8, 2013) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — The last-minute deal in Congress to avert the dreaded plunge off the "fiscal cliff" should have little impact on most shoppers who are thinking about buying a new car in 2013, says Edmunds.com.

In its latest consumer advice piece, "The Fiscal Cliff Deal: What Car Buyers Need to Know," Edmunds.com directly addresses the concerns that potential car buyers have about the changes in taxes and Federal spending.

"For car buyers whose personal financial houses are in order, 2013 is likely to offer the best economic environment for car-buying in the last five years," says Edmunds.com Chief Economist Dr. Lacey Plache. "Our economy is not out of the woods yet, but prudent consumers don't have to worry about the fiscal-cliff measures putting a crimp in their ability to buy the cars they need and want."

After studying the key elements of the fiscal compromise, Dr. Plache identified the following important takeaways for car buyers:

    • Interest rates, which are currently at historic lows, should not be affected by the deal. The Federal Reserve has repeatedly pledged to keep interest rates low until at least the end of 2014.

    • The payroll tax will return to full strength in 2013, meaning that the average American household, which makes $41,000 a year, can expect his or her annual take-home pay to be $820 — or the equivalent of about two car payments — lighter in the coming year.

    • Parents thinking about buying a new car can breathe easier knowing that family-friendly tax credits such as the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit have all been extended for at least the next five years.

    • Federal employees and employees whose companies depend on government contracts may want to wait a little longer to pull the trigger on a new car purchase. Congress will consider spending cuts in the next few months, which means an uncertain future government program budgets.

For more details on how the fiscal cliff deal affects your personal finances, visit here.