google
The Research Institute has compiled a list of
the most reputable companies in the U.S., "calculated by averaging perceptions of trust, esteem, admiration, and good feeling obtained from a representative sample of 100 local respondents who were familiar with the company." (Then they do some
statistical stuff to it.) Coming in at #1 is Google, which we think is remarkable considering how much data the company has managed to collect over the past several years, and continues to collect with new record-keeping initiatives like
Google Health.
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personal finance
Too many people wait until they hit rock bottom before seeking help from credit counseling agencies, says a New York credit counseling service. The consequence is that consumers end up limiting "the options available to them without having to make major, and often very difficult lifestyle changes.
If they wait too long, debt repayment plans become unaffordable—leaving them more vulnerable to losing assets or having to file bankruptcy."
So how do you know when it's time to ask for help? If your monthly payments are exceeding your monthly income, it's probably a good time. To find an agency, check out
wikiHow's How To entry, and use
this list provided by Bankrate to ensure the agency will be able to provide the services you need.
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personal finance
Organizations like the Jump$tart Coalition and NFCC have rolled out programs that help you teach your kids about the ins and outs of credit cards, credit ratings, interest rates, etc., but Janet Bodnar at Kiplinger says that
there are some basic facts that you should focus on. She thinks too much detail bores a kid; we think it depends on the kid, but agree that at the very least, hitting each point on the following list would give your offspring a decent foundation for making good credit decisions.
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profit vs fairness
For a decade now, all the major auto insurers have used a customer's credit rating to some degree in determining premiums. They claim that it results in lower rates for "most" customers, and that the data prove that people with lower credit scores make more claims and for higher amounts. The FTC released a report this summer that validated the practice—but also
confirmed an unpleasant truth critics have been saying for years: because a higher percentage of Hispanics and African-Americans have low credit scores, there's a good chance they're disproportionately affected.
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Consumerist
