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The 2009 CARD Act has been celebrated for helping consumers: The law limits interest rate hikes, fees, and other frustrating aspects of the credit card industry. Now, on the three-year anniversary of the bill’s signing, a report from the research and advocacy organization Demos suggests that it has
In the media
Kimberly Palmer
There is a terrible beauty in how America's constitutional system seems designed to stop big changes from ever happening -- or, more specifically, stops the majority of ordinary people from ever getting their hands on real power.
Blog
David Callahan
Millions of Americans with damaged credit records are at risk of being unfairly denied job opportunities by companies that use credit histories to screen applicants. Faced with growing public complaints, seven states have rightly limited the use of credit histories by potential employers. Federal
In the media
There are more than 50 million Americans with investments in 401(k) and other defined-contribution retirement-savings plans. They’re about to be getting more information about the fees they pay. By one estimate, it could be sobering news. Retirement-plan administrators have to provide detailed
In the media
Kelly Greene
Do you know how much your 401k is costing you? I would wager not, nor have you ever asked your employer about costs or looked in fund documents to find out. Chances are, it’s far too much and it’s eating away your retirement nest egg. Upcoming Labor Department regulations mandating disclosure of
In the media
John Wasik
Here’s a question that you probably don’t want to answer honestly: What fees are you being charged by your 401(k) plan? Don’t feel bad if you haven’t got a clue, because that puts you in the majority. An AARP study a few years back found that 65 percent of 401(k) account-holders didn’t know they
Blog
David Callahan
Here's the latest scary retirement statistic. The average American couple could pay nearly $155,000 in fees for their 401(k) plans over their careers, reducing their eventual nest eggs by more than 30%, according to a new report. REPORT: The Retirement Savings Drain: Hidden & Excessive Costs of 401
In the media
Walter Hamilton
Retirement plan fees consume nearly one-third (30.3%) of an investor’s potential assets, a paper contends.
In the media
Rebecca Moore
American workers who don’t think twice about their employer-sponsored 401(k) plans may be surprised to learn that fees can cut their retirement savings by 30 percent over a lifetime. A household with two people earning the median income of their age group from 25 to 65 will pay an average of $154
In the media
Susanna Kim
Americans are increasingly dependent on credit cards just to put food on the table and keep the lights on, a new study shows. Although we’re doing a better job overall paying our bills on time these days, many people are relying on more easily attainable credit just to keep their heads above water.
In the media
Martha White