Current Events in March 2015

Is it true that if you don't take your car to the dealer for service your warranty will be voided? The answer is a resounding "No" as BMW has just been reminded. 

The automaker has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that its MINI Division violated the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act by telling consumers that BMW would void their warranty unless they used MINI parts and MINI dealers to perform maintenance and repair work.

The FTC had alleged that BMW, through its MINI Division, violated a provision in the Warranty Act that prohibits companies from requiring that consumers – in order to maintain their warranties – use specific brands of parts or specified service centers (unless the part or service is provided to the consumer without charge).

“It’s against the law for a dealer to refuse to honor a warranty just because someone else did maintenance or repairs on the car,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “As a result of this order, BMW will change its practices and give MINI owners information about their rights.”

No laughing matter

Warranty coverage is no laughing matter for MINI Cooper owners. The little cars are great fun and get excellent gas mileage but they do tend to have more than their share of problems.

"I have owned a 2008 MINI Copper S since 2009. I have had some fun driving it around but like others I regret buying it. The cost of ownership for this car is very high. If you take it in to the dealer expect to pay at least $1,000 every time," said John of Durham, N.C., in a ConsumerAffairs review.

"Bought my 2009 Cooper S new in Kelowna. This is by far the most fun vehicle to drive - love it. Has had a few issues mind you," said Rita of Kelowna, BC, as she launched into her list: 

New timing chain at 76000Km. New engine at 82000Km. New Turbo at 120000Km. New fuel pump - new high pressure pump - excessive carbon build up requiring walnut blasting on more than one occasion ( $1000 each time not covered under warranty). The list goes on. Its now parked since the timing chain has failed yet again and the dealership wants another $4500 to repair it. So far this vehicle including extended warranties and repairs - not including general maintenance such as oil changes etc - has cost me a staggering $55000! This does not include parts and labour covered under warranty.

Rocio of Los Angeles sums up his MINI relationship in a review captioned "So cute, yet so bad."

"I've had my 2009 MINI Cooper since, well, 2009. It was the car that I test drove on the lot, and I fell in love with it at first sight. All was great, until it wasn't. Started having problems at around the 2 year mark. Since it was still under warranty, some stuff was covered. But once the warranty was out, I had to pay out of pocket which was REALLY pricey," Rocio said. "Finally after 5 years, I was able to find a good, honest, MINI-expert mechanic who told me my MINI would need a refill of oil every three gas fill ups! He said my model MINI burns oil every couple hundred miles."

Rocio's mechanic is right. MINIs, at least the ones we know, do tend to burn oil, as do several other German cars we can think of. 

For what it's worth, the author has owned four MINI Coopers and has found Avus Autosport in Glendale, Calif., to be the type of mechanic Rocio wishes he'd found years ago. 

Fire is dangerous but so are the chemicals that slow the spread of flames in furniture. And a California state senator thinks parents should have a choice about which risks their children ae exposed to.

Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) is pushing a bill that would require juvenile products to be clearly labeled with whether or not they contain flame retardant chemicals.

Although they may increase safety in the event of a fire, these chemicals have been linked to health hazards like cancer, infertility, hormone disruption, and hyperactivity. The look and the feel of the products is soft and safe, but flame retardants can create carbon monoxide when burned. This is not only a threat to families, but also can also be hazardous to firefighters, Leno said.

Leno is looking to cover as many child-oriented items as possible in his new legislation, Senate Bill 763. This includes bassinets, high chair pads, nap mats, strollers, kid’s upholstered furniture, infant seats, baby carriers worn by parents, and many more. The new bill also would apply to common household items that children come into contact with on a daily basis.

Consumer options

This is not Leno’s first attempt at getting flame retardants in check. He has been a longtime advocate of updating California’s flammability standards, which led to prevalent use of fire retardants in the first place.

Leno’s main goal is to let consumers have options when making important purchases, he said.

“It’s important to label them because these are products with which our youngest and most vulnerable have their most intimate daily contact. They’re possibly sucking on them, they’ve got their head buried in them, they’re embraced by them, and these chemicals are most dangerous to them,” Leno said.

If passed, Leno’s bill could have some serious consequences for those that don’t label their goods appropriately. There would be fines and penalties if a company doesn’t adhere to the guidelines. A first offense could carry a $1,000 fine, which could be increased to $10,000 for a fourth or subsequent violation.

