The Latest Debt & Finance Blog

60 Minutes tackles credit report errors

Credit Reporting Agencies Come Under Fire on ‘60 Minutes’

By Bill Fay | February 11, 2013

Have you checked your credit report this year? Even if you have, you may be one of the 40 million Americans with a mistake on your Equifax, TransUnion or Experian…

piggy bank

Former Bank Vice President Teaches Kids Basics of Finance

By Bill Fay | February 7, 2013

In 1999, Susan Beacham quit her job as senior vice president at Bank of America in Chicago so she could spend more time with her daughters. She volunteered to teach…

post office

Do We Need the Post Office Anymore?

By Bill Fay | February 7, 2013

America’s never-ending ping-pong match with the United States Postal Service – I love it! I hate it! Close it down! No, keep it open! – is back on. The announcement…

Americans don't save enough for emergencies

Nearly Half of Americans Don’t Have Enough Savings to Last 3 Months

By Bill Fay | February 5, 2013

Nearly half of Americans do not have the financial resources to survive for three months if they lose a job or can’t work because of injury. That’s the conclusion of…

Rich and poor cheat on taxes

Something in Common: Wage Earners, Millionaires Cheat on Taxes

By Bill Fay | February 4, 2013

While Tax Day — April 15 — is still some months away, now is the time when people begin thinking about how and when they are going to file and…

FDA finances nursing home mortgages

FHA Steps in to Help Nursing Homes by Backing Mortgages

By Bill Fay | February 1, 2013

Attempts by nursing home operators to stay relevant and profitable in the constantly changing world of health care, received a boost from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) last year. The…

SEO Chair Mary Jo White

Is the New Head of the SEC Dr. Jekyll or Ms. Hyde?

By Bill Fay | January 31, 2013

President Obama’s nominee to head the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the government agency charged with regulating the nation’s stock exchanges and securities markets, is Mary Jo White. How White handles…

Social Security disability claims fall

Improving Economy Means Fewer People Seeking Disability Benefits

By Bill Fay | January 30, 2013

Applications and approvals for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) were both down in 2012, which could be another small sign that the labor market continues to improve. There were 2.82…

Welcome Home Resumes helps veterans

Resume Website Helps Unemployed Veterans Get a Foot in the Door

By Bill Fay | January 29, 2013

Joe Corsino, like a lot of Americans, would see out-of-work veterans gathered in groups in city parks or panhandling with signs on downtown streets or even camping out at interstate…

psychology of debt

Researchers: Psychology of Debt Tells Us about Ourselves

By Bill Fay | January 28, 2013

Every year, American universities confer more than 3,000 Ph.D.s in psychology. Ever wonder what all those pointy headed academics do with their time? Well, most of their efforts go into…