Bankruptcies Soar U.S. consumer bankruptcy filings jumped nearly 33 percent in 2008 amid a recession that's expected to keep filings rising into the new year. Overall, consumer filings reached 1,064,927 last year, up from 801,840 in 2007, according to data collected by the National Bankruptcy Research Center and published by the American Bankruptcy Institute, an Alexandria, Va.-based research group. ...more

January 6, 2009

The lackluster holiday season and deepening recession will take a toll on retailers across the country. Experts are predicting the worst rash of store closings in 35 years. Already, Circuit City is operating under bankruptcy protection. KB Toys, Linens 'n Things and Mervyns announced last year they're going out of business. ...more

January 4, 2009

A month ago, Marti Ann Mammarelli looked at the interest rate on her credit card from Wachovia. It was 9.9 percent. ...more

November 10, 2008

Say an absentee landlord owns the house next to yours. Neither of you keep up your mortgage payments. ...more

October 18, 2008

Here's a chipper question for my fellow conservatives: Would it be more depressing to learn that our next president will be a Democrat or a Republican? ...more

February 10, 2008

I try to provide advice to keep people from plunging into debt during the season of shopping madness. ...more

December 2, 2007