If you’re surprised by a high cable bill this month, itcould be because you spent too much time on the internet. A growing number of cable companies are once again beginningto impose so-called “data caps” on their home internet service. As of thismonth, that list includes Comcast, the largest cable provider in the country.Beginning on Jan. 1, Comcastreintroduced a data cap on its internet service, limiting households to 1.2 terabytes of data per month. (A terabyte is equal to 1,000 gigabytes). The cap is currently enforced in 27 states across the country — Comcast operates in 39 states —...…If you’re surprised by a high cable bill this month, itcould be because you spent too much time on the internet. A growing number of cable companies are once again beginningto impose so-called “data caps” on their home internet service. As of thismonth, that list includes Comcast, the largest cable provider in the country.Beginning on Jan. 1, Comcastreintroduced a data cap on its internet service, limiting households to 1.2 terabytes of data per month. (A terabyte is equal to 1,000 gigabytes). The cap is currently enforced in 27 states across the country — Comcast operates in 39 states —...WW…

Mortgage rates moved sharply higher this week, erasing weeksof declines and putting more pressure on Americans to move hastily to lock incheap financing. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 2.79% for the week ending Jan. 14, up 14 basis points from , Freddie Mac . A year ago, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.65%.The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, meanwhile, only increasedseven basis points to an average of 2.23%. The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybridadjustable-rate mortgage averaged 3.12%, up 37 basis points from the weekprior. “As Treasury yields have risen, it is...…Mortgage rates moved sharply higher this week, erasing weeksof declines and putting more pressure on Americans to move hastily to lock incheap financing. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 2.79% for the week ending Jan. 14, up 14 basis points from , Freddie Mac . A year ago, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.65%.The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage, meanwhile, only increasedseven basis points to an average of 2.23%. The 5-year Treasury-indexed hybridadjustable-rate mortgage averaged 3.12%, up 37 basis points from the weekprior. “As Treasury yields have risen, it is...WW…

A new study underscores the high stakes renters face as theywant for government assistance amid the coronavirus pandemic. Over the next four years, the COVID-19-related recession is expected to cause chronic homelessness to increase some 49% nationwide, according to , a non-profit urban research organization based in California. The homelessness crisis is expected to peak in 2023, researchers found, with an additional 603,000 working-age adults without a place of their own to sleep.“Disconnection from work is a degenerative dynamic — less work, less earnings, less stable living conditions,...…A new study underscores the high stakes renters face as theywant for government assistance amid the coronavirus pandemic. Over the next four years, the COVID-19-related recession is expected to cause chronic homelessness to increase some 49% nationwide, according to , a non-profit urban research organization based in California. The homelessness crisis is expected to peak in 2023, researchers found, with an additional 603,000 working-age adults without a place of their own to sleep.“Disconnection from work is a degenerative dynamic — less work, less earnings, less stable living conditions,...WW…

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been kept in conservatorship limbo for over a decade now. But the Trump administration may move to end that before leaving office in January. In the wake of the government bailouts of Fannie Maeand Freddie Macthe housing-finance giants were placed into conservatorship. The Federal Housing Finance Agency, a new regulator, was created to oversee the two companies’ operations as the companies recovered from the subprime-mortgage crisis and repaid the federal government.In that time, Fannie and Freddie’s shareholders — other thanthe federal government — have gone...…Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been kept in conservatorship limbo for over a decade now. But the Trump administration may move to end that before leaving office in January. In the wake of the government bailouts of Fannie Maeand Freddie Macthe housing-finance giants were placed into conservatorship. The Federal Housing Finance Agency, a new regulator, was created to oversee the two companies’ operations as the companies recovered from the subprime-mortgage crisis and repaid the federal government.In that time, Fannie and Freddie’s shareholders — other thanthe federal government — have gone...WW…

Nebraska voters overwhelming chose to put limits on the interest rates that payday lenders can charge — making it the 17th state to limit interest rates on the risky loans. But consumer advocates cautioned that future protections related to payday loans may need to happen at the federal level because of recent changes in regulations.With 98% of precincts reporting, 83% of voters in Nebraska approved Initiative 428, which will cap the annual interest charged for delayed deposit services, or payday lending, at 36%. On average, payday lenders charge 400% interest on the small-dollar loans...…Nebraska voters overwhelming chose to put limits on the interest rates that payday lenders can charge — making it the 17th state to limit interest rates on the risky loans. But consumer advocates cautioned that future protections related to payday loans may need to happen at the federal level because of recent changes in regulations.With 98% of precincts reporting, 83% of voters in Nebraska approved Initiative 428, which will cap the annual interest charged for delayed deposit services, or payday lending, at 36%. On average, payday lenders charge 400% interest on the small-dollar loans...WW…

As President Donald Trump and Senate Republicansto confirm a replacement for the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, weighty cases in the Supreme Court’s fall term are approaching fast. The case challenging Obamacare, slated for Nov. 10 arguments, is — and that isn’t the only one related to issues that could matter deeply to consumers and companies.Upcoming cases touch on prescription cost regulations, computer code and copyrights, and the validity of the federal government’s main housing industry regulator. Oral arguments are scheduled to begin Oct. 5. Traditionally, a judgeif they...…As President Donald Trump and Senate Republicansto confirm a replacement for the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, weighty cases in the Supreme Court’s fall term are approaching fast. The case challenging Obamacare, slated for Nov. 10 arguments, is — and that isn’t the only one related to issues that could matter deeply to consumers and companies.Upcoming cases touch on prescription cost regulations, computer code and copyrights, and the validity of the federal government’s main housing industry regulator. Oral arguments are scheduled to begin Oct. 5. Traditionally, a judgeif they...WW…

The United States is facing a possible tsunami of evictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The CARES Act, which was signed into law in March, established a temporary moratorium on evictions for all rental units that were backed by some form of federally financing, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans. That moratorium is scheduled to end on Saturday.The CARES Act moratorium protected some 12.3 million rental units nationwide, a estimated. And while many cities and states passed their own eviction moratoriums, many of those have either already expired or are set to end...…The United States is facing a possible tsunami of evictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The CARES Act, which was signed into law in March, established a temporary moratorium on evictions for all rental units that were backed by some form of federally financing, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans. That moratorium is scheduled to end on Saturday.The CARES Act moratorium protected some 12.3 million rental units nationwide, a estimated. And while many cities and states passed their own eviction moratoriums, many of those have either already expired or are set to end...WW…

Judi LiVigni was supposed to fly from New York to San Diego two weeks ago to visit her brother, who she usually sees only once a year. But the day of her flight, she chose to cancel her trip because of concerns regarding the coronavirus outbreak. LiVigni, a 51-year-old registered dietician who lives on Long Island, had planned a quick weekend getaway, but doubts were swirling in her mind as new cases of COVID-19 were being confirmed on the West Coast.Before her flight, she headed to a pharmacy to pick up hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes for her trip. She decided to ask the pharmacist...…Judi LiVigni was supposed to fly from New York to San Diego two weeks ago to visit her brother, who she usually sees only once a year. But the day of her flight, she chose to cancel her trip because of concerns regarding the coronavirus outbreak. LiVigni, a 51-year-old registered dietician who lives on Long Island, had planned a quick weekend getaway, but doubts were swirling in her mind as new cases of COVID-19 were being confirmed on the West Coast.Before her flight, she headed to a pharmacy to pick up hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes for her trip. She decided to ask the pharmacist...WW…