Not everyone agrees with Leno. The American Chemistry Council says the retardants are a vital tool and already subject to review by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, among others.

We should “not lose sight of the fact that flame retardants provide an important layer of fire protection and help save lives,” said council spokesman Brian Goodman. His alternative to Leno’s proposition would have legislators work with California policymakers to “build on the progressive fire safety measures that have been responsible for the reduction in fires and fire deaths in California over the last several decades”.

Leno's bill has been co-sponsored by the California Professional Firefighters, the Center for Environmental Health, and the Consumer Federation of California.

Leno says his objective is to give consumers the option to make informed choices on what they want to expose their families to. He thinks that providing this option will also help create an industry standard which will have an effect on the world market. People will be able to make clear choices on what they prefer.

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Additional editing and reporting by Christopher Maynard

You're a good person -- you contribute to worthwhile charities, right?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says that in order to make sure you claim all those donations when you file your federal tax return you need to make sure you have accurate record.

In particular, this includes insuring you have received required statements for 2 contribution categories: each gift of at least $250 and donations of vehicles.

What the law requires

First, to claim a charitable contribution deduction, donors must get a written acknowledgment from the charity for all contributions of $250 or more -- both cash and property. For the latter, the acknowledgment must include -- among other things -- a description of the items contributed.

In addition, the law requires that taxpayers have all acknowledgments in hand before filing their tax return. These acknowledgments are not filed with the return but must be retained along with other tax records.

Second, special reporting requirements generally apply to vehicle donations, and taxpayers wishing to claim these donations must attach any required documents to their tax return. The deduction for a car, boat or airplane donated to charity is usually limited to the gross proceeds from its sale.

This rule applies if the claimed value is more than $500. Form 1098-C or a similar statement, must be provided to the donor by the organization and attached to the donor’s tax return.

The IRS says taxpayers should be sure any charity they are giving to is a qualified organization. Only donations to eligible organizations are tax-deductible. Select Check, a searchable online tool available on IRS.gov, lists most organizations that are eligible to receive deductible contributions.

In addition, churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and government agencies are eligible even if they are not listed in the tool’s database.

Who can claim

Only taxpayers who itemize their deductions on Form 1040 Schedule A can claim gifts to charity. Thus, taxpayers who choose the standard deduction cannot deduct their charitable contributions. This includes anyone who files a short form (Form 1040A or 1040EZ).

A taxpayer will have a tax savings only if the total itemized deductions (mortgage interest, charitable contributions, state and local taxes, etc.) exceed the standard deduction. Use the 2014 Form 1040, Schedule A to determine whether itemizing is better than claiming the standard deduction.

Besides Schedule A, taxpayers who give property to charity usually must attach a special form for reporting these noncash contributions. If the amount of the deduction for all noncash contributions is over $500, a properly-completed Form 8283 is required.

There was a slight uptick last week in the number of people applying for the first time for state unemployment benefits last week.

According to the Labor Department (DOL), initial claims rose by 1,000 from the previous week's revised level of 290,000 to 291,000 in the week ending March 14.

Economists surveyed by Briefing.com were calling for an increase to 293,000. Analysts say the claims level below 300,000 suggests a small improvement in the labor market, but add that the volatility of recent weeks makes it hard to determine market conditions.

The 4-week moving average, which is less volatile, was 304,750 -- an increase of 2,250 from the previous week.

The full report is on the DOL website.

Leading Economic Index

From The Conference Board, word that its Leading Economic Index (LEI) was up 0.2% in February, following advances of 0.2% and 0.4% in January and December, respectively.

"Widespread gains among the leading indicators continue to point to short-term growth," said Ataman Ozyildirim, a Conference Board economist. "However, easing in the LEI's six-month change suggests that we may be entering a period of more moderate expansion. With the February increase, the LEI remains in growth territory, but weakness in the industrial sector and business investment is holding economic growth back, despite improvements in labor markets and consumer confidence."

The 10 components of The Conference Board Leading Economic Index include:

1. Average weekly hours, manufacturing
2. Average weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance
3. Manufacturers' new orders, consumer goods and materials
4. ISM Index of New Orders
5. Manufacturers' new orders, nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft orders
6. Building permits, new private housing units
7. Stock prices, 500 common stocks
8. Leading Credit Index
9. Interest rate spread, 10-year Treasury bonds less federal funds
10. Average consumer expectations for business conditions

First Source of Buffalo, N.Y., is recalling 3,276 plastic tubs of Wegmans Organic Walnut Halves & Pieces.

