On the third anniversary of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act being signed into law, the average debt has declined, but many Americans are still using credit cards as a way to cover basic living expenses, according to a national survey from the policy center Demos.

For the fourth time in 14 years, the Federal Trade Commission has taken action against the nation's largest charge-it-to-your-phone-bill company, Billing Services Group (BSG), for alleged "cramming," or placement of unauthorized charges on consumers' phone bills.

Interest rates on new subsidized Stafford student loans will double to 6.8 percent if Congress doesn't extend a cap that has helped make the loans more affordable.

A college graduate is likely to earn $570,000 more than a high school graduate over a lifetime, according to the annual 529 Report by College Savings Plans Network, and students who have a college savings account in their name are six times more likely to get a higher education than those who do not.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has launched the next phase of its Know Before You Owe student loan project by releasing the Financial Aid Comparison Shopper, an interactive, online tool you can use to help plan for college costs.

Once tax season ends, do you dread finding room for yet another fat folder in an overstuffed closet, file cabinet or shelf? The IRS says all those stored papers may be overkill.

With the nationwide average price for a gallon of regular gas costing nearly $4, the pain of filling up your gas tank might be alleviated a little by using a credit card that pays you something back each time you visit the pump. But choosing a gas-company card could have downsides. For example, credit cards from Citgo, Phillips 66/Conoco, and Shell carry interest rates of 25 percent, which would wipe out any rewards you earned if you don't fully pay off your tab at the end of the monthly billing cycle.

It's estimated that Americans owe more than $900 billion in federal and private loans, and that more than 36 million are saddled with federal student debt, as we note in our report posted today.

Two reports released this week focus on how little Americans know about options for claiming Social Security retirement benefits, and how much they could gain financially by knowing more.

The rules of tax deductions change yearly, but you have to learn them to play the game, and it's worth knowing the rules.

We asked CPAs and enrolled agents—individuals qualified by the IRS to prepare federal tax returns—what sends them round the bend and boosts their fees.

Even though the majority of small-business owners are concerned about their financial security in retirement, many have not estimated how much they will need, according to new research from The American College.

If you're gutsy enough to do your own tax return, take advantage of all the help available. Here are some good places to start:

Tax preparers have varying levels of expertise and charge accordingly. A good tax preparer will ease stress and might save you some money as well, here's what you need to know in order to get the most value for your tax-prep dollar.

There are dozens of Web-based programs that help you electronically prepare, store, and file your tax return.