The FINRA 2012 National Financial Capability study results are due out soon and likely will show no improvement in individuals’ money management skills. With so much energy being put into financial education, poor test results embolden critics and threaten a movement.
Borrowing
4 Dirty Secrets of So-Called Installment Loans
There’s been a lot of chatter about the risk of payday loans lately, but “safer” installment loans can be just as dangerous, a new report says.
4 Easy Steps to Raising Money-Smart Kids
We may be asking too much of schoolteachers when imparting good money habits to kids boils down to four simple rules you can practice at home.
Forget Lowballing: Bidding Wars Return in Hot Housing Markets
Are buyers being manipulated into overbidding for the relatively few attractive homes on the market?
More Young Couples Commit — To Homeownership Before Marriage
First comes love, then comes … mortgage? A new study indicates that young couples in committed relationships have been far more likely than older generations to purchase homes before getting married.
Savings Booster: Making it Simpler to Repay Your 401(k) Loan
The SEAL Act has undergone a facelift in name only. Maybe now lawmakers will do the right thing and cut strapped borrowers a break.
Do We Really Need Another Credit Score? Maybe.
Are you suffering from a case of credit score fatigue? If so, you’re not alone: We hear about credit scores nonstop. We’re supposed to check them regularly. We can order them free online. We can pay someone to monitor them for us. It’s practically a full-time job keeping up with the whole production. And now there’s another score out …
Viewpoint: Stop Calling Student Loans a “Bubble”!
Ever since the financial crisis, Americans have begun to see bubbles everywhere they turn. The damage wrought by the real estate bubble has been so extensive that the nation is rightfully terrified that another asset bubble is …
Payday Loans Are Bad Enough Without Banks Getting Into the Act
Consumers who use online payday lenders may be taken advantage of twice: first, by the lenders’ triple-digit interest rates that flout state caps, then with fees tacked on by the borrowers’ own banks.
Loan Out Your Car at the Airport for Free Parking, Free Car Wash & Bonus Gas Money
Parking at the airport can easily run $20 per day. That’s in the “cheap” long-term lot, requiring a long shuttle ride to the terminal. Valet service can cost way more. But what if you could get airport parking valet service totally for free—with a car wash and free gas to boot?
Why Can’t People with Student Loans Refinance at Better Rates?
Thirty-seven million people with $1 trillion in student debt have been unable to take advantage of historically low interest rates. Is it time to invite them to the refi party?
Three Strategies for Saving Money on College That May Not Work as Promised
Yes, you can save money and avoid student loan debt by employing some of the classic strategies suggested by personal finance gurus. But you may not save as much as you think—and you could even wind up spending more.
