Plan your spending to avoid holiday debt
For shoppers, seeing “November” on the calendar means Black Friday – the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season – is just around the corner. Taking a few minutes now to plan your holiday...
View ArticleFive ways to keep more of your tax refund
About 75 percent of taxpayers are expected to receive a federal income tax refund this year. If you’re one of them, here are five ways to help you keep more of the money you’re getting back from the...
View ArticleCFPB promotes Financial Literacy Month
April is Financial Literacy Month, and we are teaming up with other government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and businesses to promote financial education. CFPB Director Richard Cordray and the...
View ArticleTaking your kids to work is a great time to talk about money
My kids were so excited when I asked them if they wanted to come to work with me today. At ages 6 and 9, this will be their first Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. They’re curious to see where...
View ArticleHelp the CFPB solve the most common consumer mistakes
We all make mistakes. That’s part of what makes us human. When we can, we learn from our mistakes. That’s why we at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau want to understand more about the most...
View ArticleProtecting and rebuilding your finances after a disaster
After the shock of a disaster, it’s time to rebuild. Starting over requires a lot of complex choices, uncertainty and expense. Being prepared and knowing how to protect yourself can help you avoid...
View ArticleYou have a right to see specialty consumer reports too
You have the right to know what nationwide specialty consumer reporting companies are saying about you. And you’re entitled to one free report each year, just like with the traditional nationwide...
View ArticlePrepare your finances for emergencies
Hurricane Sandy reminded us that disasters – storms, fires, floods, earthquakes – can happen to anyone, and when they do you have little time to react. If you had to leave your home in an emergency,...
View ArticleWhy you should be suspicious of government logos
No, really. Just because something has a government logo on it doesn’t mean that it’s legitimate. Just today, we announced that we’re cracking down on two mortgage loan modification operations that...
View ArticleGiving or receiving gift cards? Know the terms and avoid surprises
My family and I just moved into a new house. With all the packing and unpacking, my kids and I found three gift cards we had forgotten about. Mine was from my birthday, almost a year ago. Theirs were...
View ArticleApril is Financial Literacy Month. So what?
Before writing this post, I did a brief survey of my colleagues to ask for their thoughts about what financial literacy means and why it is important. Here are some of the responses I got: “A fair...
View ArticleParents: Talk to kids about money
I’m a dad, so I know how it is. You keep meaning to talk to your kids, but you don’t know what to say. It’s complicated and you’re not sure how to put it in words they’d understand. There’s also the...
View ArticleThank mom for all her money lessons
Sunday is Mother’s Day. Thank me later if the date slipped your mind. As we take the day to celebrate all that our moms do for us, let’s not forget the little things our moms taught us — the life...
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The graduate’s guide: Your first job
School’s behind you. Now it’s time to put everything you’ve learned to work. Your first couple of days on the job will likely include filling out forms that will require you to make a flurry of key...
View ArticleDads have money lessons to share too
When I think of Father’s Day, I naturally think of my dad, who turned 90 last month. I also think about the lessons I’ve learned that I try to pass down to my own kids. Talking to your kids I’m sure...
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Send money abroad with more confidence
Today, you have new rights if you send money to family or others outside the United States. These protections come from a new rule that applies to electronic money transfers sent by consumers in the...
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What’s on your international money transfers paperwork?
If you send money to other countries, you can now get more information about exchange rates and costs before you pay for the transfers. That’s because of a new federal rule that went into effect at the...
View ArticleSet a goal, make a plan, and save automatically
Life events, such as getting married, having a baby, deciding to buy a home, moving into a new career, or retiring, can mean setting new financial goals and making a plan to achieve them. Our quick and...
View ArticleBuilding a collection of financial education materials for a library near you
We want to make libraries the go-to place for financial information in every community. And so far, we’ve been met with tremendous enthusiasm – from other government and nonprofit agencies, by library...
View ArticleYou could still end up paying interest on a zero percent interest credit card...
What could be better than zero percent interest for one year? Nothing, nada, free…right? Not exactly. These kinds of promotional rates are common with credit card offers. They can be connected to:...
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