Recent stories by Eileen Ambrose

8:38 PM EDT, June 17, 2013

Marylanders aren't shy about complaining

Marylanders are big complainers.

8:24 PM EDT, June 17, 2013

Is Maryland headed for a wave of bank mergers?

In less than a week, three bank acquisitions, one involving the parent of Baltimore County Savings Bank, have been announced in the Mid-Atlantic region.

6:52 PM EDT, June 16, 2013

Sister Marie Vincent Brothers, artist and teacher

Sister Marie Vincent Brothers, a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame who spent nearly three decades as a teacher and graphics designer at Notre Dame of Maryland University and was once described as one of the "swingingest" nuns, died June 8 at Maria Health Care Center in Baltimore County of lymphoma. She was 86.

9:51 PM EDT, June 14, 2013

F.N.B. to buy parent of Baltimore County Savings Bank

F.N.B. Corp. announced Friday it plans to acquire BCSB Bancorp, the parent of Baltimore County Savings Bank, in a stock swap valued at about $79 million.

8:26 PM EDT, June 10, 2013

Regulators and consumer advocates focus on senior identity theft

Older consumers are no more vulnerable to identity theft than others, but they do tend to be victims of the types of ID theft that are on the rise — cases involving tax returns and medical care.

6:34 PM EDT, June 12, 2013

Legg Mason's new CEO sees compensation more than double

The compensation of Legg Mason Inc.'s CEO and chief financial officer more than doubled over the year that ended March 31, according to a proxy statement filed Wednesday with regulators.

3:31 PM EDT, June 8, 2013

NSA surveillance sparks privacy debate

You make a call from your land line or text a friend from your smartphone. You browse an online retailer for clothing, a book or music; you create a wish list or write a review.

10:42 AM EDT, June 6, 2013

Legg Mason Inc. expands board by adding two directors

Legg Mason Inc. has expanded its board of directors, adding two independent members, the Baltimore based money manager announced Thursday.

June 9, 2013

Five questions for ... Mark Stoeckle

For more than two decades, Baltimore fund companies Adams Express Co. and Petroleum & Resources Corp. had been under the direction of a single CEO and chairman.

7:58 PM EDT, June 5, 2013

Revenue at Maryland's casinos reaches $69.2 million in May

Revenue at the state's casinos climbed to nearly $69.2 million in May, the first full month of table games at Maryland Live Casino as well as the initial days of the state's newest casino in Allegany County, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency reported Wednesday.

6:37 PM EDT, May 31, 2013

Joseph Haskins Jr. navigated Harbor Bank of Maryland through tough times

At one point during the three years that Harbor Bank of Maryland operated under heightened federal scrutiny, a regulator asked CEO Joseph Haskins Jr. why he stuck it out. Why not just retire?

10:09 AM EDT, May 30, 2013

T. Rowe Price announces sale of its bank

T. Rowe Price said it was selling its bank to New York financier Jacob M. Safra for about $24 million in light of new banking regulations that would limit other aspects of the Baltimore-based money manager's business.

May 28, 2013

T. Rowe Price, Legg Mason offering up ultrashort-term bond funds

Baltimore's two major mutual fund companies have joined a small but growing number of investment firms offering ultrashort-term bond funds, which may become an alternative to the traditional money market fund.

5:46 PM EDT, May 24, 2013

Regulators issue order against Talbot County bank

Talbot Bank of Easton, Maryland said Friday it has entered into a consent order with federal and state regulators.

12:41 PM EDT, May 28, 2013

Small business loan program launched in Anne Arundel

Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp. on Wednesday will kick-off a small business loan fund that will lend $3.36 million in Maryland. As part of the launch, the development group will hold a press conference at the offices of the first loan recipient, Brick House LLC, at 1 p.m. in the Conte Office Park in Annapolis.

10:49 AM EDT, May 27, 2013

T. Rowe Price sees unusual turnover in portfolio managers

T. Rowe Price has a reputation as a place where portfolio managers can spend their entire careers.

1:11 PM EDT, May 22, 2013

T. Rowe Price announces new series of target-date retirement funds

T. Rowe Price plans to launch a new series of 11 target-date retirement funds later this summer, the Baltimore-based money manager said Wednesday.

1:07 PM EDT, May 22, 2013

Two key employees leave Legg Mason Capital Management

Legg Mason Inc. has lost two key employees of its Legg Mason Capital Management, including portfolio manager Mary Chris Gay.

1:54 PM EDT, May 20, 2013

State, economic group launch program to help companies to grow

The Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore and the Maryland Department of Business of Economic Development announced Monday that they created a new program to help companies that have moved beyond the start-up phase to continue to grow.

6:33 PM EDT, May 13, 2013

Watch out for unauthorized charges on cellphone bills

Take a line-by-line look at your cellphone bill — all dozen or so pages. See a $9.99 charge for horoscopes, flirting tips or some such thing that you didn't request?

3:25 PM EDT, May 16, 2013

Price's Brian Rogers throws his support behind Jamie Dimon

Brian Rogers, manager of the T. Rowe Price Equity Income Fund in Baltimore, won't be voting the fund's shares in support of splitting the role of CEO and chairman at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

7:49 PM EDT, May 15, 2013

Maryland economy will continue to feel government spending cuts

Maryland for years benefited from its close proximity to the nation's capital, but the mandatory federal spending cuts called sequestration will be a drag on the state's economy for the next couple of years, said the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

7:15 PM EDT, May 14, 2013

First Mariner Bancorp decides not to bid for arena naming rights

For a decade, 1st Mariner's name adorned the Baltimore arena, but now the bank's parent company says it does not plan to bid for naming rights that expired last year.

May 11, 2013

T. Rowe Price loses another fund manager

T. Rowe Price lost another one of its fund managers, the third this year.

6:16 PM EDT, May 6, 2013

Maryland Live sees slot revenue fall as table games start

Table games at Maryland Live Casino generated $8.4 million in revenue in their first month at the Anne Arundel County facility, on top of $38.2 million from its slot machines, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency reported Monday.

3:54 PM EDT, May 3, 2013

T. Rowe Price to lose another money manager

Timothy E. Parker, manager of T. Rowe Price's New Era Fund for the past three years, will leave the the Baltimore-based money manager by the end of September, the company said.

4:44 PM EDT, May 10, 2013

Three operators submit bids for license for Prince George's casino

Two more bidders emerged Friday to compete against MGM National Harbor for the right to build a casino in Prince George's County.

2:19 PM EDT, May 3, 2013

Legg Mason CEO awarded 500,000 in options to purchase stock

Legg Mason Inc.'s compensation committee awarded CEO Joseph A. Sullivan options to purchase a half million shares of the company stock at $31.46 per share, the Baltimore-based money manager announced in a regulatory filing.

1:33 PM EDT, April 23, 2013

Legg Mason Inc. increases quarterly dividend

Legg Mason Inc. on Tuesday announced a quarterly divided of 13 cents per share, an 18 percent increase. The Baltimore-based money manager said the dividend will be paid on July 8 for those who are shareholders as of June 11.

11:14 PM EDT, May 8, 2013

Federal workers relieved by limits on online disclosures

Details of financial transactions by members of Congress and thousands of high-level federal workers were supposed to be posted online last month for anyone in the world to see — a key step, supporters of the move said, toward greater transparency in government.

4:18 PM EDT, May 2, 2013

Harbor Bankshares out from under regulatory enforcement orders

The Federal Reserve Board announced Thursday that it terminated an enforcement action against Baltimore-based Harbor Bankshares Corp.

7:29 PM EDT, April 29, 2013

Some college students could pay higher interest rate on federal loans

College students taking out subsidized federal student loans will see their interest rate double in July unless Congress comes to the rescue.

8:13 PM EDT, April 24, 2013

T. Rowe Price weighs headquarters move

T. Rowe Price, a fixture in downtown Baltimore since its founding 76 years ago, is considering moving its headquarters once its current lease expires in 2017, the company said Wednesday.

10:42 AM EDT, April 22, 2013

Venture capital funding increases in region in first quarter

Venture capitalists poured $286.3 million into 30 deals in Maryland, Washington and Northern Virginia during the first quarter, compared with $219.7 million invested in 45 deals a year ago, according to the MoneyTree Report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

8:16 PM EDT, April 23, 2013

Price discusses ETFs and tax policy at annual meeting

After T. Rowe Price executives recapped last year's highlights at Tuesday's annual meeting, a shareholder raised concerns about the loss of a top money manager, competition from exchange-traded funds and an Obama Administration tax proposal that could dampen Price's retirement business.

5:38 PM EDT, April 30, 2013

Legg Mason reports $29.2M fourth-quarter profit, loss for year

Legg Mason Inc. reported Tuesday that it earned $29.2 million in its fourth quarter, down about 62 percent from a year earlier due to added real estate expenses.

1:35 PM EDT, April 22, 2013

Parents of Bay Bank and Carrollton Bank complete merger

Jefferson Bancorp Inc., parent of Lutherville-based Bay Bank, said Monday it had completed its acquisition of Carrollton Bancorp, the holding company of Columbia-based Carrollton Bank.

April 21, 2013

Md. consumers made several gains in latest legislative session

Consumer advocates say they didn't get everything on their wish list during the latest meeting of the General Assembly, but the session produced several victories for Maryland consumers.

5:45 PM EDT, April 24, 2013

T. Rowe Price profit rose 22 percent in first quarter

T. Rowe Price Group reported Wednesday that profit rose 22 percent in the quarter from a year ago to $241.9 million, buoyed by an uptick in the market that pushed assets under management to a new record.

