Oct 04 How taxing sugary drinks affects a community’s health and economy By Gretchen Frazee Studies show a "sin tax" reduces consumption of sugary drinks but also increases shopping in suburbs that lie outside the taxable area. Continue reading
Oct 03 Why you should consider switching your Medicare coverage during open enrollment By Philip Moeller Medicare's open enrollment period could be especially complicated this year, in part because if you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you also will have the entire first quarter of next year to change your plan. Continue reading
Oct 02 Why Social Security’s annual increase doesn’t actually keep up with cost of living By Paul Solman The government adjusts Social Security benefits each year based on inflation rates, but that increase has not kept up with the rising cost of medical care and other expenses. Continue reading
Oct 02 Parents are more financially optimistic than their kids, poll shows By Sarah Skidmore Sell, Associated Press It's no longer a guarantee that children will achieve upward income mobility. About half of the Americans born in 1984 earned more at age 30 than their parents, down from 92 percent in 1940. Continue reading
Oct 01 Quiz: Do you know how to avoid mountains of student debt? By Beth Kobliner How much do you know about applying to and paying for college? Take this true/false pop quiz to see where you stand. Continue reading
Oct 01 4 ways parents (and their students) can avoid the college debt trap By Beth Kobliner As I crisscrossed the country on a recent book tour, parents repeatedly expressed worry about catapulting college costs. No wonder: Average sticker prices are now $19,000 per year for public four-year schools (in-state) and $47,000 per year for private schools. Continue reading
Oct 01 Gita Gopinath appointed chief economist of International Monetary Fund By Gretchen Frazee Gopinath, a professor at Harvard University, will be the first woman to hold the position. Continue reading
Sep 28 The world’s rich are parking their money in cities. Where to next? By Paul Solman Data showing apartment costs compared to the average income suggests investors are causing housing prices to spike in cities like Hong Kong and London. Continue reading
Sep 28 From seaweed to sugarcane, companies race to find the next great plastic replacement By Gretchen Frazee Small businesses are scrambling to meet the demand from consumers who want an alternative to plastic straws. Continue reading
Sep 26 Analysis: The dangers of the Fed rate hike By Paul Solman The conventional wisdom was that the Federal Reserve would again hike short term interest rates today. That wisdom proved correct, as did the prediction that the Fed would say it is committed to further hikes. The conventional explanation is that… Continue reading