Comparing Social Security to a Ponzi scheme is a bridge too far — unless the federal government fails to take action to curb entitlement spending.
Economics & Policy
New Retirement Plan: Double Dipping into Social Security and Unemployment
Now there’s a new way to fund your retirement: collect unemployment benefits and Social Security at the same time.
Why Some Lowball Real Estate Offers Work — And Others Don’t
In the more than four years of the real estate recession, many wanna-be homeowners have been hunting for houses way above their realistic price range, banking on the hope that they can make a lowball offer and get it accepted.
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What President Obama’s Jobs Plan Might Look Like
While the economy teeters on a cliff, Americans want to know what's inside President Obama's new jobs plan. Here are a few good guesses.
How the Newly Prudent Consumer Is Killing the Economy
Today’s consumers are increasingly likely to pay off credit card bills in full, skip vacations, dine out less, hold off on buying big-ticket items like new cars, and even trim everyday expenses by, say, subbing a generic cereal …
Housing Prices: Case-Shiller Index Rises, but Rebound Still Far Away
For the third time in three months, housing prices are up. Don’t expect that to continue.
Italian Town Prints Its Own Currency to Fight Austerity Measures
If you’re a small-town mayor unhappy with your national government, there’s one thing you can do: declare independence and start issuing currency with your face on it. Just ask the mayor (or should we say, prince?) of …
Gas Prices Aren’t Dropping Like the Experts Predicted
Three weeks ago, with crude oil prices plummeting and the stock market in turmoil due to the U.S. debt downgrade, experts foresaw a steady decline in gas prices for consumers. Indeed, prices dipped for a while, but now, after the …
How to Know When the Stock Market’s Hit Bottom
These four indicators, often overlooked, will help you decide when it’s smart to start buying stocks again.
How Consumers Fool Themselves Into Thinking They’ve Made Good Purchases
If you think you make purchases because you logically and objectively evaluate the options at hand, then decide based strictly on your personal preferences and individual sense of value, think again. Here are four examples of how …
Experts Don’t Always Have Expertise
We hear a lot of questions lately along the lines of, “How do I know who to believe?” It’s a good question, and relevant not just in personal finance, but in other areas, especially politics, economics and health, where we’re …
50 Percent Interest and Jail Time For Credit Card Debt?
Despite the gains we’ve have made chipping away at our collective debt, many Americans still struggle to balance the weight of their credit card debt every month. People carrying a lot of debt have little opportunity to transfer …
