http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/ifdp/2013/1092/ifdp1092.pdf
Questions the timing and design of economic structural reforms imposed on European countries suffering economic woes. Argues that when interest rates are low, reforms designed to increase competition in product and labor markets may be contractionary. From the Federal Reserve
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40210.pdf
Describes the consequences of foreclosure on homeowners, recent foreclosure prevention plans, and the challenges associated with preventing foreclosures. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists
http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201311_cfpb_navigating-the-market-final.pdf
Reports on results of a commissioned study that determined that the financial industry spends $17 billion annually on marketing financial products while $670 million or 25 times less is spent on financial education. From the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43262.pdf
Discusses the efforts to implement a provision of the Dodd-Frank Act that requires corporations to disclose the ratio between the total compensation of the CEO and the median compensation of all other employees. Includes arguments for and against the provision. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists
http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/sn06171.pdf
Describes British efforts to deal with the “too big to fail” problem of banking and recommendations toward revision of the financial regulatory system by the Report of the Independent Commission on Banking, headed by Sir John Vickers, and by the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards. From the Library of the House of Commons.
http://www.richmondfed.org/publications/research/economic_brief/2013/pdf/eb_13-10.pdf
Looks at some unintended consequences when Congress ordered the Federal Reserve to lower fees that credit card companies could charge merchants. From the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201309_cfpb_card-act-report.pdf
Finds that the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 reduced the cost of credit through restrictions on fees and affected the availability of credit through restrictions on credit solicitations, especially to those under 21. From the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43228.pdf
Reviews the recession and reasons for slower than normal recovery, then analyzes the current state of household net worth, and the policy implications for the near future. From the Congressional Research Service, posted by the Federation of American Scientists