Week of September 2nd, 2013

Hello, My wife and I are looking to purchase a car and are curious about how taking out an auto loan might affect our credit scores. We are both fortunate enough to have decent jobs and have been relatively aggressive savers, so it is possible for us to pay for a car in cash. In addition, we have been lucky enough to have been able to get by without incurring any debt (other than credit cards that are consistently paid off each month, no student loans). As a result, our credit scores are based solely on credit cards and we have not had any debt involving monthly payments. At some point in the next couple years, we would like to buy a house and want to know if it would be a good idea to add an auto loan to our credit history. If so, how does the amount and duration of the loan factor into our credit rating? Are there benchmarks used by the credit rating companies? For example, would financing $10,000 dollars of the purchase be better than $5,000? Would a 24-month loan have a different effect than a 36-month loan? Enjoy the show – any advice you might be able to offer would be greatly appreciated. Best, Jon

I'm 33 and just started medical residency. I spent most of my 20's in school, so I don't have much at all saved for retirement or saved for anything really. Now that I finally have a paycheck, I've figured that I can afford to save about 20 percent of it (or about $700 or so a month, so not a whole lot). Should all of that go directly towards retirement? Or should I save part of that amount for an emergency fund or potentially for a down payment for a house someday, and if so how much? How do people manage to save for normal life events like houses, etc., while still being smart about retirement on this type of income? Thanks!

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Looking back at the week that was, starting with the latest update on jobs and the economy.

Hackers often infiltrate corporate networks by hacking people, not software, tricking them into giving up passwords.

From credit cards to coffee shops, Sioux Falls, S.D., has a seemingly unending legacy of growth.

They are called restaurants within restaurants, and they are becoming a popular and more affordable alternative to starting a new restaurant from scratch.

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Jobs numbers came out today–it's been a slow economic recovery. And what role does a nation's economy play when the International Olympic Committee picks a host for the 2020 Olympic Games?

We are focusing on the American Dream over the next few weeks. At its core, it symbolizes mobility. Getting a college degree. Securing a good paying job. Buying a home and saving for life after work. This weekend, we look at retirement. How we save. How we live and spend after we retire. And what are your investment options at any age? This week, a guide to your golden years.

The blog 'Mr. Money Mustache' is about the experience of one man who saved enough to retire at age 30. And he says you can do it, too.

Understanding and navigating through the different retirement plans out there can be confusing, so here's an explainer of your options.

"Golden Girls" may have ended, but the housing model in the TV sitcom — of elderly women living together — is gaining popularity.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the economy added 169,000 jobs last month, falling below analyst expectations. The unemployment rate ticked down to 7.3 percent.

Most people know to save for retirement. But what do you do with your money after you retire?

More NSA revelations means even more concern about online privacy.

Consumer products companies are offering customers upscale versions of everyday household goods — things like embossed paper towels.

Will the revelation that data encryption isn’t as secure as thought change the way businesses operate?

The Labor Department's jobs report comes out every month — but it's actually two reports in one. This month, one survey shows the economy adding jobs, and the other shows it losing jobs.

The Labor Department’s jobs report comes out every month — but it’s actually two reports in one. This month, one survey shows the economy adding jobs, and the other shows it losing jobs. How do you make sense of that? next, we’re hearing more about how much the National Security Agency can surveil — will the revelation (at least for much of the public) that data encryption isn’t secure change the way businesses operate? And finally, consumer products companies are offering customers upscale versions of everyday household goods – everything from embossed paper towels to tampons in designer packaging. 

Whether you're in your 20s, 30s, 40s, of 50-plus, most everyone has to save for retirement. A personal finance expert offers some advice.

When we talk about retirement, it's not just how much you save, but how you save it. But the different types of retirement accounts can be confusing to navigate.

86 percent, 1.63 inches, 30 meters underground, and 30 days: Can you guess what these numbers mean?

PayPal hopes their new app change will help bolster the company's mobile e-commerce.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the economy added 169,000 jobs last month, falling below analyst expectations. The unemployment rate ticked down to 7.3 percent.

The country's biggest bank could stop taking new applications in October.

Traditional wisdom says you should pay off your mortgage before you retire, but sometimes that's not the best choice.

