The ability of individuals to achieve the American dream depends on where they live, according to the first state-by-state look at the opportunity to move up the economic ladder. more

Reaching for the American dream? Your best chances are probably in New York, New Jersey or Maryland. more

Until two years ago, the nation’s banks could automatically enroll customers in overdraft programs — the result was tens of billions of dollars in overdraft fees. more

Despite two-year-old regulatory reforms that demanded that consumers affirmatively opt-in to costly overdraft programs for debit transactions, more than half of the consumers who incurred an overdraft fee over the past year were surprised to find out that they had overdraft coverage, according to a new report by the Pew Charitable Trusts. more

Have you ever had to pay an overdraft penalty? You're far from alone if you have incurred such a fee, according to a survey of consumers commissioned by by Pew's Safe Checking in the Electronic Age Project. more

Calling it a historic day for Georgia, an emotional Gov. Nathan Deal on Wednesday signed into law major changes to how the state punishes non-violent criminals. more

Bipartisan legislation will reduce recidivism and cut costs. The far-reaching package of reforms Governor Nathan Deal signed into law today places Georgia among a growing number of states leading the way towards data-driven, fiscally sound criminal justice systems. House Bill 1176 and accompanying budget measures were the product of an intensive bipartisan, inter-branch working group process and received unanimous support in both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly.

Gov. Nathan Deal is set to sign legislation that will bring sweeping changes to the state's criminal justice system, a priority he set early in his administration. more

The way Georgia punishes thousands of nonviolent offenders will forever change when Gov. Nathan Deal signs landmark legislation Wednesday. It represents a first step in the governor's long-term plan to reserve prison beds for the state's most violent criminals.

Do you suffer from vertigo (or, more correctly, acrophobia: a fear of heights)? If so, you should probably avoid creating a mental picture of a graph derived from Mercator Advisory Group's projections for prepaid card usage in the U.S. more

Eastman Credit Union was recognized by the Pew Charitable Trusts for voluntarily adopting Pew’s model disclosure for ECU’s Beyond Free Checking Account, which makes terms and fees transparent and easier for members to understand. more

There’s no doubt that prepaid cards are growing in popularity. Only 11% of consumers used them just two years ago, and not only has the number since grown to 15%, but we’re also seeing big-time celebrities like Lil Wayne, Suze Orman, and George Lopez sign up as endorsers, highlighting the growing mainstream appeal of these products.