Stimulus payments. Forgivable business loans. Federal unemployment benefits. So many unusual policies and practices have come out in recent months to help stabilize the economy that it seems almost anything could be on the table. Might negative interest rates be next? Negative rates — where borrowers earn payments from lenders — actually have been around for several years, tried in limited form in Japan and a few European nations, with mixed success in terms of stimulating their economies....

It's going to get more expensive to open up a new credit card. USA TODAY Financial innovation has changed so much that we're all paying for our favorite new smartphone apps from the comfort of our homes at 2 a.m. and using bitcoins transferred from our mobile wallets. Right? Clearly, that's not the case for most Americans. The banking and investment landscape has undergone a tremendous transformation in recent decades, and the pace of change will likely intensify. But that doesn't mean all...

When Barbara Corcoran was starting her real estate business, she invested in a really ugly coat. Here's why she says it was the best thing she ever bought. Time The stock market is once again hitting new highs. But if you didn't foresee this latest ascent, don't feel bad. You're certainly not alone. "Nobody called it," observed John Rekenthaler, vice president of research at Morningstar, writing in the August/September issue of the company's investment magazine. Actually, that statement...

By now, most Americans are pretty hip to the importance of saving for retirement. Buzz60's Natasha Abellard has the story. Buzz60 Individual Retirement Accounts have been attracting record amounts of assets, even though relatively few people actually contribute money to them. An oxymoron? Not really. The growth of IRAs results from their widespread use as tax-sheltered repositories for funds that have been building up in 401(k)-style plans. When leaving a job, workers and retirees must decide...

When you retire, you don't want to pinch pennies. These are the 10 least tax-friendly states for retirees, according to GOBankingRates. USA TODAY Though tax talk has died down now that the annual return-filing season is mostly concluded, new provisions as part of income tax reform already have filers thinking about next year. But many Americans apparently are confused about various rules under the new law. Here are some of those reform-related myths and misconceptions cited by tax...