Adults are going back to school for lots of different reasons these days, including career changes, keeping up with developments in their field, learning new skills, and personal enrichment. At many colleges, students may be senior executives, retirees, or working moms. Going back to school when you’re older, whether it’s to get an advanced degree, … Read more
As someone that deals with the aftermath of the financial mess, my answer will surprise you. Yes, there should be classes, but it is NOT a vaccination against financial problems, but it might be part of a longer-term multifaceted solution. My observation is that teaching personal finance in high school is a bit like requiring … Read more
by Eric Olsen, attorney and Executive Director HELPS Nonprofit Law Firm I recently read a question on a website that helped persons with credit card debt. The answer given is typical of the deceptive, incomplete, and false answers many websites and their experts provide to seniors with financial problems. Here is the question posed from … Read more
The stock market is often used as an indicator of the economy’s success. With so much weight attached to it, we must all have a full understanding of how investing works — right? Unfortunately, MagnifyMoney found that most Americans aren’t particularly well-versed when it comes to investing. In a new MagnifyMoney survey, we discovered that … Read more
Financial literacy – the most misunderstood and abused good intention. It is alarming how we love simple solutions for complex problems. We want politicians to solve our ills in a soundbite and we want money problems to go away with a class. The reality is neither of those solutions is ever going to work. I … Read more
There’s good news about the huge salaries CEOs earn and it’s bad news for them. For those of us who don’t earn millions of dollars a year, we can smile at a new study by executive search firm Korn Ferry: “CEOs received the lowest pay increase in 5 years.” Researchers pulled public records for 300 … Read more
I could not help but notice an absence of some familiar faces in an announcement by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) today on financial education. The CFPB announced an inspired national project to help those most in need to get more education about managing their finances. You would have expected the National Foundation for … Read more
I just published my latest free ebook titled “How to Get Out of Debt Without Getting Scammed and What to Do if You Have Been.” Book Description It’s tough enough to have to face financial problems, but how do you make sure you can trust someone to help you? This book gives you clear instructions … Read more
Author Helanie Olen has recently released a new book title Pound Foolish: Exposing the Dark Side of the Personal Finance Industry. In this book she discusses the blind faith of many to follow the personal finance advice of popular financial gurus without question. She also talks about the issues surrounding financial literacy and the fallacies … Read more
The Federal Deposit Insurance Commission (FDIC) recently released their latest findings on how people deal with managing their money. I’m not talking about high level issues like which mutual fund provides a better return, but like do you have a savings account. As a consumer debt expert the information is disturbing in two ways for … Read more
Dear Dollar Stretcher, Most of us have at least one mortgage these days, but there is so much confusion over the interest. It seems that by the time you’ve paid off your mortgage, the interest costs more than your home. I would love to know how the interest is calculated and how it can end … Read more
Kids.gov recently published these comics designed to teach kids all about learning ways to save money. The first is aimed at younger kids with an interesting message that you can buy stuff you really want if you use your own money. It struck me as an interesting message since it seems to be a tacit … Read more
I just received the following letter from The Institute for Financial Literacy. They are looking for donations to support financial literacy for seniors. If you feel compelled to assist her in her efforts, please reach out directly to the Institute for Financial Literacy at www.FinancialLit.org. The Request I am writing to let you know about … Read more
Today, the Federal Trade Commission will host the third in a series of roundtables around the country to gather information on consumers’ experiences in the leasing of motor vehicles at dealerships. The roundtable also will address what has been learned about auto sales, financing and leasing at all of the roundtables; what consumer and business … Read more
Unless parents decide to make a concerted effort to begin teaching children about credit, our nation’s children might become victims of a system that is deceptive, manipulative, and cloaked in mystery. Our banks, educational institutions, and government officials do not make information about credit easily accessible. They do not tell us that no credit is … Read more