4:44 PM EDT, April 19, 2013

Top First Mariner executive earned $495,362 last year

Compensation for First Mariner Bancorp's top executive reached $495,362 last year, about double from a year ago thanks to a bonus, according to a company filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

April 21, 2013

5 questions with … Stuart L. Ritter

As a senior financial planner with Baltimore money manager T. Rowe Price, Stuart Ritter spends much of his time on the job — and off — educating people about personal finance.

April 18, 2013

Arbitron shareholders approve sale to Nielsen

Shareholders of Arbitron Inc. overwhelmingly approved the sale of the Columbia-based company to Nielsen Holdings N.V. during a special stockholders meeting Tuesday.

5:15 PM EDT, April 16, 2013

Former top T. Rowe Price manager to launch Baltimore hedge fund

Kris H. Jenner, the manager of T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Fund until his resignation in February, has raised more than $100 million to launch a Baltimore-based hedge fund, Bloomberg News reported.

April 14, 2013

With tax returns due Monday, here's advice for last-minute filers

For taxpayers who work best under the pressure of a deadline ... well, that's now.

7:28 PM EDT, April 8, 2013

Florida insurer refunds $312,551 to Marylanders

A Florida insurance company has repaid $312,551 to thousands of Marylanders after overcharging them on life and health benefits, the Maryland Insurance Administration said Monday.

7:16 PM EDT, April 8, 2013

Maryland lawmakers pass bill to boost public-private partnerships

Maryland's deteriorating infrastructure could receive a boost from private investor dollars, thanks to legislation passed Monday designed to enhance public-private partnerships.

7:00 PM EDT, April 7, 2013

Raymond L. Klingmeyer

Raymond Leroy Klingmeyer, a former boxer and referee who is a member of the state's boxing Hall of Fame, died Friday of renal failure at the Bel Air Health and Rehabilitation Center. He was 88.

7:40 PM EDT, April 5, 2013

Welsh Construction Remodeling no longer licensed in Maryland

Welsh Construction Remodeling, an award-winning Baltimore home improvement company that has renovated kitchens and bathrooms for decades, no longer has a license to take on new projects in Maryland, state regulators said.

11:05 AM EDT, April 5, 2013

Maryland's three casinos generated $58 million in revenue in March

Revenue at Maryland's three casinos in March reached $58 million, with two that have been opened for at least a year seeing a decrease from a year earlier, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency reported Friday.

5:31 PM EDT, April 4, 2013

MECU to acquire Advance Bank in Baltimore

Municipal Employees Credit Union of Baltimore Inc. announced Thursday that it had agreed to acquire Advance Bank, another Baltimore-based institution.

2:41 PM EDT, April 5, 2013

New focus on laws that make adult children responsible for a parent's care bills

John Pittas' mother spent six months in a Pennsylvania facility recovering after an auto accident, then moved to Greece to be with her other children.

March 31, 2013

40% of older households in Md. ill-prepared for retirement, study finds

At an age when many workers are thinking about winding down their careers, Victoria Baldassano of Silver Spring says she can't afford to give retirement a thought.

9:17 PM EDT, April 5, 2013

Government, unions offer advice, answers on furloughs

As thousands of federal workers prepare to be furloughed, many are concerned about how to deal with a pay cut.

5:21 PM EDT, April 3, 2013

W. R. Grace & Co. announces Australian acquisition

W. R. Grace & Co. of Columbia announced Wednesday that it acquired an Australian manufacturer of waterproofing and coatings systems for an undisclosed sum.

5:04 PM EDT, April 3, 2013

Jos. A. Bank's fourth-quarter profit falls 36 percent

Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. reported Wednesday that it earned $28.4 million in the fourth quarter, a nearly 36 percent drop from the corresponding quarter a year earlier, according to a regulatory filing.

6:25 PM EDT, April 2, 2013

Legg Mason CEO shuffles executive team

Legg Mason Inc.'s new CEO, Joseph A. Sullivan, announced Tuesday a shake-up of his executive team and the exit of some top officials, including one who had been in the running for chief executive.

7:26 PM EDT, March 28, 2013

Sodexo Inc. to lay off 190 workers in Baltimore

Sodexo Inc. plans to lay off 190 workers in May at its operations at Loyola University Maryland, the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation said Thursday. The Gaithersburg-based company told regulators that the school at 4501 N. Charles St., Baltimore, will no longer be using Sodexo's food services, causing the company to close its facility there and lay off workers on May 31.

5:33 PM EDT, April 1, 2013

Howard Bank to expand into Harford County

Howard Bank has agreed to buy Cecil Bank's branch at 3 W. Bel Air Ave. in Aberdeen, the institutions announced Monday.

4:57 PM EDT, April 2, 2013

First Mariner corrects preliminary earnings report

First Mariner Bancorp on Tuesday said it was correcting preliminary earnings figures released earlier for 2012, reducing its annual non-interest income by $892,000.

8:12 PM EDT, March 25, 2013

Consumer groups fear that debtors' prisons are making a resurgence

When a warrant for his arrest arrived at his mother's house, Bryan Bookman went to the district court in Essex to clear up the matter.

5:19 PM EDT, March 25, 2013

High Street Partners receives $8 million in financing

High Street Partners, a business software and services company based in Annapolis, said Monday it received $8 million in financing, the largest round of funding in its 10-year history.

1:42 PM EDT, March 24, 2013

Baltimore Fire Department investigates Cherry Hill fire

The Baltimore City Fire Department is investigating the cause of a fire Sunday morning at 3023 La Rue Square in the Cherry Hill neighborhood, according to Lt. Paul Novak.

7:21 PM EDT, March 24, 2013

At start of Passover, Baltimore congregants embrace message of peace

As members of the B'nai Israel Congregation in downtown Baltimore on Sunday discussed preparations for the start of Passover, they also reflected on President Barack Obama's recent visit to Israel.

2:56 PM EDT, March 19, 2013

Fort Meade reaches agreement with union on furloughs

Fort Meade announced Tuesday that it has reached an agreement with the union representing Department of Defense employees on how proposed civilian furloughs will be handled.

March 23, 2013

What hiring freeze? Federal government continues to post job openings

While hundreds of thousands of federal workers brace for unpaid furloughs starting next month, Uncle Sam is still looking to hire.

6:35 PM EDT, March 21, 2013

Epic Games closes Baltimore County location

Epic Games Inc., a North Carolina-based video game manufacturer, closed its office in Baltimore County last month, laying off 40 employees, Maryland's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation said Thursday.

7:14 PM EDT, March 15, 2013

As stock market breaks records, Legg Mason Inc.'s shares hit yearly high

Legg Mason Inc.'s stock, which has struggled to recover from the financial crisis, hit a new 52-week high last week.

March 17, 2013

5 questions for … Daniel J. Schrider

A decade ago, Maryland's three largest banks were based in Baltimore.

March 19, 2013

Workers' confidence about future retirement sinks

The economy is improving and so is employment, but workers' optimism about a comfortable retirement has fallen to a new low, according to the annual Retirement Confidence Survey released Tuesday.

2:33 PM EDT, March 16, 2013

Former Hebron Savings Bank employee sentenced for embezzlement

A former vice president of Hebron Savings Bank in Wicomico County was sentenced to 18 months in prison for embezzlement and ordered to pay $456,665 in restitution, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

7:30 PM EST, March 8, 2013

Wall Street shrugs off sequester

The drumbeat for weeks has been that $85 billion in across-the-board federal spending cuts known as the sequester would be so horrendous for the economy that lawmakers in Washington would be forced to compromise by the March 1 deadline.

March 17, 2013

Sequester will affect financial aid for the coming academic year

The across-the-board federal spending cuts known as the sequester come at a bad time for Maryland colleges.

4:35 PM EDT, March 11, 2013

Virginia company may lay off nearly 480 in Maryland

A Virginia-based company that provides information technology, management and other services to the federal government warned regulators that it might layoff 478 workers in Maryland, the state said Friday.

9:45 AM EDT, March 13, 2013

Legg Mason Inc. completes Fauchier Partners acquisition

Legg Mason Inc. said Wednesday that it completed the acquisition of Fauchier Partners, a European money manager acquired from BNP Paribas Investment Partners.

6:17 PM EST, March 7, 2013

Annapolis Bancorp repays remaining TARP funds

Annapolis Bancorp Inc. said it has repaid $4.07 million to the U.S. Treasury, wiping out the bank holding company's remaining obligation under the federal Troubled Asset Relief Program.

8:37 PM EST, March 6, 2013

Costco CEO joins effort to raise Maryland's minimum wage

Costco and the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce are among more than 70 businesses and groups that support raising the minimum wage in Maryland, according Raise Maryland, a group advocating for a higher wage.

4:36 PM EST, March 5, 2013

Legg CFO says company might trim laggard funds and reduce office space

Legg Mason Inc. might eliminate some of its less popular investment funds and some of its 32 offices as it continues to look at ways to operate more efficiently, the chief financial officer of the Baltimore-based money manager said Tuesday.

11:46 AM EST, February 20, 2013

Creditors file involuntary bankruptcy against Commerce Corp.

Several creditors of Commerce Corp. filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against the Maryland-based distributor of lawn and garden supplies.

