Chris Arnold

Democratic presidential candidates want to obliterate student debt. Economists say that could help with income inequality, but it would come with a big price tag and risks.

Online lenders charging triple digit interest rates are dodging state laws banning such loans. The money is routed through banks that aren't regulated at the state level to get around the rules.

Some payday loans carry interest rates of 100% or more. The Military Lending Act limits rates on loans to service members. Now, a bipartisan bill aims to extend that protection to all Americans.

So you're thinking about buying a car? NPR's Life Kit has your back. Here are the most important things to know so you don't get in over your head or let a car dealer take advantage of you.

Americans are buying more expensive cars — nearly $38,000 for new cars, on average. And longer-term loans are enabling many people to make the payments, but at a cost.

The senators are calling on the nation's top consumer protection agency to investigate a loan servicer for the troubled student loan forgiveness program for public service workers.

More car buyers are taking out longer-term loans. And many are rolling over unpaid debt from their last car into their new loans. If you're stretching out your car loan, we'd love to hear from you.

The senators urged the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to do more to examine problems with a troubled loan forgiveness program, citing an investigative story by NPR this week.

The Trump administration blocked the nation's top consumer protection agency from digging into problems with a program designed to help police, firefighters and other public service workers.

Many public service workers thought they were in line to have their student loans forgiven. They made payments for 10 years only to be told they weren't in the right loan forgiveness program.

The President of Ecuador has reversed his decision to repeal a decades-old fuel subsidy after gas prices spiked and widespread protests raged for nearly two weeks.

Developers are building thousands of single-family homes that won't require a mortgage to move in. Even people who could afford to buy are choosing to rent — they aren't ready for the long-term debt.

The AARP has filed a lawsuit on behalf of workers at a defunct Catholic hospital in upstate New York, saying hundreds lost their pensions unfairly. And there are similar cases around the country.

Don't let the sticker price of college paralyze you. NPR's Chris Arnold of the Life Kit podcast debunks a myth about saving for that college tuition bill that could help you save more than you think.

Boeing's board of directors will soon receive recommendations aimed at making the company's planes safer. This comes after two 737 MAX jets crashed, killing all passengers and crew.

The lawsuit claimed MIT got millions of dollars in donations from financial giant Fidelity Investments while allowing the firm to charge workers excessive fees.

The administration unveiled a plan to reprivatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that has lending advocates worried. But any changes are likely to be gradual.

Cities are struggling to enforce rules around everything from problem party houses to investors pushing up housing costs. An entrepreneur is helping local officials deal with these short-term rentals.

MIT allegedly stuck its employees with a retirement plan so bad it violated federal labor law, charging them millions of dollars in fees. A lawsuit says the university received millions in donations.

Some worry a trade war is hurting the global economy. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell below that for two-year Treasurys — a phenomenon that strongly predicts a recession.