The product may be contaminated with Salmonella.

There have been no reported illnesses associated with this recall to date.

The recalled product, in 6-oz tubs, was distributed to Wegmans’ 85 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland and Massachusetts between January 27, 2015, and March 17, 2015.

The following product is being recalled:

• Wegmans Organic Food You Feel Good About Walnut Halves & Pieces, NET WT 6-oz, packed in clear plastic tubs; Best Before 1/27/16 (located on the bottom label); UPC: 077890358009

Consumers who purchased this product should return it to the service desk at Wegmans for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Wegmans consumer affairs department toll free at 1(855) 934-3663 Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET.

StoneRidge Wholesale Division of Wautoma, Wis., is recalling approximately 31,851 pounds of pork tenderloin product.

The product contains milk, a known allergen not declared on the product label.

There are no reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of this product.

The following product, produced from March 2, 2014 through Mar. 16, 2015, is being recalled:

• 1 to 2-lb. vacuum sealed packages of “StoneRidge Roasted Garlic Pork Tenderloin.”

The recalled product bears the establishment number “EST. M33989” inside the USDA mark of inspection and “use or freeze by” dates through Apr. 30, 2015, and was shipped to retail locations in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Consumers with questions about the recall may contact Trevor Diedrick at (920) 787-5444 Ext. 302.

American Honda Motor Company is recalling 104,871 model year 2001 American Honda Motor Company is recalling 104,871 model year 2001 Accords, 2004 Civics and 2008 Pilots.

Upon deployment of the driver side front air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver side front air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the vehicle occupants.

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side front air bag inflator in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.

Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets, Inc., a Lakewood, Colorado based natural grocery chain, is expanding its February recall of Natural Grocers brand organic garlic powder to include all lots.

The product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The company says it has received no reports of illness to date.

The recalled product is packaged in clear plastic bags with Natural Grocers label notating Julian pack on dates and pricing per pound. The product was produced in size ranges of 0.25 pound to 0.30 pound.

The lots being recalled are identifiable by Julian packed on date and include:

• 61-15, 40-15, 20-15, 351-14, 006-15, 316-14, 329-14, 288-14, 301-14, 275-14, 267-14, 252-14, 237-14

The product was distributed to Natural Grocers’ 95 stores in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Consumers can find the specific locations of Natural Grocers stores at: http://www.naturalgrocers.com/store-locations.

Only packages bearing the Julian packed on dates listed above are subject to recall.

Consumers who purchased this product should discontinue use and return it to the store for credit or refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at 303-986-4600, ext. 531, Monday through Friday 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. MST.

If you're looking to rent a car from Hertz, bear in mind that at present, roughly 1 out of 8 cars in Hertz's rental fleet are equipped with dashboard cameras – not outward-facing cameras monitoring the road, but inward-facing cameras capable of making audio and video recordings of everything inside the passenger compartment.

Hertz says it doesn't use the cameras – which it started installing in its cars last summer – and furthermore, the company couldn't use those cameras to spy on customers even if it wanted to, because it doesn't have enough bandwidth to support streaming video anyway. At least, not “at this time.”

The built-in audio-video cameras are part of NeverLost 6, the most-recent version of Hertz' NeverLost navigational system, which Hertz started installing in its vehicles last year.

A Hertz press release from last September talks breathlessly of various customer-convenient features the latest NeverLost offers – GPS, travel guides, weather and flight reports, and the like – but doesn't say a word about cameras or microphones monitoring the insides of passenger compartments.

Largely unknown

The problem mostly remained unknown until earlier this month when, in the United Kingdom, a reader sent the following question to the Telegraph's technology-advice columnist, Rick Maybury:

I have just returned from a family holiday to the US and we rented a mid-size car for the duration. Although I declined the GPS option, I prefer to use my own, a unit was fitted in the car. The rental car assistant was adamant that all cars had them now, and I only had to pay for it if I used it. It turned out be an absolute pest and even though I switched it off, it came back on every time I started the engine with an annoying jungle. If it was left switched on it displayed adverts. It also had what looked suspiciously like a camera fitted to the top of the screen. Were they spying on me, and for future reference, is there a way to switch these things off, permanently?