7:41 PM EST, March 4, 2013

How companies can make sure their payroll service provider is paying their taxes

Many Maryland businesses rely on a payroll service provider to handle their tax withholdings, but they still need to make sure the Internal Revenue Service gets its due.

7:13 PM EST, March 4, 2013

Big Lots Stores to buy Commerce Corp. inventory

Big Lots Stores Inc. has agreed to purchase inventory from the financially ailing Commerce Corp. for an amount expected to top $6 million, according to recent bankruptcy court documents.

February 24, 2013

Retailers may charge fee to customers paying with credit cards

Customers at Towson Hot Bagels usually pay with credit, not cash, when buying a bagel or a bottle of water, triggering fees the merchant must pay to process each transaction.

3:02 PM EST, February 11, 2013

Report: Legg Mason to announce new CEO this week

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Legg Mason Inc. is expected to announce its new CEO as early as Wednesday and also will likely name a new independent board member.

8:18 PM EST, February 14, 2013

T. Rowe Price loses fund manager and two analysts

The manager of one of T. Rowe Price's top funds and two analysts have resigned, effective Friday.

7:26 PM EST, January 28, 2013

Legg Mason seeks to sublease space at Harbor East headquarters

Legg Mason Inc. is looking to sublease 78,000 square feet on three floors at its headquarters in Harbor East.

8:33 PM EST, February 8, 2013

Industry experts suggest what Legg Mason's new CEO must do

After more than four months without a permanent leader, Legg Mason Inc.'s search for a new CEO might finally be near the end.

6:54 PM EST, February 1, 2013

Legg Mason reports loss of nearly $454 million

Legg Mason Inc. reported Friday a $453.9 million loss for the third quarter, following a previously announced $734 million writedown of certain assets.

February 17, 2013

Legg Mason's new CEO draws lessons from hockey

Raymond "Chip" Mason first met Joseph A. Sullivan over dinner at a Chicago restaurant, where the founder of Legg Mason Inc. interviewed the young bond trading manager for a job with the Baltimore company.

9:12 PM EST, January 28, 2013

New CEO named for Adams Express and Petroleum & Resources funds

Mark E. Stoeckle has been named CEO of Baltimore-based Adams Express Co. and Petroleum & Resources Corp., replacing Douglas G. Ober, who last year announced his intention to retire.

6:30 PM EST, January 24, 2013

Micros Systems' earnings rise by 15 percent in the second quarter

Micros Systems Inc. reported Thursday it earned $44.1 million in the second quarter ended in December, about a 15 percent increase from a year earlier.

6:51 PM EST, February 19, 2013

Millennial Media reports 4th-quarter profit, but annual loss

Millennial Media Inc., a Baltimore-based mobile advertising company, reported Tuesday that it earned a $2.6 million profit, or 3 cents per share, in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31.

7:06 PM EST, February 13, 2013

Sullivan named Legg Mason CEO and president

Legg Mason Inc. chose an insider as its new CEO, quelling speculation that the Baltimore-based money manager might be headed for a breakup that could have been bad news for the city.

6:35 PM EST, February 28, 2013

Is STOCK Act government transparency or invasion of privacy?

Dr. Joshua Zimmerberg says he's careful not to publicly disclose any personal information that could be of use to identity thieves.

7:34 PM EST, February 21, 2013

T. Rowe Price raises quarterly dividend

T. Rowe Price Group announced Thursday it was raising its quarterly dividend by 12 percent to 38 cents per share. The dividend will be paid March 27 to those who are shareholders as of March 13.

January 30, 2013

Tax tips just in time for the launch of filing season

Tax season officially kicks off Wednesday, later than usual because lawmakers only this month passed legislation to address expired tax cuts. The IRS needed time to update its forms and systems.

4:21 PM EST, February 7, 2013

Legg Mason pays at least $80 million for European money manager

Legg Mason Inc. said it agreed to pay $80 million for European fund manager Fauchier Partners, plus as much as an additional $56 million in the next four years if certain financial targets are achieved.

7:04 PM EST, January 23, 2013

URS Corp. notifies state of possible layoffs

An engineering, construction and technical services firm notified the state that it might lay off 31 employees next month, Maryland's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation said Wednesday. California-based URS Corp. said possible layoffs could occur at its operations on MacArthur Road at Fort Meade and 430 National Business Parkway in Annapolis Junction. If layoffs happen, they would take effect at the close of business on Feb. 27^th, the state said. The company declined to comment.

5:19 PM EST, February 8, 2013

Baltimore man pleads guilty to mail fraud in financial scheme

A Baltimore man claiming to be a financial adviser who could produce high returns without high risk pleaded guilty Friday to mail fraud in connection with a scheme that bilked $890,000 from clients, according to federal and state prosecutors.

5:28 PM EST, January 30, 2013

Treasury auctions stake in Delmar Bancorp

The Treasury Department announced Wednesday that it raised $191.3 million in its latest auction of TARP securities, including $5.8 million for its stake in Delmar Bancorp in Salisbury.

6:30 PM EST, January 29, 2013

T. Rowe Price reports 23 percent increase in earnings in 4th quarter

T. Rowe Price Group on Tuesday reported a $232 million profit for the fourth quarter, a 23 percent increase from a year earlier.

3:01 PM EST, January 22, 2013

Legg Mason Inc. to take $734 million charge

Legg Mason Inc. will take a $734 million impairment charge largely related to a drop in value of certain fund contracts, the Baltimore-based money manager disclosed Tuesday in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

4:57 PM EST, January 11, 2013

Legg Mason stock slides a day after rising on sale rumor

Legg Mason Inc.'s stock retreated Friday, a day after shares shot up on a report that the company's board rejected — at least for now — a proposal by senior managers at its affiliates and private equity investors to take the company private.

11:15 PM EST, January 23, 2013

Five questions for ... Robin McKinney

This is the busiest time of year for Robin McKinney.

6:25 PM EST, January 7, 2013

Maryland's casinos took in $45.2 million last month

Maryland's three casinos generated $45.2 million in revenue in December, with most of that from the state's largest and newest casino, Maryland Live — and at the expense of the state's oldest.

5:54 PM EST, January 21, 2013

Venture capital for companies in the Maryland region drops nearly 27 percent

Uncertainty over the economy contributed to a nearly 27 percent drop last year in venture capital funding for young companies in Maryland, Washington and Northern Virginia, the first decrease since 2009, according to a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

8:20 PM EST, January 18, 2013

Tessco Technology's stock falls after earnings release

Tessco Technologies Inc. of Hunt Valley reported Friday that its profits increased in its third quarter over the year before, although revenue was down by about 10 percent.

7:01 PM EST, January 31, 2013

First Mariner posts fourth quarterly profit in a row

First Mariner Bancorp reported Thursday it earned about $1.6 million in the fourth quarter, the fourth quarter in a row that the Baltimore parent of 1^st Mariner Bank posted a profit.

9:55 AM EST, January 27, 2013

Campaign rules for federal employees get an update

Even as Congress and the White House appeared to be at a standoff over the fiscal cliff last month, lawmakers and the president were able to agree on at least one thing: an update of the Hatch Act.

2:07 PM EST, January 16, 2013

Baltimore's R2integrated receives investment from Dallas private equity company

Dallas-based Orix Private Equity announced Wednesday it has invested an undisclosed amount in Baltimore-based R2integrated, which the digital marketing and technology company hopes to use to expand rapidly in the next few years.

7:53 PM EST, January 14, 2013

T. Rowe Price, Legg Mason get approval to launch active ETFs

Baltimore-based money managers T. Rowe Price and Legg Mason Inc. may offer actively managed exchange-traded funds after receiving a thumbs up from regulators.

10:53 PM EST, December 28, 2012

Investment outlook for 2013 clouded by uncertainty

Usually by early December, investment professionals have mapped out their outlook for the next year.

8:00 PM EST, January 17, 2013

Storied Legg Mason unit to merge into New York sister subsidiary

Legg Mason Inc. plans to lay off an undisclosed number of employees as it folds its once high-profile Legg Mason Capital Management unit in Baltimore into a much larger investment division based in New York.

11:35 PM EST, January 4, 2013

High earner? Here's how the 'fiscal cliff' deal affects you

For better or worse, Marylanders may be more affected by the fiscal cliff tax deal than residents in other parts of the country.

5:15 PM EST, January 4, 2013

Legg Mason Capital Management's chief investment strategist resigns

Legg Mason Capital Management's chief investment strategist, Michael J. Mauboussin, resigned as of Jan. 2, said Mary Athridge, Legg Mason Inc.'s spokeswoman.

10:47 AM EST, January 3, 2013

UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski III joins T. Rowe Price board

Freeman A. Hrabowski III, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, has joined the board of T. Rowe Price Group as an independent director, the Baltimore-based investment firm announced Thursday.

January 1, 2013

U.S. stocks end higher despite negative news much of year

Despite all the cliff drama in the past week that sent stocks spiraling downward, all three major U.S. stock indices ended the year higher — which might come as a surprise to many investors

7:13 PM EST, January 3, 2013

Maryland lawn and garden distributor laying off up to 70 employees

Commerce Corp., a lawn and garden supplies distributor based in Curtis Bay, notified state regulators that it was laying off between 60 and 70 workers.

6:47 PM EST, December 27, 2012

Maryland lawn and garden supply distributor announces layoffs

Commerce Corp., a Maryland-based distributor of lawn and garden supplies, said Thursday it is laying off some employees as it seeks to find a buyer or develop a new format.

