According to a report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, American household debt delinquency rates declined last quarter—for the first time in about four years. Here’s a look at some of the specifics in the report and what they might mean about the economy.

As of June 30, 2010, 11.4 percent of U.S. [...]

New home sales dropped to the lowest levels on record in July, according to figures on housing sales released by the Commerce Department.
The housing market continues to struggle following the end of the homebuyer tax credit that expired April 30.
According to CNNMoney, new home sales dropped 12.4 percent. The seasonally adjusted annual rate was 276,000 [...]

In welcome news for struggling consumers, Americans have lowered their credit card debts this summer in the wake of a lingering recession. In fact, numbers recently released for June show that overall consumer debt has fallen for the 19th time in the last 21 months.
The news, however, is not all positive, as many economists claim [...]

The Department of Commerce recently released a report detailing the rate of new home sales in June, and, while the numbers show a 23.6 percent jump from sales a month earlier, that increase is not exactly reason to celebrate: May’s numbers were the lowest on record, with figures for as far back as 1963.
Here’s a [...]

The current recession has profoundly impacted Americans’ pocketbooks, but questions about the country’s financial woes persist: how harsh has the recession really been, and when will it end?
In response to these questions, the Pew Research Center recently released the results of a study showing the dramatic effects of the financial plunge, though it revealed little [...]

Debt can be a scary thing, especially when it begins to spiral (often aided by fluctuating or adjustable interest rates). And, while some debt can be useful and is difficult to avoid, other debt can signal that it’s time to make serious changes in the way you handle your finances.
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling [...]

Now that news outlets are reporting positive numbers for some sectors of the economy, you may be wondering how we’re faring economically as a nation. Here’s a look at spending and wealth as it stands today—and what that tells us about financial recovery.
Consumer Wealth: Still Below Pre-Recession Levels
A recent report from National Public Radio examines [...]