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The article features stories of four families and their monthly budgets which demonstrate how the middle class has changed over a generation. Topics discussed include these families' monthly take-home pay and major monthly expenses, chances of a drop in income and relationship of rising costs with income growth.

The article focuses on the significance of consulting the best adviser before giving out investment advice in the U.S. It is noted that some investment brokers are compelled to follow fiduciary standard at a higher level. Investors are recommended to consider the confusing different credentials of the brokers.

The article examines the problems that middle class families in the U.S. face caused by the use of colleges of expected family contribution (EFC) to determine a student's financial need. Topics covered include how the EFC can be misleading and unable to accurately reflect a student and their family's ability to pay for college, and the tendency of students to pay more that what the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) estimates amidst the rise in college prices.

The article discusses problems with income-driven repayment plans for student loans in the U.S. Topics discussed include an increase in enrollment in income-driven plans, problems with the payment calculation, suggestions from borrower advocates on how to address these problems and proposals from several Democratic presidential candidates on student debt.

The article focuses on the initiatives of expensive, smaller and private colleges in the U.S. in an effort to attract more applicants and increase retention. It includes cutting their published tuition fees by 16 to 57 percent along with increased discounts, increasing their marketing budget and making improvements on campus.

The article reports on the frustrations of American taxpayers who filed their returns early as of February 2019 due to the decline of their tax refunds to an average of 8.4%. Topics include the reasons for the decline like the loss of certain deductions and lower money withheld, the move by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to change its withholding tables, and the effects of the tax reform signed by President Donald Trump.

The article deals with several personal finance initiatives that may get support from both Republicans and Democrats despite the low chances of bipartisan cooperation following the 2018 midterm elections. They include developing ways to create better data on college graduate earnings, reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers, and expansion of medical expense deductions.

The article discusses the projected shortfall of U.S. Social Security in about 16 years as of 2018, when recipients' benefits would be reduced by roughly 20 percent and offers a Social Security guide in an environment of political rhetoric. Topics covered include the role of demographic shift in the shortfall, social security's effect on the deficit, and potential fixes to close the shortfall. Also noted are the views of Republican and Democrat politicians on the issue.

The article explores how Tracey Dewart of Manhattan, New York City discovered discrepancies and unusual activity in the investment account of her 84-year-old mother Aerielle Dewart at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. Topics discussed include the settlement obtained by Dewart from J.P. Morgan, the customer arbitration considered by Dewart for the settlement, and the provision of consumer protection in the financial services sector.

The article reports on the decade-long bull market that keeps rolling which became the longest such run in U.S. history on August 22, 2018. Topics discussed include the question faced by investors of whether they should be taking some money off the table and ideas for investors such as considering whether their tolerance has changed in terms of what sort of drop they could tolerate and considering how much risk their plans require.

This article focuses on the increase in bankruptcy among older U.S. citizens, according to a study conducted by a team led by Deborah Thorne, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Idaho. It discusses the problems facing older U.S. citizens, the rate of older people filing bankruptcy in the country, and factors that contributed to the increase in bankruptcy among older people in the country.

The article reports that many parents in the U.S. as of July 2018 are borrowing more to finance the education of their children due to rising tuition and the students already borrowed much from the federal loan program. Also cited are the average debt load of students pursuing bachelor's degrees at graduation, the average debt load of parents under the PLUS federal parental loans, and the comment of SavingForCollege.com's Mark Kantrowitz on the developments.

The article discusses attitudes on gender roles in the U.S., citing the case of husband and wife Nick and Natalie Foy. Topics include Natalie's role as the primary breadwinner of the family, the increase in the number of women in college earning degrees compared to men, and how disparities in earnings affect marital relationships.

The article discusses the engagement of an outside investor to share in the down payments of aspiring U.S. home owners as of June 2018. It states that shared equity firm Unison provides at least half of a consumer's down payment in exchange for a home's appreciation value profit when it is sold, and that it aims to provide home buyers with more options. Also noted is the home buyer's need to calculate upfront cash now versus less proceeds later before entering into shared equity.

