Avoid Tax Refund Loans Even With Improvements
Consumer advocates warn taxpayers to steer clear of Refund Anticipation Loans this tax season even with some limited improvement in these products.

The Arbitration Trap: Credit Cards Companies Ensnare Consumers
Consumers who seek justice in disputes with their credit card companies shouldn’t expect to find it in binding mandatory arbitration (BMA); in cases decided in California by a major arbitration firm over a four-year period, consumers lost 94 percent of the time, according to a new Public Citizen report .

Financial Literacy and Education Summit 2007
The Financial Literacy and Education Summit, hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago during Money Smart Week and sponsored by VISA, brought together leading thinkers in the area of financial literacy policy and practice to share their vision on the future of personal finance education and explore what role the government should play in this crucial issue.

Household debt in America
During a one-day conference on July 19, the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC, presented a number of interesting panels on debt. At the event, The Debt Survey: Public Recognizes Debt as a Fast Growing Problem in U.S., was introduced.

Start Smart: Money Management for Teens
The latest issue of FDIC Consumer News, published by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, contains a special free guide to help teens make good money decisions.

Charles Schwab Foundation’s ‘Teens & Money Survey’
A survey examining issues surrounding Teens & Money released this spring by the Charles Schwab Foundation provides insight into the need for young people to learn the fundamental ABCs of money management.

Can You Afford to Retire?
Many experts state that the baby boomer generation is headed for a shock as it hits retirement: many boomers will be long on life expectancy but short on savings. The two main strategies for funding retirement - lifetime pensions and 401(k)-style savings plans - are in serious trouble. In "Can You Afford to Retire?" Frontline correspondent Hedrick Smith investigates this looming financial crisis and the outlook for middle-class Americans.

Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances in 2004
Sponsored by the Federal Reserve Board, this triennial survey collects information concerning household financial characteristics and behavior. The survey is widely believed to be the best source of information about family finances in the United States. Data from this study inform a wide variety of economic policy decisions across the government, and they also serve as a basis for longer-term research on the economic state of the American family. The survey collects information from approximately 4,500 respondents. NORC conducted this survey for the fifth time in 2004.

A shaggy dog story: Pet spending at all time high
When creating a household budget, don't forget the animal food—and the groomer and the veterinarian and even the massage therapist. The American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA) pet spending figures prove just how much Americans love their pets. Based on figures so far, Americans' spending on pets in 2006 is estimated at $38.4 billion.