8:34 PM EST, December 18, 2012

Columbia-based Arbitron to be acquired by Nielsen

The company that helps TV networks determine what shows get canceled or live for another season is buying the Columbia-based company that helps radio stations decide whether to change formats.

2:17 PM EST, December 21, 2012

Historic Burleigh Cottage sells for $1.1 million

Burleigh Cottage, an historic Howard County house whose origins go back to the late 1700s, sold in October for $1.1 million.

8:54 PM EST, December 18, 2012

Treasury plans auction of securities in 53 banks

The Treasury Department said Tuesday that it would auction off securities it acquired in 53 banks, including two in Maryland.

5:14 PM EST, December 14, 2012

Plethora of employment programs can overwhelm wounded veterans

Wounded soldiers returning from war can find plenty of programs through nonprofits and the government that offer to help them re-enter the workforce.

8:34 AM EST, December 13, 2012

Legg Mason plans to acquire European provider of funds of hedge funds

Baltimore-based Legg Mason Inc. announced Thursday morning it has agreed to acquire Fauchier Partners, a manager of funds of hedge funds based in Europe. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Fauchier will be merged into Legg's subsidiary Permal, an alternative asset manager. As a result of the combination, Permal will have about $24 billion assets under management and offices in nine locations worldwide, Legg Mason said. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of next year.

7:32 PM EST, December 12, 2012

Legg Mason accelerates dividend payment

Legg Mason Inc. announced Wednesday that it would accelerate a quarterly dividend that was to be paid out in January. The cash dividend of 11 cents per share will be paid out on Dec. 28, instead of Jan. 7. The Baltimore-based investment company becomes the latest to rush to make dividend payments before the end of the year, while the tax rate on this income is still 15 percent. Unless a deal is reached between Congress and the White House, dividend income next year will once more be taxed as regular income, which could be as high as 39.6 percent.

7:16 PM EST, December 11, 2012

T. Rowe Price substantially reduces its stake in Groupon

T. Rowe Price had reduced its stake in daily deal website Groupon, while increasing its ownership in Kayak Software Corp., the travel comparison site, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

December 7, 2012

T. Rowe Price to issue special dividend

Baltimore-based T. Rowe Price announced Thursday it will pay a special cash dividend before the end of the year, joining other companies that are declaring extra dividends in case taxes go up in 2013. Price will pay $1 per share on Dec. 28th to shareholders of record as Dec. 17^th for a total payout of about $255 million. The Bush-era tax cuts are expected to expire at the end of the year. If the White House and Congress can't work out a compromise, dividend income will once more be taxed at ordinary income tax rates, which could be as high as 39.6 percent.

7:12 PM EST, December 12, 2012

Marylanders make financial moves to protect against 'fiscal cliff'

Some citizens aren't waiting to find out if the White House and Republicans in Congress will be able to reach a last-minute deal to pull the country away from the "fiscal cliff."

5:28 PM EST, December 7, 2012

Maryland's smaller banks may be headed for a wave of mergers

It's the billion-dollar question for Maryland banks: Do they need at least that much in assets to survive?

5:37 PM EST, December 9, 2012

Harry D. Grunwell, retired Army warrant officer and linguist, dies at 66

Harry Dutton Grunwell, a retired Army warrant officer with a talent for linguistics and computers, died Dec. 5 at Howard County General Hospital from complications of multiple sclerosis. The Marriottsville resident was 66.

6:56 PM EST, December 7, 2012

Five questions …

No question, it's been a tough economy for many nonprofits to raise money. But Marriottsville-based DonorSearch, launched the same year the economy plunged into the latest recession, has developed a database to help nonprofits identify which of their contributors are more likely to give more if asked and what type of gift they are likely to make, said CEO Bill Tedesco.

5:01 PM EST, December 5, 2012

CFG Community Bank lays off six

CFG Community Bank laid off six employees last week in its operations and branch network, the Baltimore-based bank said.

6:30 PM EST, November 6, 2012

Locust Point and Fells Point banks set to merge

Two small thrifts founded many decades ago to cater to Baltimore's immigrant population could merge as early as the end of November following approval Monday by a federal regulator.

5:28 PM EST, December 2, 2012

Daniel M. McGuiness, retired professor

Daniel M. McGuiness, a retired associate professor of writing at Loyola University Maryland who influenced a younger generation of editors and writers, died Nov. 18of Parkinson's disease. He was 69.

November 25, 2012

What's next after Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

After the big shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, nonprofits across the country want you to spend more — on Giving Tuesday.

November 4, 2012

Employers hit by rising health costs look to high-deductible plans

There's a good chance during open enrollment this fall that you will be offered a high-deductible insurance plan with a savings account — if you haven't already been nudged into one.

2:50 PM EDT, November 2, 2012

Open enrollment is here for many workers

You might not have received your open enrollment package yet, but you probably know what to expect: Higher premiums. More out-of-pocket costs. Enticements to participate in wellness programs.

1:59 PM EST, November 24, 2012

Ranking agencies by job satisfaction

Travelers gripe about having to remove shoes while going through airport security or undergoing full-body pat-downs. But imagine being the Transportation Security Administration screener who has to deal with thousands of grumpy passengers daily or must rummage through strangers' dirty underwear to look for items that could blow up a plane.

7:17 PM EST, November 16, 2012

Ten Maryland banks remain in TARP, while Treasury winds down program

Delmar Bancorp has no regrets about taking a $9 million investment from the federal Troubled Asset Relief Program, even though some banks have rushed for the exit.

7:46 PM EST, November 9, 2012

First Mariner withdraws from Priam Capital deal

First Mariner Bancorp announced Friday that it is dropping out of an agreement that called for Priam Capital Fund I, a New York investment firm, to invest $36.4 million in the Baltimore-based bank holding company.

11:25 AM EDT, October 30, 2012

In aftermath of Sandy, some stores, businesses reopen

As the Baltimore area deals with the loss of power and closed and flooded roads in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, some stores and businesses plan to reopen Tuesday but others remain closed.

6:11 PM EDT, October 31, 2012

First Mariner Bancorp reports third quarterly profit in a row

First Mariner Bancorp reported Wednesday that it earned $7.9 million in the quarter ended in September, the third quarter in a row that the struggling parent of 1st Mariner Bank reported a profit.

2:47 PM EST, November 9, 2012

Most households will pay thousands of dollars more in taxes if politicians can't compromise

President Barack Obama signaled on election night that he's willing to work with leaders in both parties on deficit reduction and tax reform. And House Speaker John A. Boehner said a day later that Republicans were open to new revenue.

7:27 PM EDT, October 24, 2012

Patapsco Bank's parent posts $365,000 profit

Patapsco Bancorp of Dundalk reported Wednesday that it earned $365,000, or 18 cents per share, in the first quarter ended in September. That's an increase from a year earlier, when the parent of Patapsco Bank posted a profit of $128,000, or 7 cents a share.

October 24, 2012

T. Rowe Price reports profit of $247.3 million in third-quarter

Buoyed by rising assets under management and market gains, T. Rowe Price Group reported Wednesday that it earned $247.3 million, or 94 cents per share, for the third quarter.

10:30 AM EDT, October 28, 2012

As political rhetoric fires up, federal workers feel the heat

You can't blame federal workers if they're feeling like a punching bag for politicians these days.

5:03 PM EDT, October 19, 2012

T. Rowe Price-managed college savings plans take home gold

Two college savings plans managed by T. Rowe Price rank among the best in the country — the eighth time that the Baltimore-based investment firm has been included in Morningstar's annual survey of top plans.

October 21, 2012

5 questions for

Bernard T. Ferrari's diverse career took another turn in July when he became the second dean in the history of the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

8:38 PM EDT, November 1, 2012

Under Armour to open Harbor East retail store next year

Though Under Armour still plans to open a store at its Tide Point headquarters, the company felt it had gone too long without a retail space in the city it calls home.

5:57 PM EDT, October 31, 2012

Howard manse on private lot sells for $1.5 million

A 9,000-square-foot house on nearly five acres in the heart of Howard County sold in September for $1.5 million.

7:55 PM EDT, October 23, 2012

Patapsco Bank's parent reaches agreement with regulators

The Federal Reserve announced Tuesday that Patapsco Bancorp of Dundalk has agreed to take steps to maintain the soundness of the company and its Patapsco Bank subsidiary

6:05 PM EDT, October 26, 2012

Legg Mason rebounds, posts $80 million profit in quarter

Legg Mason Inc. bounced back from its first loss since 2009 with a profit of $80.8 million in the quarter that ended Sept. 30, the Baltimore-based investment company announced Friday.

5:05 PM EDT, October 24, 2012

T. Rowe Price reports third-quarter profit of $247.3 million

Buoyed by rising assets under management and market gains, T. Rowe Price Group reported Wednesday that it earned $247.3 million, or 94 cents per share, for the third quarter.

2:46 PM EDT, October 4, 2012

Hamilton Bank depositors OK conversion to stock company

Depositors of Towson-based Hamilton Bank have approved the conversion of the bank to a publicly traded holding company, to be called Hamilton Bancorp, the company announced Thursday.

October 14, 2012

Maryland investment firms haven't abandoned Democrats

Wall Street might have turned its back on Democrats this election, but that's not the case among Maryland investment firms.

October 15, 2012

Richard Lewis Hill III

Richard Lewis Hill III, a longtime social and labor activist and volunteer at Baltimore Clayworks, died of pancreatic cancer at his Towson home on Oct. 7. He was 68.