Maybury identified the system as a NeverLost and confirmed that recent models “do indeed have built-in cameras, pointing at the vehicle cabin,” but supposedly, these cameras will only be used “for video chats with rental company reps, should you seek assistance.”

The issue got more attention in the U.S. when Fusion.net writer Kashmir Hill got an angry email (and creepy photo) from a friend who'd rented a Hertz car and saw what looked like an in-dash camera eye staring back at him. She found a handful of similar complaints online here and there, on Yelp and various travelers' chat forums.

After publishing these claims, Fusion got an email from an anonymous source, using a disposable burner email account, who claimed to have worked on developing the NeverLost technology. He said that the cameras were equipped with certain features to protect the privacy of Hertz customers.

There are two privacy features protecting the user. The first, is the cool electronically blacked out glass. It turns clear when the camera is in use, so if you cannot see the camera it cannot see you. The second feature is the turret that the camera is mounted in. When you turn the knob on the top to the off position the camera is facing the side of the unit behind a shutter and cannot see out the window.

It appears that [Hertz] have shot themselves in the foot with the blacked out glass not allowing the user to see that there is a physical barrier preventing someone from watching you.

Of course, an anonymous quote from a burner email address might not be a reliable source of information – except that Hertz's head of communications confirmed to Fusion that the NeverLost 6 cameras really do have this feature:

Rich Broome, the head of communications for Hertz, confirmed this week that the cameras in the NeverLost 6 devices have these protections built in. In an interview, Broome emphasized again that the cameras haven’t been used thus far, and could only be used if Hertz rolled out a software update to the NeverLost 6 devices that activated the cameras—which explains why Hertz hasn’t announced anything about the cameras yet. “It would be confusing to talk to customers about something they can’t currently use about which no decision has been made to even activate,” said Broome by phone.

Not activated

So the cameras haven't even been activated yet, and furthermore you supposedly can't even see them otherwise because of that “cool electronically blacked out glass” – though Fusion's photograph of the NeverLost 6 does, apparently, show a camera eye above the electronic screen.

However, Hertz spokesperson Evelin Imperatrice told Fusion in an email that the NeverLost 6 cameras are inactive and that “We do not have adequate bandwidth capabilities to the car to support streaming video at this time.”

Broome also confirmed that the cameras are intended to only be used if customers want to have video chats with Hertz agents, and said that Hertz hasn't received any complaints about the cameras since it first started installing them.

For what it's worth: here at ConsumerAffairs, we currently have 896 different reviews about Hertz available online, and none of those complaints say anything about the cameras, either. There are complaints about bad customer service or poorly working cars, and many complaints about the company putting unauthorized overcharges on customers' credit cards, but as of March 17 there are no complaints about cameras.

Was that because nobody minds the cameras, or because nobody knew about them?

Good question. Meanwhile, Rich Broome says that if Hertz customers are really bothered by the cameras they can rent a Hertz vehicle without one: “It’s a legitimate concern but we hadn’t heard this from customers before your article. … If people are renting a car with a camera and they are really concerned about privacy, we can put them in a different car. We don’t want customers to feel watched when they’re in the car.”

The National Association of Homebuilders recently studied the consumer costs of owning a home. The biggest, far and away, was paying the monthly electric bill.

In every state electric utilities are regulated, but even so the rates consumers pay to keep the lights on and, in some cases heat and cool their homes, has been going up. Because different states have different ways of regulating utilities, the average monthly electric bill can vary widely, depending on where you live.

Outside of Alaska and Hawaii, the states with the highest average monthly bill are located in the west south central U.S. and include Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. The average monthly electric bill in that region was $126.75 in 2013, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).

In the Pacific region, made up of California, Oregon, and Washington, the average bill is the lowest in the U.S. – $90.84. The state with the highest average monthly electric bill was Hawaii at $190.36 or nearly 2.5 times the average electric bill in New Mexico, which was the lowest in 2013 at $76.56.

Not all energy is getting cheaper

It may seem counter-intuitive for consumers, but at a time when they are paying sharply reduced prices for gasoline to power their cars and trucks, they are paying more to their utility for electricity. In fact, the EIA stats show residential consumers are paying more for electricity that businesses.

The average retail price paid by residential consumers in 2013 was 12.13 cents/kWh. The average retail price paid by commercial consumers was 10.31 cents/kWh while industrial consumers paid 6.88 cents/kWh.

