Finance Globe

Earlier this month, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that last year the nation’s median income slipped 1.5 percent to $50,502, the percent without health insurance coverage fell by 0.6 percentage points to 15.7 percent, and the poverty rate roughly held steady at 15 percent. On Wednesday, the Bureau released its findings on states, cities, and smaller communities for 2011. "The American Community Survey provides reliable, local statistics about our nation's people, housing and economy that are...

The government’s unemployment figures reported for September reflect that the nation’s jobless rate fell a whopping 0.3 percent and brought the unemployment rate to its lowest level since January 2009. The unemployment rate fell from 8.1 percent in August to 7.8 percent last month, the Labor Department reported on Friday. The big decline was unexpected - economists had predicted the September jobless rate would increase 0.1 percentage point to 8.2 percent. Since the beginning of 2012,...

The IRS tax refund tracker tool has become so popular for people expecting a tax refund that the IRS has put out a notice asking taxpayers to limit their inquiries to no more than once per day. As more returns come in, the IRS said it is experiencing high traffic on “Where’s My Refund?” at irs.gov. The large large traffic volume is expected to limit the availability of the tool on both the website and the...

Almost two-thirds of Americans admit that their financial troubles are of their own doing, according to a December poll by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Of poll respondents, 63% said their financial woes self-inflicted for reasons such as overspending or being financially unorganized, and 37% said their problems were caused by events beyond their control such as job loss or medical bills. "The poll results are encouraging, as the first step to correcting a problem...

Millions of consumers who used a credit or debit card in Target during the data breach period – November 27 to December 15, 2013 – have received a replacement card in the mail sometime in the past several weeks. If you haven’t received a new card already, don’t be surprised if you open an envelope one day and discover you too have received a replacement card from your bank or credit card issuer.Why Are Banks Replacing...

Federal agencies on Tuesday warned to consumers of a new computer malware that can take hold of personal files and literally hold them for ransom.The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said that the malware, “Cryptolocker,” encrypts your personal documents, photos, and other files. You can’t get it back unless you pay a fee of about $300 and the clock is ticking until it’s gone for good. And there’s no other way to...

Green home building is projected to continue to climb in the next few years as Americans increasingly search out energy-efficient and environmentally responsible homes, industry experts reported this week.McGraw Hill Construction reported that last year, the green home-building industry accounted for 23% of residential construction and is projected to grow to between 26% to 33% by 2016. This increase would more than double the value of the industry, growing from $36 billion in 2013 to $83-$105...

Consumers who feel taken advantage of by one of the most infamously predatory businesses – payday lenders – now have a place to send their complaints. In early November, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced it would begin taking complaints on payday loan businesses via its complaint form found at ConsumerFinance.gov/complaint or by phone to 1-855-411-2372. Some of the potentially illegal practices you can complain about include: unexpected fees or interest, unauthorized charges to you bank...

Americans should be on alert for scammers posing as government workers, the Better Business Bureau advises. The purpose of the scam is to fool you into sharing your personal information, which can then be used to commit identity theft.The scam starts with a phone call from the con artists who claims that you have been selected to receive insurance cards through the Affordable Care Act - also known as “Obamacare.” In order to receive your insurance...

The Federal Trade Commission has released the results of its latest survey on fraud. Conducted in late 2011 and early 2012, the survey reveals there were 25.6 million victims of fraud. Here are the top 10 fraud categories: Weight-loss products, 5.1 million victimsFraudulent prize promotions, 2.4 million victimsUnauthorized billing for buyers’ club membership or internet services, 1.9 victimsWork-at-home programs, 1.8 million victimsCredit repair scam, 1.6 million victimsDebt relief, 1.5 million victimsCredit card insurance, 1.3 million victimsBusiness...