As tensions in the Middle East between Western states and Iran continue to grow, and oil supply chains grow more perilous, gas prices have begun to grow at an alarming rate in the United States.
And some experts believe that gas could top the $5 per gallon mark by this summer. This comes as disturbing news [...]

The U.S. economy added 227,000 new jobs in February, according to statistics compiled by the Department of Labor, which represents the third consecutive month of positive job growth in the United States.
Still, though, some critics observed that the unemployment rate remained at 8.3 percent, which is viewed by some economists that the economy is not [...]

The price of gas has leapt by 45 cents on average since the beginning of 2012 and has reached an all-time record for this time of year, so economists and other pundits have begun expressing concerns about the effect of high fuel prices on the economy.
Many economists, however, say that the high price of gas [...]

A mysterious but important economic indicator increased in January for the fourth straight month, adding fuel to the claims of some analysts that the economy is slowly, but steadily, getting back into shape.
Last week, the Conference Board said that its index of important economic indicators rose 0.4 percent last month, pushing the index to its [...]

The unemployment rate in the United States fell to 8.3 percent this January, which represents the lowest jobless figure since early 2009, according to a promising economic report from The New York Times.
The news comes as a welcome surprise for economic experts who expected the jobless rate to remain stagnant for the foreseeable future.
With the [...]

In a press release that is almost as hotly anticipated in Chicago as the start of the baseball season, Illinois Attorney General recently announced the top ten consumer complaints of 2011.
And this list of consumer complaints, ranging from debt collector fraud to other debt relief issues, mirrors, in many respects, the types of complaints that [...]

While economists are split on their outlook for 2012, even those with the rosiest forecasts warn consumers that 2012 will not be a year to accumulate wealth and riches.
And others are even more pessimistic, such as a columnist at Slate.com, where consumers are being warned to hunker down for a potentially difficult year.
If these predictions [...]

Claims for unemployment benefits took a significant jump early this month, as experts believe the temporary lull over the holidays was a just a blip in the overall pattern of high unemployment.
And, as more people appear to be jobless to start the new year, bankruptcy filings may grow as well, as consumers look to shed [...]

The United States economy will grow in 2012, although this growth will be gradual and fragile, according to an Associated Press survey of the country’s most well-respected economists.
Economists also predicted that unemployment levels would drop in 2012, although they will likely not fall below roughly 8.6 percent before the presidential election in November.
Despite the good [...]

As the economy continues to limp its way to some sort of recovery, the gross domestic product (GDP) has begun to rise. Economists typically eye the GDP for signs of overall financial growth.
This trend, however, has been met with two equally disturbing trends: high unemployment and high levels of total household debt.
Recent reports indicate that [...]

This tip may seem counterintuitive, but consumers who find themselves unemployed over the holidays should be aggressive in seeking a job before the new year begins, especially if they are weighed down by debt or considering filing for bankruptcy.
While many job seekers become inactive during the holidays, it appears that many employers need extra help [...]

A recent poll by Consumer Reports discovered some contradictory trends related to American consumers’ holiday spending plans.
More consumers claim that they will spend less on gifts this year than they did last year, but the majority of consumers also reported that they will spend more hours shopping in 2011 than they did in 2010.
Of course, [...]

The past few years have been challenging for banks. Recently, major banks and brokerage firms have found themselves filing for bankruptcy at a record pace.
These financial troubles have led many banks to seek new sources of revenue from their customers. For example, one extremely unpopular fee that was recently announced by several U.S. banks was [...]

While personal bankruptcy filings topped a record number of 1.5 million last year, experts predicted that this number would start to drop in 2011. Their prediction proved correct.
The number of bankruptcies this September dropped by 17 percent compared to the same month last year, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
Of course, while [...]

The Bureau of Economic Analysis released its latest consumer spending figures last week and the numbers surprised some economists. As it turns out, Americans spent less and saved more money in June than analysts expected. Specifically:

Both personal income and disposable income increased by 0.1 percent
Personal expenditures decreased by 0.1 percent
In May (the second-most-recent month for [...]

The Federal Trade Commission announced this month that it has taken significant steps to redress the mortgage lending abuses of Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. Starting in late July, the FTC is mailing refund checks (totaling nearly $108 million) to homeowners who paid too much for their Countrywide mortgages.
Who Gets the Refund Money?
The consumer refund is [...]

As far too many Americans know, having an underwater home is not a problem reserved for residents of Atlantis. The good news is that, because the problem of owing more than a home’s current value is so widespread, there’s plenty of information available about how to fix it.
Here’s a look at how filing for bankruptcy [...]

In this period of housing market turmoil, it’s rare to find a homeowner who wants her lender to foreclose on her house. But, according to the Associated Press, that’s exactly what happened to one Tennessee woman.
Here’s a look at her case and what it might mean for other bankruptcy filers.
When A Bankruptcy Filer Wants the [...]

Anyone who’s ever struggled to pay medical bills or put off a visit to the doctor for fear of how much it would cost can likely sympathize with James Richard Verone. If you don’t recognize the name, you may have heard of his now-infamous recent exploits. Reports note that:

He lost his job recently. Without work, [...]

The Department of Justice has issued a statement indicating that it has filed and settled a number of lawsuits against Morgan Stanley and Bank of America for improperly foreclosing on properties owned by active members of the military.
A total of $22 million was apparently secured as compensatory funding for the service members whose homes were [...]