While an overabundance of oil is mostly responsible for driving down the price of gasoline at the pump, electricity “supplies” are not increasing nearly as fast.

As we reported last week, U.S. utilities are projected to add 20 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity to the power grid this year but are expected to remove 16 GW of capacity – mostly coal generating plants. That leaves a net gain of only 4 GW.

Much of the new capacity is being generated through alternative energy sources, most notably wind. But EIA points out not all power sources deliver the same bang for the buck.

“Because different types of generating capacity have very different utilization rates, with nuclear plants and natural gas combined-cycle generators having utilization factors three to five times those of wind and solar generators, capacity measures alone do not directly show how much generation is actually provided by new capacity of each type,” EIA said in a report.

What to do

For consumers who have endured a bitterly cold winter and look forward to higher air conditioning bills in the months ahead, conservation measures are the best way to keep electric bills in check.

If you have an electric water heater, lower the temperature. Most homes heat water at higher than necessary temperatures, requiring additional electricity to maintain that level.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates a water heater set at 140 degrees or hotter can waste more than $60 in energy costs were year.

Change your HVAC air filter on a regular basis. If possible, replace the disposable filter with a reusable one. When filters fill up with dirt and lint it increases the work load on the air handler, using more electricity.

If your appliances are old, consider an update. New appliances are much more energy efficient. If you are going to eventually have to replace them, doing it sooner rather than later will start saving on your monthly electric bill.

A programmable thermostat can quickly pay for itself. By raising the home's temperature during the hours no one is home and then restoring the comfort level just before the family is scheduled to return, a programmable thermostat can dramatically trim electricity costs.

Grilled cheese has been a food staple of children for many years. This gooey delicacy has made food trucks famous and brought relief to the beleaguered parents of young, picky eaters.

Despite its tastiness and easy construction, though, many have had reservations about its dietary benefits, fearing that the Kraft American Cheese slices, typically the main ingredient of the meal, were not healthy for children.

In fact, the dish was traditionally viewed as more of a “junk food”. Well, it may come as surprise, then, that some Kraft products are receiving a seal of approval from professional dietitians.

As of 2015, Kraft American Cheese slices became the first product to earn a seal of approval from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics -- an organization made up of 75,000 registered dietitians and other nutrition professionals.

Kids Eat Right

With the seal of approval, Kraft is now able to adorn the packaging of its Singles products with the academy’s new “Kids Eat Right” label -- something that may attract consumers who are looking for healthy food alternatives for their children.

In an age of increased health consciousness, the seal of approval could not have come at a better time for Kraft. Parents still want foods that are easy to prepare, but there has been a shift in what types of ingredients they are willing to put in their children’s bodies. Many are trying to persuade their children to eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables to replace less wholesome snacks.

One main dietary ingredient that has assumed increased importance is calcium. According to Kari Ryan, director for nutrition science and regulatory affairs at Kraft, 80% of girls and 75% of boys between the ages of 4 and 18 do not get enough calcium, while almost half of all children lack adequate vitamin D in their diets.

Ryan, who is also a dietitian and member of the academy, said that both Kraft and her organization have a mutual goal to drive education and awareness of the dietary needs of children to the public.

The academy says that while the seal of approval is not necessarily an endorsement, it does help advance the goals of the “Kids Eat Right” program. The executive director of the academy, Mary Beth Whalen, points out that including the logo on Kraft packaging drives “broader visibility to KidsEatRight.org, a trusted educational resource for consumers.”

No poster company

Kraft hasn't necessarily been the poster company for children's health advocates and have been the target of criticism is the past. Detractors balk at the amount of fat, sodium, sugar, artificial dyes, and preservatives that are included in many Kraft products.

As of 2003, the FDA ordered the company to change the language on packages of Singles and Velveeta because, in addition to milk and other dairy products, they contained “milk protein concentrate”, which isn’t quite the real thing. The ingredient did not fall under the FDA’s definition of a “pasteurized process cheese food”, which is how Kraft had labeled it.

The academy is also taking heat from those who question its motives. Over the past few years, there have been several allegations that the academy has created ties that are too close to certain industries.

Companies such as PepsiCo, Kellogg, and ConAgra have attended several annual academy meetings -- sometimes holding seminars and providing samples for members.

