Front page › Sources
Where this paper gets its information
34 primary sources and 10 secondary, by beat
Agencies and the institutions that set a figure decide. Trade press and blogs are for finding stories, never for citing alone. Many agency sites block automated requests or publish no feed; watch_finance.py reads the ones that work, and the rest are checked by hand. Rate figures come from Treasury and Freddie Mac directly. Avoid content written to sell a card or account: if a page earns a commission on what it recommends, it is not a source.
Rates 4 primary · 1 secondary
Primary
FOMC statements, minutes and discount-rate actions. The authority on the federal funds target.
Meeting dates; decisions come at 2 p.m. Eastern on the second day.
Daily closing yields, bills through 30-year bonds. Read by watch_finance.py rates.
New savings bond rates every May 1 and November 1.
Taxes 3 primary · 1 secondary
Primary
News releases, deadlines, disaster relief and inflation adjustments. No working RSS; check by hand or with watch_finance.py pages.
Plan types, eligibility and current setup fees.
Proposed and final regulations with comment deadlines. Read by watch_finance.py deadlines.
Retirement 3 primary · 1 secondary
Primary
COLA, wage base, benefit rules and service changes. Blocks most automated requests.
Enrollment windows and what you can change.
Medicare premiums and deductibles, usually announced each fall.
Credit & debt 3 primary · 1 secondary
Primary
Consumer finance rules, enforcement and guidance on cards, loans, credit reports and collections.
Repayment plans, forgiveness, FAFSA dates. Page needs a browser.
National bank supervision and enforcement.
Housing 3 primary · 1 secondary
Primary
Weekly 30- and 15-year averages, Thursdays at noon Eastern. Read by watch_finance.py rates.
Housing programs, FHA rules and disaster housing aid.
Conforming loan limits each November, house price index.
Investing 3 primary · 1 secondary
Primary
Rules, enforcement and investor alerts.
SEC investor education and fraud alerts.
Check any broker or adviser before you trust them.
Small business 3 primary · 0 secondary
Primary
Loan programs, disaster loans and contracting rules.
Estimated tax, payroll and information-return rules.
Retail sales, inventories and business formation data.
Consumer alerts 4 primary · 0 secondary
Primary
Enforcement and refund programs. Read by watch_finance.py feeds.
Scam warnings in plain language.
Every open refund case and how payments work.
Bank failures and what happens to deposits.
Money tools 3 primary · 0 secondary
Primary
Earnings record, benefit estimates and notices.
Balances, payments, transcripts and payment plans.
The only federally authorized source of free credit reports.
Economy 3 primary · 1 secondary
Primary
Monthly inflation; sets the Social Security COLA.
Jobs, wages, prices at a glance.
GDP, personal income and spending, PCE inflation.
Tips & how-tos 2 primary · 1 secondary
Primary
Plain guides on credit, loans, debt collection and complaints.
Scams, identity theft and credit guidance.
Screen & reading 0 primary · 2 secondary
Primary