Finance Globe

U.S. financial and economic topics from several finance writers.

Mary Tomkins is a freelance writer located in Spartanburg, SC, with emphasis on economic news and research on the financial industry.

HUD Sends 75% of Stimulus Money to State and Local Agencies

The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009, signed into law last week by President Obama, provided $13.61 billion for projects and programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). HUD announced on Wednesday that nearly 75% of those funds - $10.1 billion - has already been allocated to create green jobs, to revive housing markets with a high rate of foreclosure, and curb homelessness. "I am pleased to announce that we...
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A Breakdown of Stimulus Spending

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 - A breakdown of the stimulus package spendingThe $787 billion stimulus package signed into law by President Obama last week:Tax relief: $288 billion total, including $15 billion for infrastructure and science, $61 billion for protecting the vulnerable, $25 billion for education and training, and $22 billion for energy. State and local fiscal relief: $144 billion to prevent state and local cuts to health and education programs and state and local...
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Obama: Tax Cuts and the Federal Deficit

In his weekly address this morning, President Obama said that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will start to impact families "as soon as a few weeks from now" through the quickest and broadest tax cut in history. He said that 95% of working families will receive a tax cut that amounts to about $65 or more each month. The Treasury Department has been instructing employers to reduce the amount of tax withholding from paychecks, and...
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Stock Market Closes Down For the Week on Friday

The continuing slide on Wall Street reflects growing concerns that Obama's $787 billion stimulus package, a $75 billion foreclosure prevention plan, and up to $2 trillion to stabilizing banks and to support lending just won't be enough to stop the downward economic spiral.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped on Friday, closing at a six-year low as investors weighed rumors that Bank of America and Citibank could end up becoming nationalized. The Dow has been beaten down...
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The Student's Guide to Recognizing Scholarship Scams

As students and their families search for ways to pay for the ever-increasing cost of college, they'll find that there are plenty of legitimate sources of funding to help them pay for education costs. And there are legitimate companies that can help with some of the legwork in finding those funding sources. Unfortunately, the Federal Trade Commission reports that many of these families are falling prey to unscrupulous companies that guarantee or promise scholarships, grants, or...
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Beat the Winter Blues Without Spending a Lot of Money

Beat the Winter Blues, Forget the Financial Troubles (at least for a day), and Go Have Some FunIt's that time of year where every one gets a little anxious for winter to be over. We're tired of the cold, wet weather and we're ready to get out and go do something. And this winter's just a bit more dreary than many previous winters. The financial crisis is on every body's mind, and many of us have...
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Obama Announces Plan to Recover from Housing Crisis

President Obama has said that it will take a three-legged stool to fix the nation's economic troubles. Last week, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner unveiled the Financial Stability Plan - a measure to prop up the nation's banking system and get credit flowing again so that businesses and consumers can begin spending normally again to support the economy. The economic stimulus package known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 was signed by Obama on Tuesday...
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Stanford Financial Charged with $8 Billion Fraud

The Securities and Exchange Commission reported Tuesday that it has charged Robert Allen Stanford from Texas and three of his companies for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme centering on an $8 billion CD program. The affiliate companies within Stanford Financial Group that are alleged to be involved in the fraud include Antiguan-based Stanford International Bank, Houston-based broker-dealer and investment adviser Stanford Group Company, and investment adviser Stanford Capital Management. The SEC also charged Stanford International Bank chief...
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Obama Will Sign Stimulus Package into Law on Tuesday

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 was passed by the House and Senate last Friday and President Obama will sign the legislation into law on Tuesday in Denver, Colorado.Governor Ritter said, "The decision by President Obama to sign the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act here in Colorado is a history-making honor and privilege for our state. It is a testament to the President's belief that this package will help people in states all across America."Lawmakers'...
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Valentine's Day Doesn't Have to Break the Bank

Just like many other holidays, Valentine's Day can be a source of stress for people who want to find the perfect way to show their loved one how much they really care. And it can be especially stressful for those who have to limit their spending in the process. But there's no reason to give in to the commercialism, the old cliches of candy and roses, or even the belief that diamonds are a girl's best...
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