The Treasury Department set at zero the fixed portion of the yield on Inflation bonds, guaranteeing that new buyers will never earn more than the rate of inflation for the 30-year life of their investment.
Planning
5 Ways to Recognize a Financial Scam
With a tough economy making timely retirement less likely for many folks, retirement-related financial scams may be on the upswing. Here are five ways to know if you are being played.
Why We Can’t Buy Happiness — But Try to Anyway
In 1972, the percentage of Americans who said they were “pretty happy” was about 50%. In the years since, the U.S.’s standard of living has risen dramatically, and our gross domestic product per capita has increased by 96%. That …
Americans Saved Less Money Last Month
In September, consumers spent more but made less than expected. As a result, the national savings rate dropped to 3.6%, which is the lowest level it has been since the beginning of the recession. And that has some people nervous.
Want to Retire Early? It’s Not About Making More Money
Like happiness, retirement readiness doesn’t have all that much to do with how much you earn. It’s more about what you do with what you have.
Why You’re Probably Financially Better Off Than You Feel
There’s no question that for many (if not most) Americans, today’s economy is challenging for numerous reasons we need not list. For a lot of people, though, their sense of economic vulnerability is greater than their actual …
How to Calculate the Real Cost of College
Giving Season: Signs of Relief for Struggling Nonprofits
The giving season is just around the corner, and things are finally looking up for nonprofits that have struggled to raise funds during the recession.
Can Income Based Repayment on Student Loans Save the Economy?
Virtually everyone in this country agrees that an uptick in new business creation is essential to solving our deep economic and employment problems. Unfortunately, there’s a huge obstacle standing in the way: U.S. graduates owe …
The Tragic Bungling of a ‘Class’ Act
Long-term care insurance for the masses came and went without much notice. Last week, the Obama administration quietly abandoned the CLASS Act, a provision slipped into health care reform two years ago that would have ensured …
Obama’s Student Loan Plan to Offer Welcome Debt Relief
In a move sure to be popular with recent college graduates, the Obama Administration released details of a plan Tuesday that will ease the burden of student loan debt.
3 Ways to Know You’re Getting a Great Deal on a Home
From Kim Kardashian’s wails that she lost a $75,000 earring in the ocean, to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Dana Wilkey’s boasts that she dropped $25K on sunglasses, reality TV starlets seem to get a rush out of broadcasting …