Fred Business News - Those long-promised tax rebates are now on their way to U.S. taxpayers.

People who chose to have their rebates directly deposited into their bank accounts will see the money there beginning Monday. The government's paper checks will start going out on May 9, a week earlier than previously announced.

The extra cash is part of the economic stimulus package intended to help Americans cope with rising gasoline and food prices, as well as aid a slumping economy. The Internal Revenue Service says all checks ...   more »

Fred Business News - Those long-promised tax rebates are now on their way to U.S. taxpayers.

People who chose to have their rebates directly deposited into their bank accounts will see the money there beginning Monday. The government's paper checks will start going out on May 9, a week earlier than previously announced.

The extra cash is part of the economic stimulus package intended to help Americans cope with rising gasoline and food prices, as well as aid a slumping economy. The Internal Revenue Service says all checks ...   more »

Fred Business News-  Software giant Microsoft Corp. announced its fiscal third-quarter earnings Thursday, posting a quarterly profit that beat expectations thanks to strong sales of server software and Xbox 360 game consoles.

Microsoft also offered fiscal 2009 guidance that topped Wall Street's estimates.

Microsoft's net income fell to $4.4 billion, or 47 cents per share, down 11% from year ago results. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial were looking for 44 cents per share.

Sales rose negligibly to $14.5 billion, roughly meeting analysts' forecasts.

But Microsoft ...   more »

Fred Business News - The federal government, eager to boost the flagging economy, will start distributing special tax rebates on Monday - five days earlier than expected, the Treasury Department said Thursday.

The department had said last month that it would begin giving rebates on May 2.

Instead, 800,000 tax filers daily will get rebates on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. No rebates will be distributed on Thursday, and 5 million payments will be made on Friday.

The payments will go out ahead of schedule because of a ...   more »

Fred Business News - Angry about the price of gas? Just imagine paying for gas you don't get.

Some alert consumers have noticed it over the years: A pump that seems to hesitate a second when the lever is squeezed. Anywhere from 2 to 6 cents tick off before the rush of gasoline starts. That's what happens with a common, hard to diagnose and mostly ignored problem with the "check valve," which is supposed to make sure gas flows at the same time the price meter starts.

But ...   more »