7:39 PM EDT, October 11, 2012

Vertis Holdings files for bankruptcy reorganization, agrees to sell firm

Baltimore-based Vertis Holdings Inc., at one time the largest U.S. producer of advertising inserts in newspapers, plans to sell itself to a Wisconsin printing company for $258.5 million through an auction in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

6:44 PM EDT, October 24, 2012

Pa.-based F.N.B. Corp. to acquire Annapolis Bancorp

Annapolis Bancorp Inc., the parent company of BankAnnapolis, has agreed to be acquired by Pennsylvania-based F.N.B. Corp. in a deal valued at $51 million.

8:06 PM EDT, October 18, 2012

Md. insurance regulators revoke licenses of Hal Katz, agency

Baltimore County auto insurance salesman Hal Katz is known for his offbeat television commercials, such as the one with the rapper singing, "Hey, Hal, you're the best!"

5:04 PM EDT, October 5, 2012

Maryland's three casinos pull in $42.9 million in September

Revenue at Maryland's three casinos reached nearly $42.9 million in September, down from $44.6 million the month before, according to figures released Friday by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency.

7:50 AM EDT, September 11, 2012

Legg Mason CEO to step down

Legg Mason's chairman and chief executive officer Mark R. Fetting announced this morning that he will step down from those positions on Oct. 1. He will remain as a consultant to the Baltimore-based investment company until the end of the year. Fetting has led the company since 2008.

7:54 PM EDT, October 1, 2012

American Express ordered to refund $85M to consumers

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced Monday that it had ordered three subsidiaries of American Express to refund about $85 million to roughly a quarter-million consumers for violating consumer protection laws. In addition, several federal agencies fined the credit card giant $27.5 million.

12:02 AM EDT, September 15, 2012

The departure of Legg Mason's CEO raises questions about its future

The second CEO in Legg Mason's history announced last week he was stepping down, raising the question: What's next for the Baltimore-based money manager?

September 9, 2012

Lessons learned in personal finance

About a dozen years ago, the Internet bubble had burst and many workers were forced to postpone retirement because their 401(k)s were wiped out by the bear market. Today, we're living through the aftermath of another bubble collapse and workers again are wondering when, or even if, they'll be able to retire.

8:01 PM EDT, September 10, 2012

Old Line Bancshares to acquire WSB Holdings in $49M deal

Old Line Bancshares has reached an agreement to acquire WSB Holdings Inc., the parent of Washington Savings Bank, for about $49 million in cash and stock, the Bowie-based companies announced Monday.

October 14, 2012

Maryland's wealthy dig deep to donate to super PACS

There are big political contributors, and then there are BIG contributors. Count Baltimore trial lawyer and Orioles owner Peter Angelos among the latter.

6:57 PM EDT, September 7, 2012

Fairmount Bancorp plans to buy back up to 25,000 shares

Fairmount Bancorp announced Friday that it plans to repurchase up to 25,000 shares of its common stock, or about 5 percent of the total outstanding shares. The parent of the Baltimore County-based Fairmount Bank said it will buy shares periodically over the next six months depending on market conditions. Joseph M. Solomon, president and CEO, said in a statement that the company's strong capital position allows it to conduct the buyback to enhance stockholder value.

11:09 PM EDT, September 14, 2012

Lawmakers aim crackdown on federally employed tax scofflaws

Some members of Congress want to fire federal workers who are seriously delinquent on their taxes.

October 2, 2012

Maryland audit finds potentially $344,000 in improper unemployment benefits

The deceased, prisoners and even some state workers improperly collected unemployment benefits potentially worth about $344,000, according to a recently released audit of Maryland's Division of Unemployment Insurance.

6:33 PM EDT, September 12, 2012

Legg Mason executives receive restricted stock award

Legg Mason awarded more than 300,000 shares of restricted common stock spread among six executives as part of a retention program at the Baltimore-based money manager that is undergoing a shakeup at the top.

3:57 PM EDT, September 5, 2012

Columbia security software developer receives $50M in funding

Tenable Network Security Inc., an information security software developer based in Columbia, said Wednesday that it had received $50 million in funding from the venture capital firm Accel Partners.

September 4, 2012

Yes, some employers do provide generous employee benefits

You might never have heard of U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention in Rockville, but after reading this you likely will want to work there.

7:45 PM EDT, September 11, 2012

Legg Mason CEO to step down

Less than five years after taking the helm of Legg Mason, Chairman and CEO Mark R. Fetting announced Tuesday that he would step down Oct. 1, possibly setting the stage for the sale of parts of the Baltimore-based money management firm.

12:22 PM EDT, September 4, 2012

Credit cards offer pricey — and unnecessary — extra products

Open a credit card account and you might walk away with more than just plastic.

7:42 PM EDT, August 20, 2012

Was Maryland's $10 million sales tax holiday worth it?

The early results of Maryland's sales tax holiday are in: Retailers liked it. So did their customers.

9:32 AM EDT, September 3, 2012

Federal workers propose waste-cutting ideas in White House contest

Federal workers are in the trenches daily, so they're likely to be the first to spot waste — and to come up with ways to save taxpayer dollars.

August 27, 2012

Couple helps other parents with cost of school supplies

Earlier this summer, Dan and Heather Simons started adding up the cost of school supplies for their son, who is entering first grade.

5:34 PM EDT, July 26, 2012

First Mariner reports another profitable quarter

For the second quarter in a row, First Mariner Bancorp reported a profit, thanks to low interest rates, which have triggered a burst of mortgage lending.

July 24, 2012

Would-be entrepreneurs will have a new place to call home

Baltimoreans, got a great idea for a web or mobile product? Do you have the passion — and energy — to turn that idea into a reality?

August 14, 2012

Consumers could be charged more for using credit cards

One of the largest business expenses for Santoni's Supermarket in Highlandtown is interchange fees — what the grocer pays a bank to process customer's credit card transactions.

August 28, 2012

So many financial scandals raises the question of whether ethics classes work

Ethics professors at business schools aren't short of teachable moments these days.

5:52 PM EDT, July 9, 2012

Baltimore city is among many suing big banks over allegations of rate-rigging

You're likely part of the largest financial scandal in the world today if you have an adjustable-rate mortgage or a private student loan.

4:54 PM EDT, August 17, 2012

Maryland's unemployment rate for July rises slightly to 7 percent

For yet another month, Maryland's unemployment rate inched upward, reaching 7 percent in July, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Friday.

6:28 PM EDT, July 16, 2012

Employers weed out job candidates with off-the-wall questions

You walk into a job interview prepared to be grilled about your skills and what you can bring to the position. Instead, the interviewer throws a curveball:

August 12, 2012

Stalemate in Congress makes tax planning nearly impossible

Here we are less than six months away from the "fiscal cliff" and Congress shows little sign of pulling the country back from the brink.

7:55 PM EDT, July 25, 2012

T. Rowe Price reports $206.8 million profit for second quarter

T. Rowe Price Group said earnings rose to $206.8 million for the second quarter on record revenue of $736.8 million, results that fell below analysts' expectations and sent the company's shares tumbling Wednesday.

August 26, 2012

Senior advocates urge more help to stop financial exploitation

Baltimore police arrested five people last week accused of impersonating city tax collectors and going to the homes of elderly residents to rob them.

7:48 PM EDT, August 6, 2012

Unlucky in love? Adopting savvy investors' methods could help

If you're stuck in a bad relationship, you might have something in common with the subprime mortgage mess.

July 15, 2012

Is your tax preparer changing your return to collect a refund?

The tax season ended in April for most of us, but for some consumers their tax headaches are only about to begin.

July 29, 2012

Report: Let private student loans be discharged in bankruptcy

Borrowers overwhelmed by private student loan debt often discover an ugly truth too late — these loans can't be discharged in bankruptcy like other types of consumer loans.

6:27 PM EDT, August 27, 2012

Southwest to drop service to Newark, N.J.

Southwest Airlines will discontinue service from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport to Newark, N.J., beginning March 10.

July 8, 2012

A big part of a federal worker's job is just getting there

Many federal workers in and around Washington make their home in the Baltimore area, so when two of them get together at a party, they immediately begin swapping commuting strategies.

5:05 PM EDT, July 3, 2012

Regal Bancorp reaches agreement with Federal Reserve

Regal Bancorp Inc. of Owings Mills has reached an agreement with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, the regulator announced Tuesday.

August 19, 2012

Is your financial aid being eaten up by debit-card fees?

Students across the country are headed back to college, and millions of them will get financial aid disbursed on a debit card.

9:48 AM EDT, August 12, 2012

New law will let federal employees ease into retirement

It's been a worry for many years: What happens when older federal workers retire and take decades of institutional knowledge with them?

6:33 PM EDT, August 6, 2012

New law will let federal employees ease into retirement

It's been a worry for many years: What happens when older federal workers retire and take decades of institutional knowledge with them?

7:50 PM EDT, July 2, 2012

Count on shady businesses cropping up in wake of storm

It happens after every natural catastrophe. Once the winds die down, the water recedes or the fire is doused, shady contractors appear on the scene to make affected homeowners victims twice over.

July 8, 2012

Study: Consumers taking out reverse mortgages earlier

Much of the wealth of millions of baby boomers is tied up in their houses — a sure sign we're going to see a growing demand for reverse mortgages.

June 17, 2012

Financial aid award letters often lack transparency and wind up confusing students and parents

When you buy a house, you know the price and your monthly payment. The same with a car.

