Your Money

The security breaches at Target and Neiman Marcus have raised questions over how quickly companies are required to disclose that customer information was hacked.

Retailers Can Wait To Tell You Your Card Data Have Been Compromised

5:32pm January 24, 2014

by Laura Sydell

The data breaches at Target and Neiman Marcus raised questions over how quickly companies are required to disclose that customer information was hacked. The rules around when a retailer is required to tell you that your data got into the hands of fraudsters vary state by state.

Queue Listen Now

In The Long Wait For Aid From Washington, Job Hunters Despair

6:20pm January 17, 2014

by Tovia Smith

After failing to agree upon an extension for federal jobless benefits to the long-term unemployed, Congress is vowing to keep trying. The help can't come soon enough for many of the 1.4 million unemployed who saw their checks suddenly cut off last month.

Queue Listen Now

Lunch at the West Salem School District in Wisconsin.

Cash Or Credit? How Kids Pay For School Lunch Matters For Health

1:39pm January 17, 2014

by Shankar Vedantam

A study in the journal Obesity found that students who used credit or debit cards in the school cafeteria chose fewer fruits and vegetables and more desserts than kids paying with cash. But the researchers say schools should work with the bias instead of trying to fight it.

Queue Listen Now

Health Care Costs Grew More Slowly Than The Economy In 2012

4:55pm January 07, 2014

by Julie Rovner

Health care costs grew at 3.7 percent in 2012, the fourth year of a trend of smaller annual increases. The Obama administration says that the Affordable Care Act is a factor. But the actuaries who wrote the report beg to differ, saying the recession is a more likely cause.

Queue Listen Now

Economy

Cabbing Home From That New Year's Party? Expect To Pay A Premium

6:56pm December 31, 2013

by Yuki Noguchi

Planning on celebrating the New Year? If you are worried about driving home and plan to take a cab, you'll have plenty of competition. Cab fares soar during the first few hours of a new year, and then come back to normal around 3 a.m.

Queue Listen Now

Helping Families Have The Most Difficult Conversation

11:35am December 28, 2013

The Conversation Project is encouraging families to discuss their end-of-life preferences before it's too late. Founder Ellen Goodman speaks with NPR's Linda Wertheimer about helping people initiate these conversations, and why they are so important.

Queue Listen Now

On Tuesday, Federal Reserve policymakers begin a two-day meeting where many analysts expect they will announce a reduction in the central bank's $85 billion monthly stimulus.

Year In Numbers: The Federal Reserve's $85 Billion Question

12:30am December 18, 2013

by John Ydstie

As 2013 wraps up, NPR is looking at the numbers that tell this year's story. When it comes to the economy, $85 billion is a good candidate. That's the amount the Federal Reserve has been pumping into the financial system each month trying to stimulate growth and bring down unemployment. On Tuesday, Fed policymakers begin a two-day meeting at which they'll decide whether to dial back that stimulus.

Queue Listen Now

Early December brought a foot of fresh powder to the resorts of Vail, Colo., but some residents are still steaming.

High Insurance Rates Anger Some Ski-Country Coloradans

2:36pm December 13, 2013

by Eric Whitney

Gas, groceries and rents are all pricier in Summit and Eagle counties than in Denver, just a hundred miles away. Health insurance costs a lot more in these mountain communities, too, and some folks are crying foul. Their congressman — a Democrat — is asking the feds for relief.

Queue Listen Now

Federal regulators are setting new rules for banks that offer deposit advances.

Economy

Banks Come Under Fire For Filling In The Payday Loan Gap

4:05pm December 05, 2013

by Robert Benincasa

Federal regulators are cracking down on banks that are offering services called deposit advances. Many argue that the service is the same as payday loans and could lead consumers into a cycle of debt.

Queue Listen Now

Lara Imler has tried to cancel her enrollment on HealthCare.gov, but to no avail.

Breaking Up With HealthCare.gov Is Hard To Do

4:43pm November 28, 2013

by Annie Feidt

Lara Imler was one of the first people in Alaska to sign up for health insurance on HealthCare.gov. Turns out, the website miscalculated her subsidy. She wants to start over and get a new plan. But a stubborn software kink is standing in her way.

Queue Listen Now