The article reports on the volume of robocalls in the U.S. that already reached to about 3.4 billion in April 2018, according to YouMail. Topics discussed are the proposed legislation aimed at curbing robocall abuses, the tactic known as neighborhood spoofing, and efforts of regulators to block robocalls including cooperation with the telecommunications industry, Federal Trade Commission's contests for application developers to innovative ways to block robocalls, and restrictions on landline.

The article reports that hackers had compromised personal and confidential information being handled by U.S. consumer credit reporting agency Equifax. Nearly half of the country's population have been affected by the hacking. New York attorney general Eric T. Schneiderman has launched an investigation into the data breach. The company is facing two potential class-action suits.

The article reports on the impact of U.S. Federal Reserve's benchmark interest rate hike on December 19, 2018, on consumers.

The article discusses several American lawsuits which were filed against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, and Yale University in 2016, and it mentions how three groups of plaintiffs allege that the institutions of higher learning mishandled their retirement plans (pensions). Attorney Jerome J. Schlichter is addressed, along with the claim that the universities failed to monitor the fees paid to administer the plans.

The article reports on the regulations issued by the U.S. Labor Department on April 6, 2016 requiring financial advisers and brokers of individual retirement and 401 (k) accounts to act in the best interests of their clients. Topics include the expected shift of retirement funds to lower-cost investments, the assumption of consumers that firms and individuals investing their money are obliged to provide the very best advice and the conflict-of-interest rule for tax-advantage retirement funds.

The article presents a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of renting or buying a home in the U.S. The advantages of home ownership includes equity potential, tax advantages, and protection from rising rents while the disadvantages include high maintenance costs. The benefits of renting includes flexibility while the disadvantages include the lack of tax savings.

The article discusses the economic and social condition of the younger workers in the U.S. It highlights the struggle of the younger workers in the payments of their student debt wherein the employers are embracing the younger workers. It also cites the implementation of bills that encourage the employers to help at their employees' student debts.

The article discusses the article discusses critical illness insurance that provides insurance for disease care for Americans, including its relationship with high deductibles of basic health insurance coverage and cost of critical illness insurance.

The article discusses how various home buyers in America such as Kristian and Michele Klein are able to avoid purchasing mortgage insurance by making real estate-related down payments which amount to 10 percent of a home's price, and it mentions piggyback loans (second mortgage loans) and real estate cost savings in the U.S. Home prices in America are addressed, along with jumbo mortgages and the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac American government finance programs.

The article discusses the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.) in relation to various taxation-related issues involving independent contractors in America as of 2016. Businesswoman Dina Scherer is addressed, along with a gig economy (1099 economy) which deals with short-term projects and independent workers. I.R.S. tax form 1099 is examined, along with business taxes in America, online business operations, and Scherer's Modnitsa Atelier image and styling agency.

The article reports on the insider stock trade charges against former Equifax employee Sudhakar Reddy Bonthu over insider stock trade violation.

The article reports on the Department of Education plans for providing students with prepaid card which would hold surplus loan money which is not required in relation to tuition, thereby allowing government and financial services providers insight into how students arespending the money. The Office of Federal Student expects to introduce pilot program as early as late spring.

The article reports on the concerns of residents in Columbia, Maryland on the potential impacts of the new tax plan, finalized in the U.S. Congress in December 2017, on their budget for public schools and aid programs for needy residents.

A summary of the new tax reform bill in the U.S. is presented.

The article focuses on employee wellness programs in the U.S. The author explains that the programs are designed to help improve the health of employees, examines the downfalls of the programs, including possible discrimination and violations of privacy rights, and explores how the programs impact the costs of health insurance.

The article discusses home loan government programs in the Untied States that allow Americans to purchase homes while making lower down payments. Topics addressed include programs offered by government housing agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the U.S. Federal Housing Administration, as well as the costs of monthly mortgage payments and mortgage loan insurance.

The article discusses the possible legal implications of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to hear same-sex marriage cases, focusing on financial planning considerations for gay married couples. The article highlights the financial planning situation of financial planner and Brian Thompson and teacher Benjamin Rogers, a gay married couple in Illinois, including considerations of taxation and the complexity of financial laws regarding gay couples.

The article reports that U.S. regulators are seeking to delay the deadline for financial advisers to comply with a rule that would require them to act in their customer's best interest.

