The unemployment rate for veterans aged 20 to 24 has averaged 30 percent this year, more than double that of others the same age. As more veterans find their way back into civilian life — a number that could total 1 million veterans according to a White House estimate — President Obama has challenged companies to hire veterans.

Now most of us know veterans get some breaks when it comes to government work, and it is well deserved I might add,  but one California company deserves some applause. They have taken it a step further. [Read full story...]

Delinquencies on mortgages controlled by Freddie Mac rose to 3.58% in December, the highest reading in nine months for the GSE, and a sign that it likely will continue to post operating losses in the immediate quarters ahead. Is the best still yet to come? [Read full story...]

Banks are requiring more financial documentation from all buyers, but because of the variability in their income streams, the finances of self-employed borrowers tend to get a more thorough look. Personal tax returns, business tax returns and financial statements are considered in establishing the overall viability of a borrower, said Franco Terango, senior vice president and divisional executive at Bank of America Home Loans. [Read full story...]

Small and mid-sized businesses that lose top performers incur the costs of hiring and training new employees, but they face an even greater risk: damaging relationships with existing customers and eroding the morale of other employees. Proof of this is that the companies that are the most profitable usually have the highest employee retention. [Read full story...]

Banks need to lend more. That is what regulators in Washington have been saying for months, even years now. Banks retort they might lend more if regulators were not being so tough on them, either by layering on new capital requirements that tie up funds or by in-house examiners taking a hard line with the banks’ loan portfolios. Speaking to regulators and bank executives across the country, CNBC found the weak lending environment can’t be blamed solely on the banks: Regulators have a hand in it too. There is a difference between what officials in Washington say and what regulations and bank examiners allow. [Read full story...]

It’s natural for small business owners to focus on customers at the start of the year. Owners are looking for new business opportunities and making sure their relationships with existing customers stay strong. They need to shift some of their focus to their employees. Now is the time for owners to sit down with staffers to discuss what they’ll do for them during the coming year. That’s right — what owners will do for their workers. [Read full story...]

Are feelings of clients more important than your company being able to stay in business? Let’s hope you said no. Obviously everyone’s feelings are important, but the question is when does it stop becoming a business’ problem. This article touches on how important the collection process is to small businesses and gives some ideas as to how other professionals collect on their outstanding invoices. [Read full story...]

Mortgage rates tend to mirror long-term U.S. Treasury rates, which have declined in recent weeks. The benchmark 10-year Treasury note hovered around 2.12 percent late Wednesday and set a record low auction yield of 2.14 percent the same day. If you’re convinced now is a good time to refinance your existing mortgage, or buy a new home, here are some ways that traditional advice is playing out in today’s market: [Read full story...]

Most of the job growth in 2011 was concentrated in industries that tend to pay low wages and skimpy benefits. But toward the end of the year, and especially in December, hiring became broader-based and included more higher-paying jobs. That trend bodes well for the economy if it holds up. [Read full story...]