JPMorgan is ending its student loan business. A look at what it’s like getting a job after being out of work for so long. And what city can afford to put on the 2020 Olympics? 

Online payment company PayPal has released a new version of its app for Android and Apple’s iOS operating systems. The company is hoping it will make a big difference in a tricky area: Mobile e-commerce. And Marketplace Tech reporter Queena Kim joins us to play Silicon Tally.

Does a bidding country’s economy factor into whether it gets to host the Olympic games?

A record number of Americans are long-term unemployed–six months or more. A lackluster job market is putting them back to work–slowly.

Another fall also means it is time for yet another Fashion Week.

What are your feelings on the "Target Date" retirement funds? My husband has several 401(k) accounts at multiple institutions from past jobs, and we'd like to consolidate them into one firm. We have all our other investments in Vanguard, and he has both traditional and Roth IRA accounts there he could roll the 401ks into. At the moment, both are using the Target 2045 funds. Are these types of funds generally fine, or would it be a bad idea to continue putting a bunch of money into them? Amanda, New York

Is there a formula that can predict the amount needed if you're planning to have a moderate retirement? And I assume moderate because we're not planning to travel the world, buy a bigger house or two super cars. Last question, is it unrealistic to assume that expenses will decrease when you're 60-plus? I ask because I see my in-laws which don't have a mortgage, no kids in college, and their only expenses are food, utilities, gas and a few vacations during the year. – Jose, Ohio

What is the difference between pre-tax and Roth after-tax retirement accounts? Will I pay less in taxes in the long run if I put all my retirement savings into a Roth account? How should I decide which type of account is best for me?  – Clarissa, Minnesota

The maker of a three-wheeled vehicle wants to get rid of the monthly car payment altogether.

Technology that comes from a company in Sioux Falls is helping farmers do more with less in a high-tech way.

McDonald's is exploring tweaking their Dollar Menu to include items priced at $1, $2 and even $5.

The economics behind shipping chicken carcasses to China for processing: it keeps open the China market for chicken feet.

The Kaiser Family Foundation is out with a survey of the cost and coverage of Obamacare plans that will be available in 17 states and Washington, D.C.

Two stories about chickens in today’s show: First, how it makes economic sense to ship chicken carcasses to China for processing into nuggets that are then shipped back to the U.S. The question is key because the Agriculture Department just announced that it has approved four Chinese chicken processors to ship meat to the U.S. Also, the McDonald’s Dollar Menu — including chicken nuggets — is … evolving.  The company is testing a version that includes items priced at  $1, $2 and even $5. Finally, we get a first look at some pricing of health care under the Obamacare overhaul.

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Fans are obsessed with fantasy football–and that has the NFL worried. And a preview of Friday's jobs report.

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New reports give estimated costs of ACA health plans

The Federal Trade Commission has settled a claim with maker of webcams over security problems

Less people filed for unemployment over the last week. But layoff announcements went up.

The Mexican Senate passes education reform as teachers continue to protest in the country.

The Denver Post says a thousand people have applied for the permit.

More and more fans are opting to stay at home and engage with fantasy football, and that makes some team owners worry about their bottom lines.

No 'boots on the ground' for now, but what about cyber warfare with Syria?

The musician talks about his upcoming album and video game.

Fashion Week's traditional runway shows may not be cost effective for many designers.

The economic summit is supposed to address global economic concerns and, hopefully, give some confidence to the global markets. What is the cost if the talks instead are hijacked by tensions between the U.S. and Russia over Syria and Snowden. The Mexican Senate passes education reform as teachers continue to protest in the country. And as New York Fashion Week moves more and more into the digital realm, will social media take away some of the spectacle that fashion week has become?  

This week Washington is debating the very real possibility of military intervention in Syria, from air strikes to so-called boots on the ground. But there’s another conversation happening around whether the U.S. should attack President Assad’s regime with cyber warfare. So what might a cyber attack against Syria look like, and what would the repercussions be? 

The meeting of the world's top 20 economies has a broad agenda for addressing global economic concerns, but Syria looms as a point of tension between the U.S. and Russia, the conference's host.

