The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Number of renters 60-plus up 43 percent in a decade

As the baby boom generation gets older with 22 percent of the nation now 60-plus, the number of older adults renting, rather than owning their own homes, is increasing. Renters households aged 60 and up increased 43 percent, from 6,550,000 in 2007 to 9,370,000 in 2017. This growth was more than younger renter groups.

In more than 300 cities analyzed, 24 cities have larger numbers of older adult renters over 60-plus years of age than young renters under 35 years of age. 

In a study analyzing the growth of renters 60-plus across the United States since 2007, RENTCafe.com, an apartment news website, found:

Fewer children’s products recalled in 2018, study shows

The number of children’s products and the total number of those products recalled in 2018 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission declined more than in any year in the last decade, according to a report by Kids In Danger, a children’s safety advocacy organization.

The report reviews 2018 recall data from the commission, which show a reduction of activity at the agency. Fifty-two children’s products were recalled in 2018, down 44 percent from the 93 recalls in 2017.

“It is tricky to say whether low recall numbers are a good thing – pointing to safer products – or a sign of lax enforcement, leaving dangerous products on store shelves and in our homes,” said Nancy Cowles, executive Director of Kids In Danger. “Indicators this year, such as less effective actions in lieu of recalls and fewer findings of design defects in the recalls that were announced, make us worry it is the latter.”

The report, “A KID Report: 2018 Children’s Product Recalls,” shows:

Jury finds Roundup caused groundskeeper’s cancer

A California jury found in favor of a man who said his cancer was caused by exposure Roundup, a weed killer. The verdict on Tuesday is further evidence that glyphosate, the herbicide’s active ingredient, is carcinogenic to humans, said Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook.

The jury agreed with evidence presented by the attorneys for Edward Hardeman in Edward Hardeman v. Monsanto Co. that glyphosate was the cause of his non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

“Today’s verdict reinforces what another jury found last year, and what scientists with the state of California and the World Health Organization have concluded: Glyphosate causes cancer in people,” said Cook.

Celebrating, traveling, and shopping on Saint Patrick’s Day 2019

In 1991, the U.S. Congress designated March as Irish-American Heritage Month.

Saint Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century, and Saint Patrick’s Day was originally a religious holiday to honor him. It has evolved into a celebration of being Irish and Ireland. On March 17, 1762, New York City hosted the first Saint Patrick’s Day parade. Irish soldiers serving in the English military were featured. President Harry Truman attending the parade in 1948, and it has become an annual event.

Spending

Consumers plan to spend an average of $40 for Saint Patrick’s Day this year, according to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation. Unlike other holidays where consumer spending has grown, the average amount consumers spend has stayed the same even as the nation recovered from the Great Recession.

Under Trump, enforcement of consumer financial laws drops sharply, especially in areas with the highest complaints

The number of publicly announced enforcement actions under the Trump administration at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is dropping sharply, according to a report by the Consumer Federation of America.

“Law enforcement activity at the CFPB has dropped precipitously under the Trump Administration’s leadership,” said Christopher Peterson, director of financial services for the federation and author of the report.

The bureau is charged with enforcing federal consumer financial law and bringing legal action against companies that violate that law. The bureau also has the authority to seek restitution for consumers and levy fines when it finds violations. The report finds that activity in both of these areas is on the decline – overall enforcement activity is down by 80 percent from the bureau’s peak in enforcement actions in 2015 and average relief to victims is down by 96 percent per case.

As credit card debt reaches a record high, do you need help getting out of debt?

Consumers racked up $67 billion in credit card debt during 2018, an all-time high, according to the “Credit Card Debt Study,” a report by WalletHub, a personal-finance website.

Since the end of the Great Recession, consumer have increased their credit card debt in six of every 10 quarters.

WalletHub also released a “2019 Debt Survey,” which highlights consumers’ thoughts about over-borrowing, including the fact that 156 million Americans admit they’d go into debt for frivolous purchases.

