Monthly Archives: May 2011

Three congressional bills trying to weaken the CFPB

Department of the TreasuryDespite the fact it is not yet operational, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau already is facing challenges from Congress.

Services like PayNearMe for unbanked consumers expanding

Check cashing storeServices for unbanked consumers, such as PayNearMe kiosks, are expanding to offer financial services for people without bank accounts.

US must raise taxes to lower deficit, say global investors

Close-up of the “income tax” space on a Monopoly game board. A pair of dice are visible in the background, in soft focus.The Bloomberg Global Poll of foreign investors has found that two-thirds think the U.S. must raise taxes to reduce the federal deficit.

Wisconsin Republicans attempting to re-legalize auto title loans

Title LenderThe Joint Finance Committee in the Wisconsin State Senate has suggested re-legalizing auto title loans in the state.

Recession survival tips for small businesses

Pictured is Charlie Jones, Kroger grocery store manager in Worthington, Ohio, 1941. Jones is showcasing a variety of items in this black and white photo.Surviving a recession can be tough for small businesses. With these tips, it is possible to break even or even raise the bottom line.

Texas legislature passing new payday lending regulation

Texas statehouseThe Texas legislature is slowly changing regulations on payday lending with three separate bills under consideration.

Credit card companies still marketing to college students

Visa logoCollege students are supposed to have greater barriers between them and credit card companies, but the laws still have loopholes.

Prepaid benefit cards exploit the unemployed, says study

A Bank of America ATM machine.Prepaid benefit debit cards for the unemployed nickel and dime them to death with fees, according to a National Consumer Law Center report.

Payday loan amendment threatens to gridlock Colorado legislature

Payday LoansAn amendment tacked on the end of the Rules Bill in the Colorado legislature could end up costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Microfinance industry becoming troubled by scandals

Muhammad YunusThe microfinance industry is becoming rocked with a series of scandals, and it appears to be unraveling despite many lenders noble aims.

Master the metrics of small business success

A woman in a business suit is seated before a laptop computer. Her arms are in the air in celebration, and the in-photo text reads “I won!”How can you tell if your business is doing well? Benchmark your business, with an eye for some of these key ratios you'll want in your favor.

Consumers paying more to access their own money

CashWhile the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is waiting for a director, banks are making even more off of undisclosed or unclear fees.

Crowdsourcing good for businesses and for personal loans

Laptop computerCrowdsourcing isn't just for funding personal loans or projects. Businesses can raise loan capital that way, too, or use peer to peer lending.

Experts predict gas prices will fall during summer

Close-up of a hand holding the gas pump nozzle that's inserted into a car's gasoline tank.Gas prices have approached $4 per gallon in the United States, despite a decrease in crude oil prices. Yet summer relief may be on the way.

Overseas education becoming a money saving move for US students

CambridgeIn order to save money, more students from the United States are choosing to attend a college or university overseas.

2010 a year of record low income taxes

A Corvette from 1958People in the United States pay lower taxes today than they did in the 1950s, and some still say the tax burden on the wealthy should be higher.

CEO salaries at highest level since 2007

CEO Barbie, hard at work in the office.The Associate Press reports CEO pay increased in 2010 to a level higher than it had been during the boom times that preceded the recession.