Andy Bellati, who is the founder of Dietitians for Professional Integrity, said that one “would think that an organization that has come under fire for so many years for its relations with food companies might pick something other than a highly processed cheese product for its first endorsement.” 

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Additional reporting and editing by Christopher Maynard

It's better to be an explorer if you're living in a time when nobody knows where anything is. Christopher Columbus, Americus Vespucci, Ponce de Leon and other titans of exploration basically sailed around until they bumped into something, then claimed it for their sponsor.

Back in the day, the Internet was sort of like that. There was lots of stuff available but finding it was tough. An early explorer called Netscape came along and added a graph interface to what had previously been a landscape marked only by command line gibberish.

But close behind was an explorer perhaps less intrepid but with much more marketing prowess owing to its being part of the giant armada known as Microsoft.

Microsoft lashed together an Internet browser that most regarded as inferior to Netscape but bundled it into Windows, which was itself regarded as inferior to its rivals, most of whom are thought to have sailed over the edge of the earth, never to be seen again.

Sailing away

Now Explorer is about to join them. Microsoft has announced that IE's days are numbered and it will soon by replaced by a lean and hungry young successor known for now as Project Spartan.

Like today's explorers of the physical world, Spartan will be able to navigate in all planes of being -- in other words, it will run on phones, tablets and personal computers. IE sort of limped along on computers but never really found its way on phones and tablets.

Spartan will be fast and flashy, we're told. You know, sort of like Windows 8.

10 looms

Speaking of Windows, Microsoft is now saying that its newest dreadnaught, Windows 10, will sail into view "this summer." OK, that's not too specific but that's the best Microsoft can do at the moment.

Upgrades to 10 will be available free for at least awhile to Windows 8 users. Again, details are still sketchy.

This is all part of the effort by Microsoft's new CEO, Satya Nadella, to make the company an innovator instead of a conqueror that simply sails ashore and crushes those who landed first.

It may be a tough battle though. Take the little matter of upgrades. Microsoft cranks out a new version of its operating system every few years and likes to charge a small fortune for them. Apple is on a similar calendar but its upgrades are free.

Then we have the Google Chromebook (on which this is being written), which updates itself every few days, largely in the background. The various Linux operating systems, from which the Chromebook OS is derived, do likewise. 

Besides eliminating the need to think up goofy and confusing names for updates -- Leopard, Yosemite and so forth in Apple's case; 95, XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10 in Microsoft's -- these constant little updates keep things on course instead of letting them drift for years in between navigation corrections.

Studies show that when consumers are presented with information about what health services cost, they tend to make better decisions. The hard part, however, is finding out what things cost.

New research by Public Agenda, a non-profit research organization, has found that 57% of consumers with health insurance and 51% of those lacking coverage are unaware of what their health care provider charges.

Without this information, the group says, consumers can't compare prices or look for less expensive providers when they are quoted a price they can't afford.

The study found that 56% of U.S. consumers have actively looked for prices before getting care, and 21% say they have compared prices across several providers. Of that group, nearly all say the price comparison influenced their decisions and ended up saving them money.

Consumers who compare prices charged by different providers tend to get more regular medical treatment. The study shows 42% of people who have compared prices before getting care receive regular medical treatment, compared with 33% of those who have not ever sought price information before getting care.

Make it easier to discuss prices

The authors say their findings suggest consumers want price information about their health care. They urge the industry to make it easier for providers, staff and insurance company personnel to discuss prices.

“The finding that many Americans are already trying to get price information from receptionists and hospital staff, insurance companies, doctors, hospital billing departments and nurses suggests a need to strengthen these professionals’ capacity to provide and discuss price information,” the authors write.

Consumers also need assistance in knowing where to look for price information. Part of the problem is health insurance. Some providers charge different rates, depending on whether the patient has a healthcare policy, and if so, what kind. However, a federal report recently found this does not happen as much as it once did.

Here's an example of a health care provider that posts its fee schedule, for both insured and uninsured patients.

More out-of-pocket costs

Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect, health care consumers have been getting familiar with high deductible health insurance policies, according to the latest Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF).

A high deductible means the consumer pays the first $5000 or so of medical costs each year before certain aspects of the coverage kick in. It's designed to give consumers incentive to seek out lower health care prices.

But again, if consumers don't know what the care costs, and don't know where to look for the information, they aren't in a position to save money.