7:24 PM EDT, July 27, 2012

Legg Mason posts first quarterly loss since 2009

Legg Mason Inc. reported Friday that it lost $9.5 million in the first quarter, citing the costs of restructuring debt and launching two funds.

June 26, 2012

Md. firms, treasurer balk at proposed money market regulations

Battle lines are being drawn over whether money market funds need more protection in the event of another financial crisis. Maryland investment firms and the state treasurer are on one side of the fight; the SEC chairman is on the other.

3:05 PM EDT, June 29, 2012

Workers to learn how much they pay for their 401(k)

Workers are about to get valuable information about their 401(k) — specifically, how much they pay for it.

July 22, 2012

Can consumers outraged by outages be compensated for woes?

Cathy Pelekakis, who was without power for six days after the June derecho, quickly made a few calls to complain: to her state representative, the Baltimore County executive and the Maryland Public Service Commission.

7:47 PM EDT, June 4, 2012

Investor distrust likely to rise after Facebook IPO debacle

Susan Fulton says about 100 clients of her Bethesda asset-management firm were "up for the risk" last month and invested a total of $1 million the day Facebook went public.

11:41 AM EDT, June 26, 2012

Bankruptcy petition preparers said to overstep bounds

When it comes to filing for bankruptcy, Marylanders are more likely to be do-it-yourselfers than debtors in other states.

8:52 PM EDT, June 24, 2012

Pikesville woman in critical condition after Westminster crash

The driver of a vehicle involved in a two-car accident in Westminster Saturday was listed in critical condition Sunday night at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

May 27, 2012

Travelers determined to have a vacation — within a budget

Money may be tight, but not enough for most of us to forgo a summer vacation.

June 25, 2012

William Waters Kirk IV, school headmaster

William Waters Kirk IV, a Baltimore native and former headmaster of the Calvert School, died June 18 of Parkinson's disease. He was 91.

7:23 PM EDT, May 14, 2012

New Md. law aims to halt financial abuse of the elderly

Maryland banks and credit unions are likely to be among the first to notice that an elderly customer is being financially exploited by a con artist or an unscrupulous relative.

8:19 PM EDT, June 18, 2012

New Web tool grades banks on their small-business help

Small businesses needing loans should think small — bankwise, that is.

6:32 PM EDT, June 11, 2012

Sparrows Point steelworkers await their fate — again

Rodney Donald represents the third generation of his family to work at the Sparrows Point steel mill, and he's hoping this one won't be the last.

June 10, 2012

About 21,000 high earners paid no federal income tax

A new report from the IRS shows that nearly 21,000 American households with incomes of $200,000 and up didn't owe federal income taxes.

May 6, 2012

The Interview John Hauserman, Certified Financial Planner board ambassador

Financial advisers often have an alphabet of professional designations behind their names, but the dominant one remains "CFP," or certified financial planner.

8:13 PM EDT, April 30, 2012

Regulators pressure life insurers to help beneficiaries collect their due

Regulators nationwide are pushing life insurers to do a better job of tracking when policyholders die and locating the beneficiaries — an effort that could reap billions of dollars for consumers.

May 29, 2012

New Baltimore Community ToolBank lends tools to volunteers working on charitable projects

The first sign that this isn't an ordinary warehouse in southwest Baltimore is the bright blue murals of screwdrivers, wrenches and other tools painted on the exterior.

6:24 PM EDT, May 21, 2012

Md. to launch program to stimulate lending to small businesses

Maryland small businesses gripe that they can't get loans from banks. Lenders complain of a dearth of borrowers.

May 20, 2012

Identity thieves filing fake returns using data on real taxpayers

Here's another reason to file your tax returns as early as possible: an identity thief might beat you to the money.

April 29, 2012

Consumer agency to review mandatory arbitration in financial services

Finally, a spotlight will be shone on a widespread business practice that forces unhappy customers to settle disputes through binding arbitration — rather than by telling their story in court.

May 13, 2012

Prepaid card market heats up — and the fees are plentiful

Prepaid debit cards are everywhere these days — and so are their fees.

7:14 PM EDT, April 23, 2012

Consumers stand to make a few gains from legislative session

Let's turn to baseball to sum up the Maryland legislative session's impact on consumers: It had a few singles but no home runs.

9:56 PM EDT, April 23, 2012

Caustic acids stored inside warehouse, site of three-alarm Canton blaze

With a Canton warehouse fire reduced to a smolder by Monday morning, attention shifted to ensuring that surrounding homes and the harbor's waters are protected from caustic chemicals inside the facility.

June 3, 2012

Taxpayers face long waits, conflicting information when trying to recover from identity theft

Tom Morgan tried to file his federal tax return electronically this year, but he kept getting an error message that advised him to double-check his Social Security number.

7:25 AM EDT, April 17, 2012

Owe taxes but your bank account is empty?

So the tax deadline is here and you don't have the money to pay the bill.

April 1, 2012

Many oppose health care act, and many don't know its benefits

The fate of the Affordable Care Act is in the hands of the Supreme Court justices. But in the court of public opinion, a large percentage of people polled recently want the law scrapped.

7:54 PM EDT, April 22, 2012

Mother Nature rains down on Earth Day

Mother Nature brought relief to a parched Baltimore on Sunday, but the persistent rain didn't dampen the spirits at the Earth Day festivities in Hampden.

7:54 PM EDT, May 7, 2012

Home renovations are a lot of work — and require due diligence

About a year ago, Matt Venditto hired a builder to construct a house in Westminster. It wasn't long before buyer's remorse set in.

May 6, 2012

Banks and credit unions to offer cash prizes under new law

The thrill of potentially winning big bucks gets people to spend millions of dollars regularly on lottery tickets. Can this same concept excite Marylanders to become better savers?

April 8, 2012

Another day, another security breach.

Even among the hundreds of data breaches that occur each year, the hacking of card processor Global Payments stands out.

10:05 AM EDT, April 10, 2012

Md. bans yo-yo financing of car purchases, but it still happens

Yo-yo financing is what happens when you drive off the lot with your newly purchased car, only to be reeled back in days or weeks later by the dealer because the financing didn't go through.

February 28, 2012

Fake debt collectors a 'major problem,' regulator says

It's bad enough being hounded by collection agencies for debt that's yours. Imagine getting calls from fake debt collectors in India who threaten to have you arrested for not repaying payday loans you don't owe.

1:16 AM EDT, April 23, 2012

Residents evacuated after 3-alarm fire ignites Canton warehouse

The Baltimore City Fire Department battled a three-alarm fire at a warehouse at 1200 Baylis St. in the Canton area late into the night Sunday, bringing it under control around midnight.

6:41 PM EDT, April 26, 2012

MICROS Systems reports profit, acquisition

Columbia-based MICROS Systems Inc., a provider of technology solutions for the hospitality industry, announced on Thursday that it had a $43.2 million profit in the third quarter and planned to buy a company in England.

3:55 PM EST, February 20, 2012

Consumers unhappy to find some rebates are taxable

Last year, Jane Kuhl and her husband qualified for a state-run program that promised a 50 percent rebate to homeowners installing energy-saving insulation.

February 12, 2012

Consumers are starting to flex their newfound muscle

Stef Gray recently delivered a petition to Sallie Mae's Washington office, asking the giant private lender to eliminate a fee that unemployed college graduates must pay to suspend payments until they find a job.

4:51 PM EDT, April 2, 2012

Young investors show less interest in IRAs

Give anyone age 40 and older a time machine and they would likely go back to their early 20s — to open an IRA.

9:16 AM EDT, April 3, 2012

Young investors show less interest in IRAs

Give anyone age 40 and older a time machine and they would likely go back to their early 20s — to open an IRA.

6:15 PM EDT, March 26, 2012

Maryland proposes ban on 'forced bundling' by insurers

Many consumers voluntarily buy more than one type of insurance from the same company so they can get a discount on premiums.

7:45 PM EDT, April 14, 2012

New law allows entrepreneurs to sell securities via crowdfunding

Could crowdfunding work for entrepreneurs who need capital for their private startup and are willing to sell a stake in it to the masses? Congress seems to think so.

8:16 AM EDT, March 13, 2012

Fewer workers saving for retirement, more under financial stress

Workers' confidence about their retirement is at a near-record low. Fewer are salting away money for their later years, and the majority have less than $25,000 in savings and investments.

9:55 AM EST, March 5, 2012

Financial planning for same-sex couples who seek to wed

Same-sex marriage, signed into law Thursday in Maryland, will bring significant changes to gay and lesbian couples here. But to their personal finances, maybe not so much.

February 5, 2012

Moves to lower your tax bill

Death and taxes might be certain, but the latter changes each year.

8:01 AM EST, January 31, 2012

Many Marylanders living without a financial safety net

Marylanders on average have the highest income in the country, but when it comes to having a financial cushion in hard times, we're disappointingly mediocre.

12:00 AM EDT, March 24, 2012

Apple sparks renewed interest in dividend-paying stocks

Apple made headlines again last week, but this time they weren't entirely about the new iPad.

5:49 PM EST, February 6, 2012

Retirees face the risk of outliving their money

Until recently, retirement planning focused mostly on helping workers accumulate savings.

4:11 PM EDT, March 19, 2012

Want a scholarship? Watch what you post online

Students beware: Scholarship providers aren't just going by your application to learn about you.

8:03 PM EST, January 23, 2012

Can Suze Orman's new prepaid card change credit scoring?

