ECONOMY

Tax Protester Takes Extreme Action To Avoid Paying

5:23pm March 04, 2016

by Keith Romer

Each year thousands of people don't pay the taxes they owe. They claim all kinds of reasons from penury to protest. The Planet Money team brings us the story of Larry Williams who decided he just shouldn't have to pay his taxes anymore.

Queue Listen Now

U.S. Economy Adds 242,000 Jobs, Unemployment Holds Steady In February

4:28pm March 04, 2016

by John Ydstie

The pace of job creation picked up in February as employers added 242,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate held steady at 4.9 percent. Wages, which had shown a healthy increase in January, pulled back.

A customer pays for goods while shopping at the Atlanta Farmers Market in Atlanta. Average hourly earnings fell by 3 cents last month, according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

Economy Gained 242,000 Jobs In February; Unemployment Rate Holds Steady

4:03pm March 04, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

Job gains last month were stronger than in January and outperformed expectations — however, an anticipated rise in wages didn't materialize. Average hourly earnings dropped by three cents an hour.

A cashier counts money at a Toys "R" Us in Los Angeles last November. A pinch in earnings and hours disappointed those looking for a pickup in paychecks last month.

Sure, There's More Hiring. But When Will Wages Rebound?

3:19pm March 04, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

The latest jobs report showed a surprisingly strong hiring surge, with employers adding 242,000 jobs last month. But a pinch in earnings and hours disappointed those looking for a pickup in paychecks.

Toms Shoes A Hit At Oscars, But Does Shoe Giveaway Hit The Mark?

11:45am March 03, 2016

by Amy Costello

The for-profit company gives a free pair of shoes to a poor child for every pair a consumer buys. Is that a good idea?

Many farmers are selling unused or out-of-date equipment to make money in a year when grain prices are low.

National

With Economy Stuck In The Mud, Farmers Sink Deeper Into Debt

10:33am March 03, 2016

by Grant Gerlock

As farm income plummets, more producers are taking on outside jobs and borrowing from banks just to get by. But economists say the U.S. isn't yet repeating the farm crisis of the 1970s and '80s.

Gasoline prices are displayed at a filling station in Philadelphia.

Gas Prices Pop Up Despite Historic Supplies Of Oil. Blame Spring

4:36pm March 02, 2016

by Marilyn Geewax

The Energy Information Administration says oil inventories are at "historically high" levels. Still, gas prices have been heading up because oil refineries are switching to more costly summer blends.

Indicted Ex-Oil CEO Aubrey McClendon Dies In Car Crash

4:27pm March 02, 2016

by Joe Wertz

Aubrey McClendon, one of the pioneers of the shale oil revolution in the U.S. died in a car crash Wednesday at age 56 years. McClendon was indicted Tuesday on charges he conspired to rig the bidding process on oil and gas leases in Oklahoma.

India's New Budget: Nuts To Cashew Lovers, Relief For Shoe Fans

3:44pm March 02, 2016

by Julie McCarthy

To win support among the poor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued a massive new budget that lends a hand to low-income folks and takes cash away from the wealthy.

Starting out your life when you're straddled with student debt.

Strategies For When You're Starting Out Saddled With Student Debt

6:32pm March 01, 2016

by Yuki Noguchi

More people have more student loan debt than ever; last year, the average for a college graduate was more than $35,000. Here are some ways to set priorities for attacking that debt.