Top finance investigations from 2013

Introduction

Editors note: As the year winds down, we wanted to revisit some of the best accountability journalism from each of our coverage sections. We’ll be posting a new list daily for the rest of the year.

We were excited to bring our finance coverage back this year, particularly the ‘After the Meltdown‘ investigation that followed-up on our 2009 look at the financial crisis.

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Poor hurt by benefits changes

A government initiative aimed at saving money by eliminating paper checks is hurting some recipients of federal benefits while earning the bank that operates the program millions in fees charged to consumers. Keep reading

Would Yellen-led Fed be tougher on banks?

Janet Yellen’s confirmation as Fed chair is expected early in 2014, we spoke with her earlier this summer about Alan Greenspan, and the dangers of risky mortgages. Keep reading

Wall Street’s revolving door

Executives from the mortgage finance division that helped sink Bear Stearns have similar jobs at major Wall Street banks. Keep reading

“Theirs was a big miss, not a stumble”

Five years after the near-collapse of the nation’s financial system, we looked at what happened to five former Wall Street kingpins to see what they are up to these days. None are in jail, nor are any criminal charges expected to be filed — certainly none are hurting for money. Keep reading

Subprime mortgage deja vu?

Top executives from the biggest subprime lenders are back in the game. Many are developing new loans that target borrowers with low credit scores and small down payments, pushing the limits of tighter lending standards that have prevailed since the crisis. Some experts fear they won’t know where to stop. Keep reading

Credit unions’ new BFF?

Minutes after Rick Metsger took the oath of office to become the newest overseer of the nation’s credit union industry, he walked a few blocks up the street to break bread with executives and lobbyists for the firms he now regulates. Keep reading