Personal finance guru Suze Orman says she never would have introduced her prepaid debit card if there wasn't a possibility that some day it could be used in credit scoring.

February 26, 2012

Maryland raises the bar for individual tax preparers

For years, anyone in Maryland could prepare tax returns for money, so it wasn't unheard of to find tax services offered at laundromats, car dealerships or palm-reader shops.

March 18, 2012

Md. legislation targets employer bias against unemployed

Many long-term unemployed have discovered an ugly truth: You need a job to get one.

8:37 PM EST, January 29, 2012

Addressing negative stereotypes of black men, yearlong program reaches end

Using music, poetry, dance and art, the Black Male Identity Project has been striving for the past year to overturn negative stereotypes of African-American men.

9:33 PM EST, February 5, 2012

Giants, Patriots fans anxiously watch rematch

Weeks before the start of the NFL season, a small group of New York Giants fans approached the new owner of the Canton bar the Americana: Could they make it their hangout?

January 22, 2012

Many workers are in the dark about 401(k) fees

Survey after survey shows that many workers don't know how much they shell out in 401(k) fees — or that they even pay them.

March 11, 2012

Eight things you might not know about Social Security

Most of us know some basics about Social Security.

February 14, 2012

Marrying your financial opposite: A fatal attraction?

Somewhere, a husband and wife are arguing about money — even on Valentine's Day. And researchers say that if the two were being totally honest, they would say:

February 19, 2012

Stopping thieves before they steal your child's identity

As concern grows over child identity theft, Maryland is considering legislation that would make the state the first in the nation to protect a youngster's credit report.

January 29, 2012

Debt buyers must provide more documents when suing Marylanders

Debt buyers have sued thousands of Marylanders over the years without showing much proof that the companies owned the debt — or that the consumers owed it.

7:29 PM EST, March 5, 2012

When you can't get a checking account, where do you go?

Roberto Pagan-Franco didn't have a bank account for decades. His employer paid him in cash or with a check that the Baltimore resident took to a check-cashing store. A few years ago he lost his job after a severe illness and for a time was homeless.

3:55 PM EST, January 13, 2012

Will giving children an allowance make them smarter about finances?

The conventional wisdom is that allowances make children responsible money managers as they learn to budget so they don't run out of cash.

9:31 PM EST, January 7, 2012

No quick fix: Getting out of debt requires patience — and help

After his mother's death six years ago, Doug Hamilton says, his financial life spiraled out of control. He spent freely, didn't pay his bills on time and had creditors calling him at work.

7:37 AM EST, January 17, 2012

Early birds can begin filing tax returns electronically with Uncle Sam and Maryland

Tax season is officially here, with the Internal Revenue Service and state of Maryland starting Tuesday to accept electronically filed returns.

December 28, 2011

More than 700 Sparrows Point steel workers laid off until early March

The owner of the Sparrows Point steel mill has told state unemployment insurance officials that about 720 workers at the Baltimore County plant are being furloughed and are expected back on the job March 4.

6:37 PM EST, January 9, 2012

Wish list for new director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

To: Richard Cordray, Director

7:59 PM EST, December 24, 2011

By improving their own finances, parents give gift to children

Many parents braved the malls to find their children this year's must-have toy or the hottest gadget.

December 31, 2011

What investors can expect in 2012

If you had slept Rip Van Winkle-style through 2011, you'd be awakening now to find that your stock portfolio was much the same as you left it.

7:03 PM EST, December 7, 2011

Janis Berzins Jr.

Janis Berzins Jr., a Latvian native who became a Johns Hopkins University lacrosse star in the early 1960s, died Nov. 28 of an aortic dissection. The resident of Phoenix in Baltimore County was 71.

4:46 PM EST, December 19, 2011

Investors should sell their losers now to reap a tax break

Jim Loukota of Baltimore County is trying to make the best of a soured investment.

10:56 PM EST, December 4, 2011

Baltimore police investigate report of armed individual in Hampden

Baltimore police Sunday night are investigating a report of an armed person in the 1400 block of Union Avenue in Hampden. Police spokesman Det. Jeremy Silbert said police received a call around 6 p.m. of an armed individual and investigators went to the scene. Few other details are available. As of 10:15 p.m., the investigation was still ongoing.

7:14 PM EST, December 12, 2011

Is a new credit card regulation hurting stay-at-home spouses?

An aim of the landmark credit card reform act of 2009 was to protect consumers from getting too deep into debt.

3:45 PM EST, December 26, 2011

New IRS reporting requirements kick in for fund firms in 2012

If you own mutual funds outside a retirement account, you likely have heard from the investment companies asking you to choose your math.

6:50 PM EST, November 28, 2011

You pay bills on time, so why isn't your credit score higher?

Marlene Partridge and her husband have a six-figure retirement income, no debt and pay off their credit cards each month.

November 27, 2011

The earlier we learn financial lessons, the better

John David Kromkowski learned about compound interest as a youngster with the help of a passbook savings account at the bank.

10:55 AM EST, December 5, 2011

Pedestrian injured in Anne Arundel County

A 52-year-old pedestrian was struck Sunday evening at the intersection of Telegraph Road and Grand View Avenue in Anne Arundel County, according to a statement from the county's police department. The county fire department was called to the scene at 7:19 p.m and transported the woman to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center, according to Lt. Keith Hamilton.

1:31 PM EST, January 2, 2012

If you resolve to pay off credit cards this year, do it right

Many consumers will resolve to pay off their credit cards for the new year, and their intentions are in the right place. But according to a recent study, how they go about it is likely to be wrong.

December 11, 2011

Got a gift card you don't use or want? Sell it

We want gift cards and like to give them, but for some reason we don't always use them and wind up wasting billions of dollars.

4:30 PM EST, November 21, 2011

Tips to help holiday shoppers avoid overspending

If consumers actually do what they say they'll do, this will be another slow holiday season for retailers.

6:13 PM EST, November 25, 2011

Federal regulators issue consent order to Owings Mills bank

Federal regulators have ordered Regal Bank & Trust in Owings Mills to make certain changes, such as drawing up written plans for maintaining capital levels and reducing "substandard" assets, according to a document released Friday by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

7:38 PM EST, November 7, 2011

Students need all the debt relief they can get

Tens of thousands of Marylanders could benefit from two initiatives by the Obama administration that are designed to ease the burden of federal student loans.

8:00 PM EST, December 5, 2011

Fraudulent schemes? There are enough out there to fill a book

Joyce Brown of Brooklyn Park receives lots of blatantly bogus letters claiming she won millions or billions of dollars in a lottery, but the one that arrived about a week ago was different.

December 4, 2011

Some students are leaving college with huge private loans

Megan Connors of Harford County says she got a great education at Auburn University but a brutal lesson on private student loans.

November 20, 2011

Make moves now to lower next year's tax bill

Year-end tax planning these next several weeks will be refreshingly straightforward for a change.

November 30, 2011

Experts: Firms must engage workers now to keep them later

The past few years have been a struggle for employers trying to keep their businesses running and their employees satisfied despite ever-tighter budgets.

9:42 AM EDT, November 1, 2011

Debit card fees are last straw for some consumers

Apparently, consumers have a breaking point — a $5 monthly debit-card fee.

6:22 PM EST, November 14, 2011

Should you buy a computer on Monday or Friday?

Timing is everything if you're trying to get the best deal on a computer, airfares, cars and even stocks.

November 13, 2011

As credit card reward programs grow more generous, it's worth checking what's in your wallet

Don't automatically shred those credit card offers arriving in your mailbox. They just might contain an attractive rewards program.

October 29, 2011

Even savvy consumers can find it tough to negotiate car sales

Most of us don't buy cars all that often. So when we do, we can come away with that nagging feeling of not knowing whether we got a fair deal or grossly overpaid.

December 18, 2011

How does your savings rate measure up for your age?

How much in savings and investments should you have by age 35 or 45? Or, for that matter, at 65 when you're likely to be near retirement?

September 18, 2011

More parents are laying out the welcome mat for kids, Census Bureau reports

A couple of years ago, Joe and Marlene Everett were 50-something empty nesters with a daughter out on her own and a son away at college.

5:42 PM EDT, September 26, 2011

Debt collectors, other businesses want to call your cellphone

That unfamiliar incoming call to your cellphone soon might be from a debt collector.

12:03 PM EDT, October 7, 2011

Taking the holiday blues and hassles out of air travel

Airfares can fluctuate even within the span of a few hours, but the direction of holiday travel prices is one-way: up.

4:57 PM EDT, November 1, 2011

U.S. savings bonds rate fall

The Bureau of Public Debt on Tuesday released the new rates for savings bonds purchased between November and the end of April.

7:11 PM EDT, August 29, 2011

Earthquake. Hurricane. What disaster is next?

If this past week was not a wake-up call to make sure you are financially prepared to survive a natural disaster, what is?

August 28, 2011

Tough economic times make less expensive colleges more attractive to families

Sam Cameron says high school classmates used to give her "funny looks" when she told them she planned to go to a local community college after graduation instead of some prestigious four-year institution.

September 4, 2011

Little-known health education and advocacy unit helps Marylanders resolve medical bill and insurance disputes

The surgery on Don Hayden's son was successful. The only lingering complication: a bill for $23,000.

6:19 PM EDT, August 22, 2011

Consumer advocates fear that more traditional banks will be offering payday loans

If you are offered a short-term advance on your paycheck at a triple-digit interest rate, you might think you're being pitched a payday loan — a product that's basically banned in Maryland and other states with rate caps.