The article reports on closing of a retirement savings program that was created by former President Barack Obama for savings accounts to help more people put away money for retirement by the Treasury Department, and comments from treasurer Jovita Carranza about lack of demand of the program.

The article reports that the U.S. Labor Department plans to support the fiduciary rule that would require financial advisers to prioritize interests of their customer, after a review prompted a delay in its implementation in June 9, 2017.

The article discusses the impact that high deductibles in health insurance plans have on the economic conditions of U.S. employees. An overview of the U.S. employers' shifting of health costs to their employees from 2010 to 2014, including in regard to employers' offering a health savings account with a high-deductible health insurance plan, is provided.

The article discusses problems with flood insurance claims that are affecting families whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 as of January 2-14. The National Flood Insurance Program run by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is addressed in relation to private flood insurance firms. Topics include supplemental claims, claims appeals, and the use of appraisals.

The article looks at issues expected to be addressed by the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, led by Director Richard Cordray, in 2014. Noted topics covered include forced arbitration, debt collection, and overdraft charges. According to the author, the bureau is also expected to monitor issues related to student loans, credit reports, and prepaid cards.

The article discusses how cash has become a preferred Christmas gift for many individuals, especially college students and graduates facing loan repayments. Information is provided on U.S. taxation laws regarding cash gifts as well as how financial assistance can be given in the form of retirement money, appreciated stock, or helping with consumer debt.

The article discusses changes in 2013 to reverse mortgage policies in the U.S., which will decrease the amount that older homeowners can borrow against their houses' value. Financial planning, the U.S. Federal Housing Administration (FHA), and the effect of the 2008 economic crisis on homeowners' personal finances are discussed, as well as issues regarding property taxes and mortgage insurance.

The article discusses research conducted in 2013 by U.S. financial firm Fidelity regarding bank customers who frequently borrow from their own 401(k) retirement savings accounts. Loan interest rates, credit card debt, and consumer behavior are discussed, as well as investment earnings, financial planning, and personal loan defaults.

The article examines the financial risks in purchasing real estate as rental property in the United States. Comments from Maryland retirees Tom Vogel and Ana Vogel, who bought a home in Germantown, Maryland to be rented, on the volatility of the market are included. According to the author, individuals considering purchasing rental property should research areas such as financing, mortgages, and taxation implications.

the article examines financial and legal issues concerning same-sex couples and the impact of U.S. Supreme Court decisions on marriage scheduled for March 2013. Particular attention is given to how the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) addresses federal benefits of same-sex couples as well as their legal relationship to their children. Information is provided on Jeff Friedman and Andrew Zwerin, a same-sex couple from New York and also on California's Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage.

The article discusses a U.S. tax law requiring investment brokerage firms to file reports with the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) on clients' cost basis, or how much clients paid for taxable investments. It notes that this figure also considers re-invested dividends, stock splits, and company mergers in an effort to track personal profits and losses related to stocks and mutual funds.

The article discusses paid paternal and maternal leave policies in the United States as of February 23, 2013. Topics discussed include the Family and Medical Leave Act, the economic and health benefits of paid family leave, and advocate Vicki Shabo and the National Partnership for Women and Families' work to support improved paid family leave policies in the U.S.

The article discusses employment outlook for the class of 2015 in the U.S. Topics discussed include the projections of the Collegiate Employment Research Institute of the Michigan State University that hiring will be up across all degree levels, the analysis of Jaison Abel, head of regional analysis at the New York Federal Reserve Bank , with senior economist Richard Deitz, and the issue of underemployment. Charts regarding the underemployment rate after the recession are also presented.

The article discusses the adoption of several strategies for preparing tax returns in the U.S.

The article reports on a retirement plan marketplace to be created by New Jersey to help small businesses in selecting a tax-deferred savings program for employees, a revised bill signed by Governor Chris Christie, for businesses and views of politician Vincent Prieto, on same.

The article presents suggestions for what can be done in case one gets wrong tax forms in the U.S.

The article reports on the plan of U.S. President Barack Obama to impose drastic changes on the 529 college savings plans of numerous families in the country.

The article focuses on a 2014 study conducted by David Broockman and Joshua Kalla, graduate students in political science at the University of California, Berkeley, which suggests that large campaign donations could buy access to politicians in the U.S.