Five fees that phone companies ring up

Take a close look at your phone bill and you'll find a list of taxes, fees and surcharges going by obscure and slightly mysterious names. Some of...

Few options for reclaiming college funds from grandparents

Dear Liz: When my cousin and I were children more than 20 years ago, my grandparents opened a college savings account for each of us. I have no...

Builders highlight often-hidden costs of buying a foreclosed home

Home builders are switching tactics and confronting head-on one of their biggest nemeses: foreclosed houses that not only lure buyers away with deeply...

Recent cases shine spotlight on financial abuse of elderly

The recent conviction of a Delray Beach, Fla., loan officer for his participation in a scheme to persuade seniors to refinance their reverse mortgages...

Can board block use of drought-tolerant plants?

Question: Our homeowners association has what seems to be miles of greenbelts and landscaping that is not water-efficient. Our board of...

China agrees to allow U.S. film studios more access, profit

Some observers had written off Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping's five-day visit to the United States as heavy on pomp but light on substance. But...

Google sneaked tracking files onto iPhones, privacy researcher says

Google Inc. is under fire once again after allegations that it circumvented privacy protections built into the iPhone in order to track what users are...

L.A. on brink of $4-a-gallon gasoline ahead of holiday weekend

Just in time for Presidents Day — $4-a-gallon gasoline.

20th Century Fox joins rush to produce made-for-the-Web shows

In the online series "Wolfpack of Reseda," a nerdy character's life is transformed when he believes that he has been bitten by a werewolf in a San...

Spectrum Athletic Clubs selling 11 Texas locations to Gold's Gym

The upscale Spectrum Athletic Clubs is selling its Texas locations and returning its focus to Southern California, where it plans to add to its...

China's Huawei places $6 billion worth of orders in California

In a boost to the state's technology industry, a Chinese electronics maker said it was ordering $6 billion worth of microchips and other components...

Judge approves Washington Mutual bankruptcy settlement

The parent company of imploded Seattle savings and loan giant Washington Mutual Bank has finally gotten the go-ahead to exit bankruptcy proceedings...

Italian police seize $6 trillion in fake U.S. Treasury bonds

It was an offer that turned out to be pretty easy to refuse.

Chrysler pulls request for U.S. loan for hybrid, electric vehicles

Chrysler says it no longer will seek a U.S. Department of Energy loan to fund the development of gas-electric hybrids and electric vehicles.

Consumer prices up modestly as gas, food costs rise

Consumer prices rose in January for only the second time in four months. The price of gas, food, rent and clothing all increased.

Dow average closes within 50 points of 13,000

The Dow edged teasingly close to the 13,000 marker on Friday, a milestone it hasn't reached since before the financial crisis brought the U.S. economy...

Federal lawmakers question if Google violated FTC agreement

In the wake of evidence that Google Inc. circumvented privacy protections on the iPhone, federal lawmakers are asking if the company violated the...

Don't scam -- or be scammed! IRS lists 'dirty dozen' tax frauds

Identity theft, hiding income offshore and inflating expenses are among the frauds that commonly pop out during tax preparation season, the Internal...

MSNBC's Ed Schultz: A rare liberal success in broadcasting

Regulator targets credit reporting firms and debt collectors

The government's newest regulator is ready to crack down on the nation's large credit reporting and debt collection companies, proposing tough new...

Profiting off aspiring child stars

Rachel Prieur and her brother Ryan were captivated by a radio commercial flooding the airwaves in Dallas. It offered children a shot at stardom &#...