While ACA has made coverage more affordable, the high deductibles often mean many consumers can't afford to use their coverage.

“We assume that households pay premiums out of current income, but that they may need to use savings or other assets if they become seriously ill in order to meet the deductible or the out-of-pocket limit under their health insurance policies,” the SCF authors write. “We show that many households, in particular those with lower incomes or where someone lacks insurance, have low levels of resources that would make it difficult for them to meet health insurance cost sharing demands.”

All the more reason, it would seem, that health care consumers need an easy, transparent way to find out what things cost.

While we're well into the first quarter of 2015, it's not too late to contribute to an IRA for last year and -- in many cases -- qualify for a deduction or even a tax credit.

Individual retirement arrangements (IRAs), which have been available in one form or another since the mid-1970s, are designed to enable employees and self-employed people to save for retirement.

Contributions to traditional IRAs are often deductible, but distributions -- usually after age 59½ -- are generally taxable. Though contributions to Roth IRAs are not deductible, qualified distributions, usually after age 59½, are tax-free. Those with traditional IRAs must begin receiving distributions by April 1 of the year following the year they turn 70½, but there is no similar requirement for Roth IRAs.

Taking advantage

Most taxpayers with qualifying income are either eligible to set up a traditional or Roth IRA or add money to an existing account. To count for 2014, contributions must be made by April 15, 2015. In addition, low- and moderate-income taxpayers making these contributions may also qualify for the saver’s credit when they fill out their 2014 returns.

Eligible taxpayers can contribute up to $5,500 to an IRA. For someone who was at least age 50 at the end of 2014, the limit is increased to $6,500. There’s no age limit for those contributing to a Roth IRA, but anyone who was at least age 70½ at the end of 2014 is barred from making contributions to a traditional IRA for 2014 and subsequent years.

Exceptions

The deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA is generally phased out for taxpayers whose incomes are above certain levels and are covered by a workplace retirement plan. For someone covered by a workplace plan during any part of 2014, the deduction is phased out if the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) for that year is between $60,000 and $70,000 for singles and heads of household and between $0 and $10,000 for married persons filing separately.

For married couples filing a joint return where the spouse who makes the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the income phase-out range for the deduction is $96,000 to $116,000. Where the IRA contributor is not covered by a workplace retirement plan but is married to someone who is covered, the MAGI phase-out range is $181,000 to $191,000.

The deduction for contributions to a traditional IRA is claimed on Form 1040 Line 32 or Form 1040A Line 17. Any nondeductible contributions to a traditional IRA must be reported on Form 8606.

For detailed information on contributing to either Roth or traditional IRAs, including worksheets for determining contribution and deduction amounts, see Publication 590-A, available on IRS.gov.

Another drop in mortgage applications -- the second in as many weeks.

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) reports applications were down 3.9% during the week ending March 13.

The Refinance Index dropped 5% from the previous week, putting the refinance share of mortgage activity at 59% of total applications -- the lowest level since October 2014. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity slipped to 5.5% of total applications.

The FHA share of total applications edged up to 14.3% this week from 14.0% last week. The VA share dipped to 10.3% from 10.8%, and the USDA share of total applications rose to 0.9% from 0.8% last week.

Contract interest rates

• The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs) with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) slipped to 3.99% from 4.01%, with points increasing to 0.40 from 0.39 (including the origination fee) for 80% loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year FRMs with jumbo loan balances (greater than $417,000) fell 8 basis points -- to 3.94% from 4.02%, with points increasing to 0.33 from 0.27 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year FRMs backed by the FHA dropped to 3.74% from 3.80%, with points decreasing to 0.12 from 0.20 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages was down to 3.28% from 3.29%, with points increasing to 0.34 from 0.30 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate was unchanged from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs tumbled 19 basis points to 2.99%, with points increasing to 0.43 from 0.40 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate decreased from last week.

The survey covers over 75% of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications.  

Trader Joe’s is recalling its brand of raw walnuts because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The company says it has not received any illness complaints related to these recalled products.

The products are packaged in clear plastic bags with the UPC Codes printed on the back.

For the Raw California Walnut products, the “BEST BY” dates and Lot Numbers can be found printed on the back of the packages.

For the Organic Raw Walnut products, the “BEST BY” dates can be found printed on the front of the packages.

The products were distributed to Trader Joe’s stores nationwide.

