Your Money

The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 16,000 for the first time last week.

The Stock Market Loves The Fed For Now, But Can It Last?

6:32pm November 26, 2013

by John Ydstie

Major stock indexes have shot to record highs in the U.S. this year, gaining more than 20 percent, and yet economic growth remains at disappointing levels. A lot of analysts say the Federal Reserve's stimulus efforts are behind the stock boom and a possible bubble.

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The authors of the Affordable Care Act included ways to offset the anticipated cost of subsidies.

How The Affordable Care Act Pays For Insurance Subsidies

3:44pm November 19, 2013

by John Ydstie

The health care law is helping low- and middle-income Americans pay for their insurance. Where does that money come from? In part, it is a matter of the well-off helping pay for those who have less. But that's not the full answer.

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I Applied For An Online Payday Loan. Here's What Happened Next

5:06pm November 06, 2013

by Pam Fessler

For months, NPR's Pam Fessler got calls from around the world offering her short-term loans. She had fallen into the world of online lead generation.

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Arguments Over Social Security Pit Old Vs. Young

5:24am October 31, 2013

by Ina Jaffe

Social Security accounts for about 20 percent of federal spending. As Congress edges toward having to come up with a new spending plan, one argument in favor of cuts is that Social Security amounts to a huge transfer of wealth from the young to the old.

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A Company's Tweets Can Help Make It Creditworthy

10:12am October 28, 2013

by Wendy Kaufman

Banks use credit scores and similar metrics to assess creditworthiness. A company called Kabbage that lends working capital to small businesses does some of that but also relies on unconventional measures, using real-time data from things like UPS shipments, eBay, Facebook and Twitter.

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Economy

I Lent $999.78 To The Federal Government*

1:29pm October 18, 2013

by David Kestenbaum

I bought a Treasury bill on Tuesday, before Congress made the debt-ceiling deal. It was unclear whether I would get paid back on time.

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Declining Gas Prices Pump Up A Shaky Economy

12:34pm October 18, 2013

by Marilyn Geewax

The federal shutdown had economists worried, but consumers have had something to smile about. Gasoline prices are the lowest in three years — under $3 a gallon in some places. Analysts credit greater supplies, lower demand, the easing of Middle East tensions and even a slow hurricane season.

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Gary Robins sits in the chair of his Supercuts salon in Media, Pa., one of 41 he owns throughout Philadelphia and Delaware.

The Roots Of Franchising Took Hold In A Hair Salon Chain

10:23am October 17, 2013

by Uri Berliner

Franchising is commonplace throughout the retail and service economy, whose pioneers included a former servant turned hair salon owner in the late 19th century. Such businesses are not for everyone, but Gary Robins, who owns dozens of Supercuts, says the setup has allowed him to grow more quickly than if he were on his own.

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IRS offices around the country, like this one in Brooklyn, N.Y., have been closed since the partial government shutdown began two weeks ago. While the agency continues to cash checks from payees, refunds, audits and most other operations are suspended.

The IRS Can't Take Your Questions. It Will Take Your Return

6:21pm October 15, 2013

by Dan Bobkoff

Tuesday is the deadline for taxpayers who requested an extension on their 2012 tax returns. With most of its staff currently furloughed, the Internal Revenue Service is not answering calls, issuing refunds or collecting audits. Even so, don't expect a filing reprieve; the midnight deadline is still in effect.

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Economy

Commissions From Managed-Futures Market Can Wipe Out Profits

11:02am October 11, 2013

Steve Inskeep talks to David Evans about his investigative piece appearing in the November issue of Bloomberg Markets Magazine. The story, "Fleeced by Fees," is about consumers losing profits on their financial investments due to fees and commissions.

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