The countdown for tax season has officially begun. While many of us are focused on well-known tax breaks, you may be surprised to learn that your debt may be able to save you money on your taxes. By using debt strategically, you can maximize tax deductible interest on certain types...

Over the past few years, the state of the credit world has been tumultuous, from the enactment of the CARD Act to the recent addition of surcharge fees. So what credit and lending industry trends can consumers expect in 2013? Here are my predictions:

"Big Data" technology will proliferate...

If you're unemployed, finding a new job may not be the only thing you need to be worried about. Maybe you've fallen behind on bills or your mortgage; maybe you're not able to pay down your loans as much as you could before. These additional stresses could take a toll...

Consumers may get a small shock when they get their first paycheck on the 15th this year. Why? The social security tax increase was not included in the fiscal cliff negotiations and will take a bite out of their net take-home pay, causing the amount they receive to be less...

Nobody likes to pay more than they should. Just take a look at extreme couponers or the massive lines during Black Friday. But have you ever considered whether you're overpaying on things like your cable bill, loans or credit cards? Re-evaluate those items and you can save a lot of...

According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft cost Americans $1.52 billion in 2011, with complaints increasing from 1.4 million to 1.8 million year-over-year. Consumers are particularly vulnerable to identity theft during the holidays because many relax their guard and substantially increase the exposure of their financial information....

Ever wonder what Santa's credit score looked like? After evaluating Santa's finances based on the five main factors that impact a person's credit score: length of credit history, payment history, amounts owed, new credit and types of credit, Credit Sesame found that Santa's credit score is 777.

Bring up the word "infidelity" at a dinner party or on a psychiatrist's couch, and you're likely to see the conversation veer off to issues regarding libido. But there's another form of infidelity that is proving to be just as damaging to relationships: financial infidelity.

Up until the Great Recession...

Economists have long used the term "bubble" to describe a dangerous financial trend that threatens the health of a particular industry or economy, often ending with disastrous effects if the bubble collapses or "pops."

Bubbles date back centuries, with the first on record occurring in 1634 in Holland, where the...

Joining the likes of Zappos, Michael's, Sony, Epsilon and the New York Yankees -- Global Payments Inc. is the latest company to make headlines with a data breach originally reported to have compromised more than 10 million card numbers. Global Payments is a large third-party payment processor for...

Spring has arrived and true to form, college basketball fans everywhere have caught the fever of March Madness, the annual NCAA basketball tournament where 64 teams get a shot at the national title. Every year college basketball fans fill out their brackets, strategizing on which teams will make it to...