The current credit card debt situation is similar to the period just before the Great Recession. However, WalletHub’s analysis of the latest data indicates the nation is in for another $60 billion-plus in new credit card debt during 2019. That would push the average household’s balance from $8,788 currently to $9,295 by year’s end – higher than it has ever been.

Claire pulls kids’ makeup containing asbestos from shelves after FDA tests

Claire, a mall chain store, is removing from shelves three talc-based products — eye shadows, compact powder, and contour powder — that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said earlier this week contain asbestos. Claire’s said it’s doing this "out of an abundance of caution."

FDA test results confirmed the findings of a U.S. PIRG Education Fund study last year that discovered asbestos in Claire’s compact and contour powders. Talc is a substance that sometimes contains naturally-occurring asbestos, and Claire’s said it was "also removing any remaining talc based cosmetic products."

"While we are relieved that children will no longer be able to buy three asbestos-containing cosmetics at Claire's, we urge Claire's to take stronger action with these products,” said Kara Cook-Schultz, toxics program director for U.S. PIRG Education Fund. “Many consumers still have these dangerous products on their shelves at home. Parents and kids should be informed about the problems with the makeup they purchased."

The FDA is advising consumers not to use these products.

Copyright 2019, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

How Wall Street influenced Congress last year

Ten years after the financial crisis, a majority of members of the Congress in 2018 voted again and again for bank-backed bills that endanger financial stability, undermine consumer and investor protections, and enable racial discrimination in lending, according to a report by Americans for Financial Reform.

The report, “Where They Stand on Financial Reform,” shows how each lawmaker voted in areas affecting Wall Street and predatory lenders. It also identifies those members of Congress who most frequently voted with Wall Street or predatory lenders, and against the public interest.

“Majorities in the 115th Congress voted repeatedly for measures that benefit Wall Street and predatory lenders over consumers and investors,” said Rion Dennis, financial reform advocate at AFR. “Strong public opposition and the 60-vote threshold in the Senate ensured that many of these measures passed in the House, but not the Senate. But when some Democrats joined the solid block of Republicans – or where only 50 votes were required – dangerous deregulation became law.”

What are the best and worst cars to buy in 2019?

Photo: EurovisionNim

The Consumer Reports 2019 Top Picks in cars list includes six new winners – the Hyundai Kona, Subaru Ascent, and BMW X5, and three Toyotas – the Yaris, Prius, and Avalon.

The all-new Subaru Ascent is Consumer Report’s Top Pick in the midsized SUV category. Its smooth power delivery, comfy ride, functional interior, and suspension performance that rival some luxury cars helped put it to the top of the pack, said Jake Fisher, senior director of Automotive Testing at Consumer Reports. The top luxury SUV, the BMW X5, is among the best SUVs that CR has ever tested, Fisher said.  

“The Ascent really impressed in our rigorous tests and is a great all-around performer,” he said. “It’s a highly functional and comfortable three-row vehicle that will appeal to many families.”

Toyota led all the automotive brands with four Consumer Reports Top Picks for the second consecutive year. The Prius earned Consumer Reports Top Pick honors for a record 16th time, this year including in the newly created Hybrid/Electric Car category. The fourth-generation of the pioneering hybrid gets 52 mpg overall in Consumer Reports’ fuel economy tests, and maintains an outstanding track record for reliability and owner satisfaction, Fisher said. The Camry is the top midsized sedan for second straight year. This is the second time that the Yaris has been a Top Pick; the first time it made the list was in 2017. The Avalon is on the list for the very first time.

What are the best airline frequent flyer programs?

With U.S. airlines expected to carry more than 800 million passengers on domestic flights this year, consumers are interested in figuring out how they can save money on airline costs this year.

Do frequent flyer programs help consumers cut travel costs? They’re beneficial for me. My daughter lives in Madrid, and I’ll be using a free ticket this spring with the airline miles I’ve accumulated.

WalletHub, a personal finance website, released a report Wednesday on “2019’s Best Frequent Flyer Program.” It ranks the 10 largest domestic airlines based on 23 key items, ranging from the value of a point/mile to blackout dates for rewards flights.
 
Highlights from the report are: