For most people, the IRS now has all the information it needs to estimate how much you owe in taxes, or how much of a refund you are due. So why is the burden on you to tell the federal government this same information? It may have something to do with the millions of dollars that H&R Block, Intuit (maker of TurboTax), and others have spent lobbying to maintain their exclusive arrangement with the IRS. [More]
Government Policy
White House Wants Authority To Fire Consumer Protection Chief
By 3.20.17 — Updated: 1.4.18
While the heads of most federal agencies have been replaced since the new administration moved into the White House, Richard Cordray remains Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. That’s because President Trump currently can’t fire him without having to first show cause — a requirement the White House wants to get rid of. [More]
Trump Administration Eases Restriction On Student Loan Debt Collectors
By 3.17.17
The Department of Education has told federal student loan debt collectors that they are to ignore previous guidance that restricted the fees they could charge to borrowers who defaulted on their loans — even if they immediately enter into repayment programs. [More]
You Can Soon Buy Giant Picnic Basket Building In Foreclosure
By 3.16.17
Do you long to own a novelty office building in Ohio? Then your dream may soon become a reality, as the giant, basket-shaped former home of direct sales housewares company Longaberger is slated for foreclosure. [More]
Public Broadcasting, Arts Endowment, Others Make Case Against Proposed Defunding
By 3.16.17
President Trump’s new “skinny” budget puts more than a dozen well-known publicly funded agencies and corporations — ranging from public broadcasting to legal services to chemical safety — on the chopping block. With nothing to lose, the heads of these organizations are now firing back, hoping to convince Congress to keep their funding intact. [More]
6 Things Consumers Should Know About The White House’s Proposed ‘Skinny’ Budget
By 3.16.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
The Trump White House has released its first big-picture public proposal on federal spending for 2018. This initial pass — the so-called “skinny” budget — is basically an outline that doesn’t get into the finer details. However, the changes that are described in the document are nonetheless wide-sweeping, recommending significant cuts or culling of a number of programs you may currently take for granted. [More]
States Will Go To Court To Stop EPA Rollback Of Fuel-Efficiency Standards
By 3.15.17
President Trump has made it known that his administration intends to oblige the auto industry’s request to roll-back longterm standards for greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency in most new vehicles. However, some states say they will go to court to fight carmakers’ attempts to undo these guidelines. [More]
Reminder: You Can Still Cut Your 2016 Taxes By Making IRA Contributions
By 3.15.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Looking for a way to cut your tax bill or boost your refund before you file? Don’t forget that contributions that you make to your retirement accounts between Jan. 1 and April 16 of this year can count toward either your 2016 or 2017 tax return. [More]
White House To Rescind EPA Mileage, Greenhouse Gas Standards
By 3.15.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Following a request by auto industry lobbyists for new EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to rescind the agency’s longterm fuel-economy and emissions standards, President Trump is expected to announce that his administration will indeed undo the guidance locked in during the last days of the Obama White House. [More]
Walgreens & Rite Aid Willing To Unload More Stores On Fred’s To Make Merger Happen
By 3.14.17
Walgreens and Rite Aid want to merge and become the largest pharmacy chain in the country, and the Federal Trade Commission is the main obstacle in their path. That’s why Walgreens, the much larger partner in this merger, is preparing a new proposal for the regulators, which would include selling off more stores to what’s now a small regional chain. [More]
What Are Health Savings Accounts & Why Are They A Big Part Of Obamacare Replacement Plan?
By 3.14.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Long before Republican lawmakers unveiled their legislative efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, supporters of this movement had talked up “health savings accounts” (HSAs) and how crucial they would be to any eventual Obamacare replacement. What these lawmakers and policy makers often skip over is what an HSA actually is, and whether expanding the use of HSAs will really help most Americans. [More]
We Still Don’t Know Who Made The E. Coli-Contaminated Soynut Butter
By 3.13.17
So far, 16 people sick from E. coli have had their illnesses officially linked to recalled soy butter from the brand I.M. Healthy. Half of the infected have been hospitalized, and 14 of them are children. Yet there’s one piece of information about the recall hasn’t been made public: The company has not released the name of the contract manufacturer that made the products originally. [More]
Facebook Tells Developers To Quit It With The “Surveillance” Already
By 3.13.17
Your phone knows where you are, because it’s there with you. And when you use social media to post photos and talk with friends about an event you’re at, that’s data that can be scraped and used… including by cops who want to figure out what you’re up to. But not so fast, Facebook now says: If you want to build an app for surveillance, you’re going to have to do it without their data. [More]
Watch Out For Department Of Health And Human Services Impostors On The Phone
By 3.10.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Health care and the government are in the news lately, but they shouldn’t be on your phone. If someone calls you up and asks for personal information, don’t give it to them, even if the caller ID says “HHS Tips” or “Federal Government,” or the call appears to be coming from the 202 area code in Washington, DC. The people making these calls are impersonating the government. [More]
Daylight Saving Time Costs Money And Frustration
By 3.10.17
It’s almost that time of year again. The time of year when Daylight Saving Time hits and you’re stuck changing clocks on everything from your bedroom alarm to your car to your microwave. While you’re changing those clocks, keep this in mind: Daylight Saving Time actually leads to more automobile crashes, slumping sales in stores, and reduced productivity for everyone. [More]
Lawmakers Try Yet Again To Create Minimum Seat Size Requirement On Planes
By 3.10.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
If at first you don’t succeed, just keep proposing legislation: A group of lawmakers Thursday introduced a pair of bills that would create a seat-size standard for commercial airlines, as well as a minimum distance between rows of seats. [More]
Highlights From The House Debate On Tanning Tax That Turned Into A Sideshow
By 3.9.17 — Updated: 3.10.17
Among the lesser-discussed points of the Affordable Care Act repeal and replace legislation is a move to get rid of a 10% tax on the use of tanning salons. Why is this suddenly an issue, and how did it cause the House Ways and Means Committee’s discussion of the bill to devolve into a sideshow, complete with debates on the merits of ice cream and Spain’s tax on the sun? [More]
Google Says Android, Chrome Vulnerabilities Detailed In WikiLeaks Documents Resolved
By 3.9.17
A day after Apple and Samsung announced that they had fixed or were working to fix vulnerabilities referenced in WikiLeaks’ data dump of alleged “Vault 7” CIA documents, Google has followed suit, noting that it has addressed any exploitable vulnerabilities in its Android and Chrome OS devices. [More]
