Mellody: Last week, we learned the FCC will fine AT&T $100 million for capping it’s data usage of subscribers who were signed up for unlimited data plans without appropriately notifying users that it was doing so. This practice – known as throttling – and the lack of notification by companies, had come under scrutiny before. In […]
Tom: Good morning Mellody! What are we covering today? Mellody: Good morning. Today we are talking about credit card debt, Tom. Over the past 6 years, in the wake of the great recession, many Americans made progress paying down credit cards and reining in irresponsible spending. But a recent study suggests we may be reverting […]
Tom: You join us this morning with some news about auto loans. Mellody: I do have news, Tom, but it is worrying news. A new report out from Experian tells us that the average term of auto loans – both for new and used car sales – are getting stretched to record lengths. On […]
Tom: This morning we are discussing the state of small businesses and women-and minority-owned businesses in particular. Mellody: That’s right, Tom. Small businesses are the engine of the American economy, and they employ over half of all American workers. But America’s entrepreneurs – the individuals who start these businesses – are still trying to […]
Tom: You are joining us this morning with some advice for job seekers. Mellody: I am! We are seeing fresh signs that the job market continues to get better. Americans have enough confidence in the employment outlook they are willing to leave their current jobs and move to new positions, which is great news! […]
Mellody is president of Ariel Investments, a Chicago-based money management firm that serves individual investors and retirement plans through its no-load mutual funds and separate accounts. Additionally, she is a regular financial contributor and analyst for CBS News. Tom: This Money Monday you have an interesting topic for us: credit invisibility. Mellody: That’s right, Tom. […]
Tom: Good morning, Mellody. You have a very important topic for us this morning – payday loans. Mellody: It is a very important subject, Tom. Making sure that we talk about payday loans and other predatory lending schemes is crucial, because they are built to prey upon the most vulnerable individuals in a community. […]
SKIP MURPHY: This morning you are joining us with some news from the retirement front, is that right? MELLODY: You’ve got it, Skip. There were a couple of stories last week that really illustrate the challenges that many Americans are faced with when it comes to preparing for retirement. As a society, the institutions that […]
SKIP: It is that time of year again – tax time – and you have a few things for us to think about, correct? MELLODY: That’s right, Skip. Wednesday is April 15, a day everyone knows but one that can cause anxiety and stress if you are uncertain about things or if you haven’t […]
A big business merger was announced this week, and you are here to walk us through it this morning. Mellody: It is certainly a big deal, Tom! Kraft and Heinz, two giants in the consumer packaged goods sector, are going to merge to create the world’s fifth largest company in the food and beverage space. Kraft […]
Tom: Another positive story this morning – Americans are growing their wealth? Mellody: This certainly is a good story, Tom. During the great recession, Americans’ net worth plummeted as stock and home values sank. Household wealth tumbled to $55 trillion in the first quarter of 2009 from a pre-recession peak of $67.9 trillion. Wealth didn’t […]