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The articler reports on the growth and popularity of payday loans among employees in the U.S. It cites that payday loans started in 1980s and quickly rose to fame to numerous workers in the country. Moreover, definition of paydays and the reasons for its growth and charts showing the frequency of payday borrowers payments are also stated.

The article offers news briefs related to financial services industry in the U.S. Cletus Coughlin, St. Louis, Missouri's Federal Reserve Bank policy adviser and senior vice president, gave his presentation during the Global Economic Forum on July 1, 2014. The video titled "Exploring Economics" is already available for use by middle school and elementary schools. Moreover, the podcast titled "The Economic Lowdown" is already available for use by students.

In 2009, Congress passed the most substantial reforms in the credit card industry in over 40 years-the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure of 2009 (the CARD Act). The CARD Act addresses many practices consumer advocates- and Congress-identified as problematic. Although the Truth in Lending Act of 1968 mandated disclosure of information about the costs (terms) of credit, there were few limits placed on the pricing practices (e.g., fees) of card issuers. Congress intended the CARD Act, often called the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights, to establish fair and transparent practices for credit cardholders. Put simply, the CARD Act offers cardholders protections that can save them money. Fair practices include lower fees and limits on interest rate increases. Transparent practices include better and timely communication so consumers know how much they are really paying for credit. This article reviews some of the reforms initiated by the CARD Act and their effects on credit card usage and consumer savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the evolution of prepaid cards. It provides brief overview of the origin of the credit cards from the American West, then in 1950 wherein the Diners' Club debuted the credit card, the emergence of the MasterCard and Visa, the automated teller machines (ATMs), the use of debit cards in 1998 and the prepaid cards. It presents the definition of a prepaid card, its fees, the users of the card as well as the advantages and disadvantages.

The article discusses aspects of the payments, overpayments and unclaimed benefits of unemployment insurance in the U.S. It examines the benefits the country's unemployment insurance system has paid out from 1989 to 2011. It looks at the overpayments and fraud for the same time period, as well as the types of fraud classified by the Department of Labor.

The article discusses several information resources which include the book "Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday" by Judith Viorst, the educational video "What Makes Something Useful as Money?," and the Inside the Economy Museum in at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis in Washington, D.C.