President Trump promised changes in Washington upon his election. Whether you are a Trump fan or foe, there’s no question he’s succeeded in that goal. Sometimes the change is precipitated by the President’s choice to lead an agency, as in the case of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB was born out of the Dodd-Frank legislation in 2010 as a vehicle to both regulate banks after the Great Recession and protect consumers from harmful and predatory financial practices. The CFPB was intentionally structured to be independent of political forces. Its money comes from the Federal Reserve, not Congress.

A new government report provides both good news and bad news about America’s massive consumer debt load. The bad news: America’s total consumer debt continues to rise. According to May’s G.19 Consumer Credit Report from the Federal Reserve, combined (revolving and nonrevolving) outstanding debt rose by $11.7 billion in March to reach $3.875 trillion – continuing a string of monthly debt increases that goes back to January 2016. The March increase equates to a 3.6 percent annualized debt growth.

Are you considering bypassing the hotel or resort experience for your summer vacation and opting for a summer home rental instead? Home rental networks are on the rise and have never been easier to use, thanks to the increased web presence and sites like Vacation Home Rentals, Airbnb, VRBO, and Vacation Rentals. However, just because travel agents and middlemen are being squeezed out does not mean that you are getting the best deal possible. You can negotiate with a vacation rental owner to receive an even better deal by following these steps.

You’ve saved for retirement and built up a sizable nest egg. However, you forgot to consider one factor – excessive debt as you approach retirement. Too many seniors are facing that grim scenario. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), the share of families age 75 and above with debt shot up from 31.2 percent in 2007 to almost half in 2016. The average debt of these households is $36,757. The pre-retirement crowd isn’t faring any better. According to EBRI, 77 percent of families with heads of household aged 55-64 are carrying debt. Increasing Fastest Among Oldest However, the percentage of debtors is increasing most rapidly among seniors aged 75 and above.

New Proposal to Fund Retirement and Delay Social Security Benefits Let's face it: Americans are woefully unprepared for retirement. Surveys consistently tell us that far too many workers have insufficient retirement funds or even absolutely nothing saved for retirement at all. Sadly, these workers will be too dependent on Social Security benefits to have a comfortable retirement. Many of these

Is the rising stock market giving workers confidence that they will have enough money to live comfortably in their retirement years? The 28th Annual Retirement Confidence Survey conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) shows a slight increase in the number of respondents that are very confident or somewhat confident in their ability to have a comfortable retirement.