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Your Money

Monday

Senate Debates Bankruptcy Restrictions

The U.S. Senate begins debate on changes to consumer bankruptcy laws. Business groups started trying eight years ago to put new restrictions on bankruptcy filings by consumers. The number of filings was soaring at the time. More recently, they've declined, but the plan remains a Republican priority.

Senate Debates Bankruptcy Restrictions

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Saturday

Business

Bank's Data Loss Affects Federal Employees

Bank of America says it has lost computer data tapes containing personal information from over one million federal employees. Officials say there's no evidence the data was stolen, but they're taking steps to protect identify theft. The data was connected to accounts created to manage travel expenses.

Bank's Data Loss Affects Federal Employees

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Friday

Opinion

Morning Edition

Poll: Bush More Popular than His Social Security Plan

In a public opinion poll for NPR, Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg and Republican pollster Glen Bolger surveyed attitudes of likely voters on the president's signature domestic initiative: allowing younger workers to put some of their Social Security taxes into private investments.

Poll: Bush More Popular than His Social Security Plan

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Thursday

National

California Tests Ready-Return Tax Forms

In an attempt to simplify tax preparations for residents who don't claim deductions, California has mailed pre-filled tax forms to a small test group. While some argue the new program may streamline a tedious process, others worry it may be an invasion of privacy. NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates reports.

California Tests Ready-Return Tax Forms

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National

Fraud Investigator Has Plenty of Experience

Barry Minkow is a San Diego private investigator who has helped shut down several business scams totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The detective -- whose second job is preaching at an evangelical church -- has some unique insights into the criminal mind. Minkow served several years in prison for running his own multi-million dollar fraud operation.

Fraud Investigator Has Plenty of Experience

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Social Security Debate

Social Security Plan Combines Privatization, Income Cap Raise

A proposal that offers a long-term fix for Social Security involves reducing the annual cost-of-living adjustments that compensate retirees for inflation. The plan raises the cap on income subject to Social Security payroll taxes, and adds private accounts as ways to fill the funding gaps in the Social Security program.

Social Security Plan Combines Privatization, Income Cap Raise

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Morning Edition

Experts Urge Consumers to Act Against Identity Theft

Georgia-based ChoicePoint Inc. is sending out 145,000 letters to warn consumers their personal information has been stolen. But law enforcement officials say many more people need to be on guard for possible identity theft, after crooks got unauthorized access to information in ChoicePoint's databases.

Experts Urge Consumers to Act Against Identity Theft

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Wednesday

Social Security Debate

Examining the 'Model Two' Social Security Plan

A plan to shore up Social Security called "Model Two" would remove the existing link between retirement benefits and increases in the country's overall living standard. Instead of being based on wage increases, benefits would be tied to price inflation. Prices tend to rise more slowly than wages, so future payments also would rise more slowly.

Examining the 'Model Two' Social Security Plan

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Tuesday

Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft

In the wake of the recent security breach at the consumer data company Choicepoint, NPR's Madeleine Brand speaks with Gail Hillebrand about identity theft protection. Hillebrand is senior attorney for the Consumers Union, an independent, nonprofit testing and information organization.

Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft

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The Impact of War

Proposals Aim to Shore Up Social Security Funding

In this first installment of a three-part series on Social Security, NPR's John Ydstie examines the system's shortfalls and possible ways to extend its long-term solvency. Among the remedies: raising the retirement age; raising the tax that workers and employers pay into the system; and mandating that all federal and state workers take part in the national retirement program.

Proposals Aim to Shore Up Social Security Funding

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Monday

Friday

The Marketplace Report: Bankruptcy Reform

The Senate is moving quickly on a bill that would make it harder for some people to declare bankruptcy, but many Democrats worry the legislation may hurt low-income and middle-class Americans. Matthew Algeo of Marketplace reports.

The Marketplace Report: Bankruptcy Reform

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