Free Republic

WASHINGTON (AP) — More U.S. adults are now feeling financially vulnerable amid high inflation — a political risk for President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats one month before the midterm elections. Some 46% of people now call their personal financial situation poor, up from 37% in March, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That’s a notable downturn at a particularly inopportune moment for Biden, given that the share of Americans who felt positive about their finances had stayed rock steady over the last few years — even during the economic turmoil...

How Marco Rubio charged thousands in personal expenses on his Republican Party credit card including $4,000 flooring for his Miami home – and hired his ex-Dolphins cheerleader wife Republican presidential front-runner Marco Rubio charged thousands of dollars of personal expenses on a party-issued credit card, used his home as the base for his political committee and hired his wife, who billed $5,700 in 'gas and food' expenses, a Daily Mail Online investigation into his finances has revealed. Car repairs, fancy dinners and even a $134 haircut were among the items he charged on the American Express card, which was supposed...

Dear Readers: With the first hint of spring, you may be inspired to do a bit of cleaning, so why not apply this same energy to your financial house? It's the perfect time to see how well you're keeping your financial resolutions and clear out clutter that may be preventing you from reaching your goals. Here's a list of ideas to help you get going. CLEAN UP YOUR PAPERWORK To me, you can't be in control of your finances unless you know where everything is. So now -- as you prepare your 2013 taxes -- is an ideal time to...

The Obama administration is drawing up plans to give all U.S. spy agencies full access to a massive database that contains financial data on American citizens and others who bank in the country, according to a Treasury Department document seen by Reuters...

This paper examines households’ financial fragility by looking at their capacity to come up with $2,000 in 30 days. Using data from the 2009 TNS Global Economic Crisis survey, we document widespread financial weakness in the United States: Approximately one quarter of Americans report that they would certainly not be able to come up with such funds, and an additional 19% would do so by relying at least in part on pawning or selling possessions or taking payday loans.

Year-end is a time for family and traditions. It is also a time for reflection and preparation: looking back at your investment decisions in 2009, but more importantly, looking forward to prepare your portfolio to realize its maximum after-tax returns in 2010 and beyond. The following ideas may be helpful for utilizing investment losses, protecting earnings and mitigating risk.

OP-ED COLUMNIST Leo Tolstoy wrote a lovely novella called "Family Happiness," narrated by a young woman who goes out for a walk with a man she loves. They talk about nothing in particular - frogs, actually - but exchange looks and gestures. "He said goodbye as usual and made no special allusion; but I knew that from that day he was mine, and that I should never lose him now." They are married but grow apart. She likes parties, while he doesn't. Then one day they are sitting at home and her heart suddenly grows light. She looks around and...

Each week I get questions from people who need debt advice. Taking control of spending is absolutely necessary if you want to avoid problem debt. So here's my list of the top 10 debt-causing attitudes. You might want to take control of your spending in 2005 if: 10. You never met a credit card you didn't like. Debt is a four-letter word and is what you get when you use credit cards to extend your income. Stop charging now and make a commitment to begin living on your current income. 9.You are impulsive by nature and think that using your...

Q: My husband and I need assistance figuring out the tax benefit, if any, if I stay home with our son. Currently, my husband makes $52,000. After 403(b) contributions, health insurance, etc., he brings home $49,000 after taxes. I make $30,000 a year and have no health insurance benefits or retirement plan benefits at my current job. I have a flexible spending account, to which I contribute $5,000 for dependent care and $2,160 for health reimbursement, yearly. Our child-care costs are $765 per month. We would like to know how to figure how much I am actually bringing home after...