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Opinion

Analysis

Disclosure Rules Fail Some in Subprime Market

The rules that dictate what lenders must disclose to borrowers about their mortgage loans vary: The Federal Reserve and HUD each have regulations on disclosure that all lenders must observe, and states have their own regulations. The system works for prime mortgages better than subprime ones, says professor Kurt Eggert.

Disclosure Rules Fail Some in Subprime Market

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Business

Kraft Foods Chief Explains Split from Altria

Kraft Foods — maker of Jell-O, Oreos and Velveeta cheese — is breaking with its parent company, Altria Group, once known as Philip Morris. Kraft CEO Irene Rosenfeld talks about why the company made the decision.

Kraft Foods Chief Explains Split from Altria

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Fidelity Investments Drops Company Pension Plan

Companies small and large have been phasing out their pension plans and pushing their employees into 401-K plans. The mutual-fund giant Fidelity Investments is following the trend with its own workers.

Fidelity Investments Drops Company Pension Plan

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National

Critics Say U.S. 'No Buy' List Snares Regular Citizens

For most people, attempting to buy a car or house is hard enough. But if your name happens to resemble that of a person on a government list of suspects, you could be turned away altogether. Some ordinary consumers in California say that's exactly what's happened to them.

Critics Say U.S. 'No Buy' List Snares Regular Citizens

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National

Calculating the 'View Value' in New Hampshire

State tax assessors are now considering the value of a New Hampshire home's view as they calculate its taxable value. What is the "view tax" doing to local property bills?

Calculating the 'View Value' in New Hampshire

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The Color of Money

Finding the Right Tax Software and Filing on Time

Tax day is fast approaching and many people are looking for help filing their returns. One option is to use tax-preparation software such as TurboTax and TaxCut.

Finding the Right Tax Software and Filing on Time

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National

Security List Keeps Some from Receiving Services

Private businesses such as mortgage companies and car dealers are checking the names of potential customers against a government list of suspected terrorists and drug traffickers. The checks sometimes result in the refusal of service to innocent people.

Security List Keeps Some from Receiving Services

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National

Elizabeth Warren on the Credit Card Industry

Fresh Air

Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Warren is an expert on bankruptcy and is an outspoken critic of consumer lenders. Warren is also the author of The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke.

Elizabeth Warren on the Credit Card Industry

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Don't Let IRS Form Fool You: Tax Breaks Are There

This year, new or one-time tax breaks are available that many people qualify for. But they don't appear on the printed forms many taxpayers use, making them easy to be overlooked. Robert Siegel talks with Kevin McCormally of Kiplinger's Personal Finance.

Don't Let IRS Form Fool You: Tax Breaks Are There

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IRS Urges E-Filing — But by Vendors Only, Please

The IRS recommends that taxpayers file electronically — e-filing saves the government time and money, and is more accurate than IRS employees who type in the data from paper returns. But the IRS refuses to set up its own Web portal to receive the filings. Critics call it the work of tax-industry lobbyists.

IRS Urges E-Filing — But by Vendors Only, Please

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Business

Senate Holds Hearing on Lending-Industry Troubles

Senate lawmakers grill executives Thursday from some of the country's major home lenders, and the regulators who oversee them. The hearing will focus on the boom in lending to people with low incomes or weak credit.

Senate Holds Hearing on Lending-Industry Troubles

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Cell Phone Loans Might Be Too Easy

Consumers in Finland can get almost-instant cash by sending text messages to loan companies. But regulators worry that high interest rates and inadequate security checks make this a dangerous business.

Cell Phone Loans Might Be Too Easy

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