The following products are being recalled:

Customers who have purchased any of the recalled products should not eat it, and dispose of it or return it to any Trader Joe’s for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Trader Joe’s customer relations at (626) 599-3817 Monday through Friday, 6:00AM to 6:00PM PST.

To be clear, most U.S. households get their video content from one of the pay-TV providers. But those cable giants have to be looking over their shoulders as more households are cutting the cord and relying solely on the Internet.

Nielsen, the media ratings company, has issued a report showing a dramatic increase in the number of what it calls subscription-based video on-demand services, known as SVODs. These are households that subscribe to services like Netflix, Amazon Prime or Hulu but not necessarily to pay TV services.

The number of these households is still quite small compared to homes that have cable, but the number is growing.

“Increased video viewing on digital platforms to both native digital content and TV-produced content, as well as the rise of subscription-based video on-demand (SVOD) across all platforms, are changing the way we look at the consumption of traditional media,” Nielsen said in its report. “While the risks and rewards are potentially high in this environment, the ability to stake a claim in the expanding industry pie is central to companies’ growth.”

40% of U.S. homes

According to Nielsen, over 40% of U.S. homes had access to an SVOD service as of November 2014, and 13% of homes had access to multiple streaming services. Their number increased by 1.75 million in 2014 while homes with pay TV services – which still make up the overwhelming majority of homes – declined by 2 million.

The numbers suggest a trend we reported a year ago is continuing. Last April Experian Marketing Services found that 48% of all U.S. adults and 67% of young adults watch streaming or downloaded video during a typical week, whether they subscribe to a cable of satellite TV service or not. And they weren't usually sitting on the couch while they were watching.

Experian found mobile was the preferred screen for watching, streaming or downloading video, with 24% of all U.S. adults and 42% of smartphone owners watching downloaded video each week.

Cost

One factor driving the trend may be costs. The typical cable TV bill is around $80 a month while the Netflix subscription costs just $8. Increasingly content is finding its way to YouTube, which can be watched for free.

Earlier this month HBO, which provides premium content to cable networks, announced it would start offering an online streaming service called HBO Now. Broadcast television networks already make much of their entertainment programming available through streaming web sites.

Streaming Seinfeld

Underscoring this trend is news that Sony Television is taking bids from streaming services for the entire Seinfeld library, currently available only through television syndication.

Live sports coverage remains pay TV's strongest hold on its core business, as the start of the NCAA basketball tournament will undoubtedly illustrate over the next few weeks.

No one expects that to change anytime soon – even though ESPN announced last month that it will stream the ICC Cricket World Cup event, “as an experiment.”

Job stress can fray nerves, keep you up at night, and contribute to health problems such as heart disease and depression.

While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and impact your physical and emotional health. Your ability to deal with it can mean the difference between success or failure.

“Chronic job strain can put both your physical and emotional health at risk,” says Paul J. Rosch, MD, the president of the American Institute of Stress.

Being able to release that stress can only lead to better productivity in work and at home. Oxytocin is a hormone that does everything from making you feel good to helping you feel connected to others. Touching or cuddling is one way to release this hormone. It has been proven that cuddling with animals helps this as well. It is one of the reasons therapy animals are so popular.

Hormonal changes

So it's not too surprising that new research from the University of Missouri-Columbia suggests the hormonal changes that occur when humans and dogs interact could help people cope with depression and certain stress-related disorders.

Preliminary results from a study show that a few minutes of stroking our pet dog prompts a release of a number of "feel good" hormones in humans, including serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin.

Companies have sought out different methods for working with employees to help them reduce stress. Company gyms have become popular. Fitness programs and yoga have been integrated into the work place.

In Florida, an animal shelter is barking up the same tree to help reduce stress with a whole new approach. The Humane Society of Broward County will deliver lovable critters to snuggle with for up to an hour and a half at a time.

You can schedule friends for a snuggle delivery for a minimum donation of $150 to the shelter. Proceeds from this service will benefit all the homeless animals at the Humane Society of Broward County. Think of the possibilities.Your office can throw a snuggle party.

If you happen to find a puppy or kitten that you think is the perfect snuggle bunny (they might have those too) you will have the option to adopt it right on the spot.

"We’ll bring all the necessary paperwork with us, and the pets will be spayed/neutered prior," the spokesman said. For more info http://humanebroward.com/snuggles/