Feb 19 Illinois governor signs measure hiking minimum wage to $15 by 2025 By John O'Connor, Associated Press Fulfilling one of the new Democratic governor's top campaign promises, Illinois is on track to be the first state in the Midwest to push its base wage to $15. Continue reading
Feb 14 Average tax refunds fall, fueling discontent with GOP-written law By Marcy Gordon, Associated Press The decline may be largely due to how some employees and employers had adjusted the amounts withheld from paychecks to account for changes under the new tax law. Most taxpayers received a tax cut under the law but some may… Continue reading
Feb 14 What can you do about an unwanted Medicare enrollment? By Philip Moeller Never throw anything from Social Security into the trash. These computer-generated letters can have a big effect on your life. Continue reading
Feb 13 U.S. budget deficit running over 40 percent higher than last year By Martin Crutsinger, Associated Press The Treasury Department said Wednesday that the budget deficit from October through December totals $318.9 billion, up from a deficit of $225 billion for the same three months in the previous year. Continue reading
Feb 12 Fed chairman doesn't see signs of economic downturn, yet 'poverty remains a challenge' By Jeff Amy, Martin Crutsinger, Associated Press In a visit to a historically black university in the Mississippi Delta, Jerome Powell said that many rural areas have not benefited from the national prosperity. He said those areas need special support. Continue reading
Feb 12 When small colleges close, their hometowns feel the pain By Elizabeth Hewitt, The Hechinger Report The financial problems — and wholesale shutdowns — affecting an escalating number of colleges and universities touch not only students, faculty and staff but also local economies, often in rural places where they are among the most important employers and… Continue reading
Feb 10 Watch 4:27 Consumers may lose protections in proposed payday lending changes By PBS NewsHour In a major win for the payday lending industry which gives quick loans at exorbitant interest rates, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is proposing changes to regulations that protect borrowers from being trapped in long-term debt. Ken Sweet, Associated Press’… Continue watching
Feb 08 5 ways social entrepreneurs are promoting sustainability around the world By Maea Lenei Buhre Unemployed miners retrain to become beekeepers, solar power helps students in Malawi, and more. Continue reading
Feb 07 Watch 9:55 How an economist's idea to create kidney transplant chains has saved lives By Paul Solman What happens if you need a kidney transplant and don’t know someone who is a biological match? A Nobel prize-winning economist has a solution: transplant chains. Donors agree to give to a stranger in exchange for a kidney for their… Continue watching
Feb 07 WATCH: White House launches economic initiative to help women By Associated Press Ivanka Trump launched a White House effort aimed at helping 50 million women in the developing world get ahead economically over the next six years. Continue reading