Archive for 'wealth building'
The latest census data depict a middle class that's shrinking as unemployment stays high and the government's safety net frays. The new numbers follow years of stagnating wages for the middle class that have hurt millions of workers and families.
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More than 1 billion coins are sitting unwanted in government vaults. Ending the program will save an estimated $50 million a year.
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The U.S. job market remains weak, leaving up to 5 million workers unemployed for a year or more. Read highlights of a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and NPR that looks at the consequences of long-term unemployment and underemployment.
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The top income tax bracket in America is 35 percent, but the rich often make their money in ways the IRS doesn't classify as taxable income. That makes it hard to gauge the true income gap in America — and hard to tell exactly how much tax the rich are really paying.
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NPR's Debbie Elliott and Richard Gonzales spent a month on the road across the nation, reporting stories of economic struggle for the NPR series "Hard Times." They heard stories of people and places grappling with economic hardship, and also found a few bright spots along the way.
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Republican senators who say the new bureau is too strong kept the Senate from considering Richard Cordray's nomination. President Obama vows not to give up.
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President Obama says that unless a temporary payroll tax cut is extended this month, 160 million Americans would see their taxes increase. But there's concern on both sides of the political aisle that the payroll tax holiday might be undermining the solvency of Social Security.
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The president has been seeking an extension and expansion to the payroll tax cut that will expire at the end of the year. The White House says taxes on the average family would increase by $1,000 if the cuts are not extended.
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Retirement benefits are being cut at every level, both in the U.S. and in Europe. Economic and demographic pressures may have made cuts inevitable, but they are generating strong opposition.
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Black Friday sales surged to their highest level since 2007, and early results from Cyber Monday's online sales are up almost 20 percent over 2010. The U.S. economy and many consumers continue to struggle, however, and some forecasters worry that the encouraging retail boost is unsustainable.
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