The NFL season kicks off in less than 24 hours. For all those fantasy football gamers out there, there's a new game in town: Insurance.

Whole Foods is opening a new location in Englewood, a low-income neighborhood on Chicago's south side.

Congress asks Secretary of State John Kerry what became of the military aid promised to Syrian rebels. The short answer? It’s complicated.

Hardly anyone cares what Google calls its operating system’s iterations, but the tech giant still had to license the brand-name candy bar.

As Congress weighs whether to authorize military action in Syria, some have asked Secretary of State John Kerry what became of the small arms military aid already promised to Syrian rebels. The short answer? It’s complicated. Also, the ratings agency S&P is accusing the U.S. government of suing it over the financial crisis because it was the only agency to downgrade U.S. debt.

After a long fight over Obamacare, Michigan will offer expanded Medicaid coverage starting next spring. But will everyone take advantage of the benefit?

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Auto sales come out today. Drugstores are offering flu shots earlier this year. And colleges that partner with private companies for training and guaranteed jobs for students.

Will consumers buy in?

Some low-tech innovations are making a big difference.

The report will show the status of all its districts.

The discount retail chain reported better than expected profits today and its stock is up almost five percent at the moment.

Ethical and moral questions arise when personal data is mined for advertisers

Red honey is showing up in beehives around Utah. The source seems to be the bees, feeding off leftovers from a local factory that makes candy canes.

'Worker's councils' will be like labor unions-lite.

Many college freshmen embark on their first years of higher education this week. Wouldn't it be nice if at the end of their journey a job was waiting for them? In Alabama, the two year-college system is collaborating with private companies to train students and help them land a job after graduation.

The week after Labor Day may seem early to be thinking about getting a flu shot, but the shots have been available for a few weeks and drugstore chains like Walgreens and CVS are already offering incentives.

Workers in Volkswagen’s factory in Tennessee are expected to hear this week about a bid to give them a greater voice with management. And a look at how your social media presence could affect your credit rating.    

We all know about the data being collected on us by advertisers while we’re online. Serving us ads that are more relevant to our interests? Sure, great. But take the amount of data – and what companies can do with it – to the extreme. Maybe your smart fridge tells a food company when you turn into a Cookie Monster, and suddenly you get a text from a cookie company. There are plenty of possibilities.

Car makers should get a nice bump from the long holiday weekend, and all those Labor Day sales you saw advertised.

Hollywood's relationship with the Latino market has always been hit or miss. This weekend, one movie bucked the trend.

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A number of European nations provided Syria with the materials needed to make its poison gas. Many of these materials have innocent uses, however. Even so, rules about exports are stricter now though than previously.

Gary Sernovitz is the managing director of the investment firm Lime Rock Partners. And he doesn't have a cell phone.

The Treasury Department has changed the rules on a program meant to help people hit by the housing crisis stay in their homes, allowing states to use some money from the $7.6 billion foreclosure prevention program to demolish homes instead.

Harvard economist Sendhil Mullainathan has written a book called, "Scarcity: Why Having Too Little Means So Much."

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Factory numbers showed a dip in August, but what does that mean for the domestic economy? CBS and Time Warner finally ended their stalemate. And it may be hard to believe, but China's wine industry is steadily growing. Could they be exporting soon?

As the pro football season kicks off, the Marketplace Wealth & Poverty Desk is looking beyond passing yards and fumbles. Our W&P power rankings put the NFL team with the highest median income on top.

Japan's latest response to the Fukushima radiation leak sounds like science fiction: A wall of ice. Ice walls are common in tunneling; it's the radiation that makes this job different.

The next generation in mobile technology development: It's all in the wrist.

Microsoft acquires Nokia in a $7.2 billion deal that aims to make Microsoft a player in the mobile-phone market. Next, after two years of radiation leaks, Japan steps in to get the worsening Fukushima disaster under control. What will nearly $500 million buy? One possibility is a wall of ice that will seal the reactors and their contaminated water from the ocean. And finally, Samsung goes all Dick Tracy.

A first-person review of the crowd-sourced smartwatch.

New apps and pilot programs are helping ease the pain of parking.

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A look at how factory numbers are affecting our domestic economy this week.