The unemployment rate numbers are still startling, even after so many months of recession. A reported 9.1% of Americans are out of work, and this percentage does not include those who have given up looking for a job. Look more closely at the Hispanic and African-American populations, and the unemployment numbers rise even more: 11.3% [...]

Starbucks’ Create Jobs for USA – Can It Help Small Businesses? is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Credit rating agencies have been around for the better part of the 20th century, and have played a key role in the financial world by providing ratings on the creditworthiness of bonds and other debt instruments. These ratings are invaluable tools for investors looking to get a better sense of whether a debt instrument is [...]

History of Credit Rating Agencies and How They Work is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

After the first time trying to prepare and file personal taxes, most Americans learn the same lesson: The American tax system is complex and difficult to understand. Many people also feel that corporations, wealthy individuals and families, and special interest groups have unfair access to loopholes and exemptions that help them avoid paying their “fair [...]

What Is the Fair Tax Act Explained – Pros and Cons is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Standard and Poor’s (commonly known as S&P) is one of the most prominent financial intelligence companies in the world. S&P is a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies and has more than 150 years of experience providing financial services to investors worldwide. Though the firm provides a number of financial research services, they are most widely known for [...]

What Is S&P? Understanding Standard & Poor’s Credit Ratings is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Millions of securities transactions of all types and sizes take place every day in the United States. You may invest in mutual funds through your 401k at work, or engage in derivatives trading through your online brokerage account. Fortunately, a plethora of information is available to you regarding your transactions and investments. The financial firms with whom you [...]

What Is FINRA – History and Rules for Arbitration & Mediation is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is a regulatory agency that oversees a major segment of the economy along with the IRS, the Consumer Protection Bureau, and the Federal Trade Commission. Specifically, the SEC oversees “Wall Street” where market activity is measured in the trillions of dollars and intersects with virtually every other facet of the economy. Thousands [...]

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) History & Fraud Cases is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is an index of 30 of the largest publicly owned, U.S.-based companies and has been an economic force for over a century. It is also one of the most widely used indexes and plays a fundamental role in the stock market and the way people manage their income and investments. Most [...]

What Is the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) – Stock Market Index is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Let’s face it. Recessions are difficult. You’ll know this best if you’re out of work and looking for a job. But even if you’re employed, you may still feel anxiety about losing your job or you may have had to take a pay cut to keep it. Some professions are hit harder than others during [...]

Top 10 Recession Proof Jobs – Do They Exist? is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Most economists talk about where the economy is headed – it’s what they do. But in case you haven’t noticed, many of their predictions are wrong. For example, Ben Bernanke (head of the Federal Reserve) made a prediction in 2007 that the United States was not headed into a recession. He further claimed that the [...]

List of 16 Major Leading & Lagging Economic Indicators is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

During any recession, news stories about unemployment figures take center stage while the families dealing with the recession suffer, often quietly. People work hard just to stay afloat in hopes that the economy will turn around soon, but often to no avail. While many families do their best to carry on as if nothing is [...]

9 Effects of the Recession on Families and How to Cope is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

We had the unique opportunity to interview FOX Business Network reporter Adam Shapiro about the ongoing U.S. debt crisis and the intense debate surrounding the possibility of raising the national debt ceiling. The current situation is an extremely complex one with differing opinions coming from all sides. For more analysis of the issue, check out [...]

Will the U.S. Raise the Debt Ceiling, or Default? – Adam Shapiro Interview is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

For some families, finding decent, safe, and affordable housing presents a challenge. Since most areas of the United States do not have rent control laws, affording private rentals in good areas can seem like an unreachable goal for some renters. As a result, many families live in high crime areas or in substandard housing. To [...]

What Is Section 8? – Low Income Housing Assistance is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

When an economy is in danger of slipping into a recession or depression, governments can employ a strategy known as quantitative easing (QE). Quantitative easing is a monetary policy instituted by central banks in an effort to stimulate the local economy. By flooding the economy with a greater money supply, governments hope to maintain artificially [...]

What Is Quantitative Easing Explained – Definition, Risks & Effects on the Economy is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

The unemployment rate is a variable that economists routinely use to measure the health of the economy. However, some people think the federal unemployment rate doesn’t accurately reflect reality. In fact, the real rate of unemployment may actually be much higher than what’s reported. The state and federal governments calculate unemployment differently. States often measure [...]

What Is the REAL National U.S. Unemployment Rate – Why the Numbers Can Be Misleading is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

“Golden parachutes” get a lot of  press, and they always sound like elite packages for high-level executives. Very few people get them, and very few people know how they work. Companies usually reserve them for executives at the top of the organization chart, and these contracts establish an agreed-upon compensation package that the employee would [...]

Golden Parachute Clause Definition – Examples of Payments is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

It’s a simple fact: Every year the United States government spends more money than it brings in revenue. To fund many national programs, the government borrows money by issuing Treasuries. In a given year, 40 to 50% of U.S. expenditures are made with borrowed money. As we continue to borrow money without paying back the [...]

Raising the National Debt Ceiling – Definition & What It Means for Us is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

You don’t have to drive 100 miles a day to notice just how high gas prices have risen. Experts are predicting that we’ll see them continue to climb, especially with summer approaching. After I pay more at the pump, I go home to watch the news to learn about international struggles and strife in the [...]

How Middle East Turmoil & Oil Prices Lead to Maxed Out Credit Cards – 8 Degrees of Separation is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

When you hear people discussing interest rates or investment returns, you may notice that they make a distinction between real and nominal rates. What’s the difference and why should it matter to you? Essentially, the inflation rate is the difference between the two. It matters because nominal rates don’t tell the whole story – for [...]

Nominal vs. Real Interest Rate – Effects of Inflation is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

The $858 billion tax-cut package recently passed by Congress to extend the Bush tax cuts contains incentives that will benefit all Americans. Democrats and Republicans were able to reach a compromise and managed to create a bill that includes various advantages that each party has been advocating. The bill’s financial incentives will provide help to [...]

5 Benefits of the Bush Tax Cuts Extension Bill and How It Will Affect You is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

The past 3 years have been rife with changes – economically, financially, and socially. We’ve seen a lot of cultural and financial icons go very quickly from hero to villain. Many pop stars and sports heroes of the past decade have spent more time in tabloids than pursuing their chosen careers. Even President Barack Obama, [...]

4 Financial Norms to Challenge During the Current Economic Crisis – When Heroes Become Villains is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.