7:00 PM EDT, August 1, 2011

Credit unions developed battle plans to protect federal workers during debt ceiling fight

While congressional leaders work to push through a deal to raise the government's debt ceiling, some credit unions that serve federal employees aren't taking any chances.

8:27 PM EDT, August 8, 2011

Investors' flight to Treasuries seen to have a short-term benefit to consumers

Investors watched stock markets swoon and economists fretted about the nation's fragile recovery on the first day of trading after the unprecedented downgrade of the nation's credit rating.

7:15 PM EDT, August 15, 2011

Interest rates on consumer loans have fallen recently

The silver lining in all this economic upheaval lately: low interest rates on consumer borrowing.

9:15 PM EDT, September 5, 2011

Troubled homeowners still have time to get mortgage assistance

Help still is available for Marylanders at risk of losing their homes because they lost a job, their pay was cut or earnings reduced because of an illness.

5:41 PM EDT, July 26, 2011

T. Rowe Price earnings rise 29% in 2nd quarter

T. Rowe Price Group, the Baltimore-based mutual fund and investment advisory company, reported Tuesday a profit of $204.7 million for the second quarter, a 29 percent increase over the corresponding period a year ago.

October 2, 2011

Employers face higher health care costs for next year

Health care costs rose faster than inflation and wages this year — a trend that will hit home for many workers in the next several weeks as employers offer open enrollment.

September 13, 2011

To end a banking relationship, don't just walk away

Breaking up with a bank can be hard to do — and expensive if you don't do it right.

7:09 PM EDT, September 23, 2011

Know your rights in disputes with landlords

For Eddie Germino, being unemployed for a time last year worked to his advantage in a dispute with his Maryland landlord.

9:52 AM EDT, July 26, 2011

Treasury moves away from paper to electronic savings bonds

The move by the federal government to end the sale of paper savings bonds at banks and credit unions next year is bad news for savers in more ways than one.

6:42 PM EDT, September 19, 2011

Student borrowers have another option before defaulting on loans

The number of borrowers defaulting on federal student loans continues to rise in Maryland and elsewhere. But even during the long and painful economic recovery, many of these defaults likely are unnecessary.

9:11 PM EDT, October 24, 2011

Taking the mystery out of the bottom-line cost of college

By the time you know how much it will cost out of pocket to attend a college, you are far along in the process. Not only have you been accepted by the school, but you've likely waited weeks to receive the financial aid package.

4:32 PM EDT, August 6, 2011

Debt-ceiling debate, market downslide test investors' appetite for risk

Think about how you have been feeling about your portfolio lately.

August 24, 2011

Earthquake coverage as rare as earthquakes in Maryland

Marylanders whose houses sustained damage from Tuesday's earthquake are about to get more bad news: Their homeowners' policies likely won't cover repairs.

August 14, 2011

Help wanted: But only the employed need apply

While nearly 14 million unemployed Americans are searching for work, some employers are limiting their hiring to preferred candidates: People who already have jobs.

November 6, 2011

As America ages, issue of long-term care emerges

When the Obama administration recently backed off a long-term insurance program that was part of the law to overhaul health care, we all lost.

8:34 PM EDT, August 26, 2011

Nasdaq issues another warning to First Mariner

First Mariner Bancorp says it has been notified by Nasdaq Stock Market that it still fails to meet the standards to remain listed on the exchange, according to documents filed with securities regulators on Friday.

September 11, 2011

Consumers aren't alone when they've been wronged

Last week's column on a little-known state group that helps consumers with medical disputes generated emails from readers asking if organizations exist that can help them tackle other problems.

June 26, 2011

Investors may soon be able to buy into their favorite Internet companies

Investment guru Peter Lynch once advised ordinary folks to "invest in what you know."

11:34 AM EDT, August 1, 2011

Car buyers should know their rights when getting financing through an auto dealer

Imagine showing off your new car to friends and family only to get a call from the dealer — sometimes weeks later — saying your financing has fallen through.

November 2, 2011

Bank of America drops plans for debit card fee

Facing a consumer backlash and an online revolt, Bank of America said Tuesday that it won't adopt a $5 monthly debit card fee next year after all.

August 21, 2011

Budgeting is a drag, but online personal financial management sites make the chore easier

Online budgeting sites aim to take the tedium out of money management, and the latest entry even tries to make a game of it with cash prizes.

6:50 PM EDT, August 18, 2011

Rockville bank to assume deposits of shuttered Pa. bank

Capital Bank, National Association of Rockville has agreed to assume the deposits and buy nearly all the assets of a Pennsylvania bank that was closed by regulators Thursday, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

8:54 PM EDT, August 9, 2011

Consumer and business confidence seen as key to weathering economic storm

Bettie Dunkin was surprisingly unfazed by the financial turmoil of the last few days.

6:24 PM EDT, July 18, 2011

A year in the making, consumers finally get greater protections on financial matters

Consumer advocates aren't getting their first choice to lead the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Despite the setback, this is still a big week for consumer protection.

July 24, 2011

Millions of dollars earmarked for investor education across the country

Back in 2003, major Wall Street firms agreed to pay more than $1 billion to settle claims that their research analysts hyped stocks to curry favor with — and get business from — the companies they covered.

6:09 PM EDT, August 16, 2011

Financial adviser accused of defrauding vulnerable clients

A federal grand jury indicted a Baltimore financial adviser Tuesday for mail fraud in an alleged scheme to defraud vulnerable clients including an 85-year-old with dementia of more than $838,500, according to the U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland.

July 10, 2011

Today's treasure hunter doesn't need a secret map or shovel to uncover wealth

Years ago, before we were married and moved to Maryland, my husband opened a checking account in Indiana and had the statements mailed to his office there.

7:54 PM EDT, June 20, 2011

How to find a real, live person for real customer service

This recorded message must be one of the biggest fibs a business makes to customers: "Your call is very important to us."

6:09 PM EST, January 31, 2011

Why pay more to file your taxes?

If you are a low- to moderate-income taxpayer and you shell out any money to have your taxes done, you're likely paying too much.

June 19, 2011

How to rebuild finances after losing a job and finding another

Ever so slowly, the unemployed are getting hired. And if you're one of them, the next task will be to get your finances back on track.

8:30 PM EDT, April 1, 2011

Hale: First Mariner working with regulators despite doubts over future

First Mariner Bancorp Chairman and CEO Edwin F. Hale Sr. said Friday that the company is continuing to try to raise capital and to work with regulators who have put the largest Baltimore-based bank under heightened scrutiny for two years.

6:41 PM EDT, July 20, 2011

FTC to mail $108M in refunds to Countrywide customers

The Federal Trade Commission announced Wednesday that it would begin mailing 450,177 refund checks worth up to several thousand dollars each to former customers of Countrywide Home Loans Inc.

January 30, 2011

Changes you may encounter while preparing this season's tax return

For taxpayers who are procrastinators, this is your year.

6:55 PM EDT, July 15, 2011

Small investors worry about debt-ceiling impasse

While politicians in Washington refuse to compromise on raising the debt ceiling, small investors are worrying about what a stalemate might mean to their life savings.

July 3, 2011

Consumer advocate feared by financial institutions appears in Baltimore

On Capitol Hill, some lawmakers treat Elizabeth Warren as if she were Public Enemy No. 1.

1:45 PM EST, January 21, 2011

Some taxpayers will be getting their refunds on a prepaid card

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons is hawking a prepaid card. Reality TV star Kim Kardashian briefly offered a prepaid card before it was pulled off the market. Then earlier this month, the Treasury Department announced that it would allow some taxpayers to get their refunds on prepaid cards this year.

9:52 AM EDT, July 12, 2011

Retailers, manufacturers crack down on extreme couponing

It was just a matter of time before businesses began to push back against some of the worst behaviors of extreme couponers.

8:00 PM EDT, June 27, 2011

Regulators focusing on bank overdraft programs

Some banks soon will find it more difficult to slap consumers with overdraft fees — a boon to customers who discover that one misstep can lead to a cascade of penalties.

February 9, 2010

How protected are you from snow damage?

With 2 feet of snow this past weekend and more flakes forecasted, many homes in the Baltimore area are likely to end up with some weather-related damage.

July 5, 2011

Federal Reserve sets limits on debit card swipe fees, leaving merchants and banks unhappy

You might not have paid attention to the fierce yearlong battle between merchants and banks over debit cards, but you'll likely notice last week's outcome in your wallet.

March 1, 2011

IRS promises to ease up on struggling American taxpayers

The Internal Revenue Service says it will file fewer liens against those who owe back taxes and make it easier for taxpayers to get liens withdrawn — a move that wipes the blemish from credit reports.

March 14, 2010

PERSONAL FINANCE

Build a better 401(k)

The fastest-growing segment of the population these days: centenarians.

5:50 PM EDT, June 13, 2011

IRS revokes tax-exempt status of thousands of Maryland groups

Soccer clubs, PTAs, community associations, a temperance union and inactive foundations belonging to a couple of Baltimore sport legends are among the thousands of Maryland groups that have had their tax-exempt status revoked by the Internal Revenue Service.

9:33 PM EDT, March 31, 2011

Auditors raise doubts about First Mariner's future

Auditors have raised doubts about First Mariner Bancorp's ability to remain in business, according to financial statements that the largest Baltimore-based bank, founded by prominent businessman Edwin F. Hale Sr., filed with regulators late Thursday.