A comprehensive study of consumer credit reports by the Federal Trade Commission found that the accuracy of consumers’ credit files is better than some surveys had indicated, but worse than the industry has claimed.
Borrowing
Schools Suing Graduates for Defaulting on Loans
With more graduates defaulting on educational loans, schools like Yale and the University of Pennsylvania are taking drastic measures to ensure repayment
How a $54K-Per-Year School Is Deemed a ‘Best Value College’
The private universities listed in a new “Best Value Colleges” roundup run $54,200 annually for tuition, fees, books, and room and board. That sounds pretty expensive, and it is. Could it also represent a good value? What if students actually paid less than half the list price?
Misguided? Half of Adult Children Think Parents Made No Money Mistakes
Adults past age 30 generally feel their parents nailed it when it comes to money matters, a new survey shows. Are these people doomed to repeat their parents mistakes?
Celebrity Prepaid Cards: Will Justin Bieber Fare Better than the Kardashians?
Teen sensation Justin Bieber’s prepaid debit card goes live in coming days. He can only hope he gets a better response than the Kardashians, who had to withdraw their predatory card from the market and wound up in court.
Today’s Young Adults Will Never Pay Off Their Credit Card Debts
When we talk about Americans barely into adulthood who are saddled with debilitating levels of debt, the conversation is almost always about student loan debt. But there’s a growing body of evidence suggesting that today’s young adults are also drowning in credit-card debt — and that many of them will take this debt to their graves.
New Mortgage Rules: Protection From Banks, or Ourselves?
The government is set to unveil new rules pushing mortgages down a more conservative path. Is it the banks we’re worried about? Or our own behavior?
Why 2013 Will Be Another Huge Year for Car Sales
In 2012, U.S. consumers purchased over one million more new cars than the year before. This year, we’re expected to buy nearly one million more than in 2012. And in 2014? Yep, auto sales are projected to increase by another …
What’s Hot on the Dating Scene? Good Credit
The hottest prospects on today’s dating scene don’t just have great abs; they have a great credit score.
7 Ways Taxpayers are Readying for Fiscal Cliff
Time is running short for year-end tax moves, and it now seems clear that any money-saving maneuvers must be based on what’s likely—not what’s certain.
Oh No, Canada! Are We Watching Another North American Financial Crisis Unfold?
For some time during and after the financial crisis, it was fashionable to point to Canada as a paragon of fiscal and regulatory prudence. In the years leading up to the crisis, the Canadian government ran budget surpluses, which …
Why So Many Americans Don’t Have Bank Accounts
At a time when you can pay bills online and deposit checks remotely using a cell phone, it’s amazing how many Americans don’t have bank accounts. One in nine households is without a checking account.