Interest Rates

The federal government isn't a private bank, but it has reasons for charging interest on student loans.

The move was widely expected due to the strengthening economy and low unemployment.

Workers keep losing ground.

Only nine percent of 15-year-olds in the U.S. demonstrate the type of financial competency necessary to make informed decisions.

New rules put forward by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would have a major impact on the high-cost loan industry. But if history is any guide, lenders will quickly find some loopholes.

Previous explanations as to the rising cost of higher education—focused on salaries and amenities—haven't placed enough blame on those who are profiting.

Rising rates will obviously send monthly payments higher, but they'll also affect the market in a more unusual way: They're going to hurt all-cash investor purchases of housing, which have been a boon to the most distressed markets.