Your Money

Bill Averill, 62, has retired from the City of Milwaukee assessor's office and is collecting his pension. Milwaukee's fund is consistently rated as one of the best-performing in the country.

While Others Underfunded Pensions, Milwaukee Held Firm

12:53pm October 03, 2013

by Erin Toner

Nationwide, many cash-strapped cities have raided funds intended for retirees or have chronically underfunded their pension systems. But despite a budget crunch, Milwaukee's fund has consistently ranked among the nation's top pension programs. Even so, some changes lie ahead for city workers.

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Some reputation management companies required that its writers have a certain number of Yelp friends. Yelp says it welcomed the New York attorney general's crackdown on fake reviewers.

Fake Reviewers Get Zero Stars From New York Attorney General

12:04pm September 25, 2013

by Laura Sydell

Nineteen companies agreed to pay more than $350,000 in penalties to settle accusations that they wrote or bought phony online reviews of their products, services or restaurants.

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Economy

Rates Come Down On Jumbo Mortgage Loans

12:40pm September 06, 2013

by Chris Arnold

The interest rate on jumbo mortgages — those that exceed a government-set cap of $417,000 — has fallen below the rate for traditional loans. Mortgage industry observers say it's the first time this has happened.

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The next bed could cost you a lot if the hospital says you're there on observation.

For Hospital Patients, Observation Status Can Prove Costly

9:25am September 05, 2013

by Ina Jaffe

When is an inpatient in the hospital not an inpatient in the hospital? When that patient is on observation status. Patients who are termed on observation can have trouble getting Medicare to pay if they need to go to a nursing home. The practice has sparked lawsuits and legislation.

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A family in western Kenya received this cow as part of a Heifer International program.

Cash, Cows And The Rise Of Nerd Philanthropy

9:12pm August 23, 2013

Most charities get money from donors and spend it on things they think will help people — schools, medicine, farm animals. GiveDirectly just gives money away. And that poses a challenge to the more traditional charities.

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Julia della Croce says pistachio pesto is an economical — and delicious — alternative when Italian pine nuts can cost up to $120 per pound.

Arts
Economy

Don't Let The Price Of Pine Nuts Keep You From Pesto

5:10pm August 16, 2013

by Serri Graslie

Hungry bugs and warmer temperatures mean pine trees aren't producing as many seeds as they once did, driving up the cost of Italian pine nuts to $120 per pound in some cases. Cookbook author Julia della Croce found a colorful — and delicious — alternative in pistachios.

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Lawmakers meet to discuss an overhaul of the tax code at Kelly's Irish Times on Capitol Hill.

On The Road With Max And Dave: A Tax Overhaul Tour

9:18am August 06, 2013

by Tamara Keith

Sen. Max Baucus and Rep. Dave Camp skip much of Washington's formality when they're out traveling the country to try to drum up support for simplifying the tax code. They want to convince Americans — and their colleagues in Congress — that it's possible, and worth it.

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Chris Viehland helps her daughter Jenna try on shoes for the new school year at a Famous Footwear store in Fenton, Mo., Aug. 9, 2012.

As Back-To-School Shopping Begins, Consumers May Turn Frugal

6:01pm August 02, 2013

Most economists say this year's back-to-school sales will be slower than last summer's because consumers have been coping with more expensive gasoline and higher payroll taxes. Still, several states are offering tax-free shopping to encourage purchases.

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Nearly 60 percent of Americans have smartphones, up from just 8 percent five years ago.

Economy

New Smartphone Upgrade Plans Can Be Costly In The Long Run

6:12pm July 19, 2013

by Dan Bobkoff

Three of the four major wireless companies are out with new plans for those who want the latest smartphone sooner. The plans, with names like Verizon Edge and AT&T Next, essentially let you rent a phone for six months or a year and then trade it in for a new one — but there's a catch.

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Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

'We're Here To Stay' Says Newly Confirmed Consumer Watchdog

7:11pm July 17, 2013

by Mark Memmott

After two years of political bickering, Richard Cordray has been confirmed as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He thinks that, in the end, his agency has won bipartisan support for the work it will do.

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