Personal finance from around the Web:

• It's good to be rich: Since the mid-1990s, millionaires have been taxed at lower and lower rates. But when latest data become available the trend will likely be reversed. [Tax.com]

• People that buy knockoff designer products may think they're saving money, but they're just delaying the inevitable. An MIT professor has found that buying a fake makes you more likely to spend the big bucks on the real thing in a couple of years. [MIT News]

• The good old days when travel insiders could fight for the best seats without paying extra are ending. The airlines are now creatively charging for the best and most popular seats. [The New York Times]

• The number of temporary workers has increased sharply. As this graph demonstrates, we might be nearing a recovery (and the resurgence of full-time employees). [Calculated Risk]

• Mortgage delinquencies in the U.S will fall next year (but not till after delinquencies reach their peak in the next couple of months). [FT.com]

Follow More Money on Twitter at http://twitter.com/moremoneyblog.

When the federal government bailed out the banks a year ago it was with the expectation that taxpayer money would be recycled back into the economy in the form of more loans. We all know how that didn’t play out according to Washington’s plans.  But now that the recession has been unofficially deemed over and the economy seems to have stepped back at least a few feet from the financial-crisis cliff, are lenders following the script (finally) and opening the spigot? More

Personal finance from around the Web:

• If you owe more than your home is worth, you shouldn't feel so bad about defaulting on your mortgage, suggests a University of Arizona law professor. For his full explanation of how the government, the media and the financial industry are ganging up to make homeowners bear the brunt of the housing collapse, read his research paper. [The Consumerist, WSJ.com]

• Haven't used your credit card in a while? Prepare to get slapped with an "inactivity fee." [MyBankTracker]

• Fidelity cut its 529 college savings plan fees and changed its age-based allocations this month. My Money Blog offers a handy summary of the changes. [My Money Blog]

• Don't be fooled into thinking you're saving money every time you buy something on sale, use a coupon or get free shipping: There's a good chance you're getting played. [It's Your Money]

• You may be planning a staycation to save this year, but not everyone has to scrimp. Check out the world's most expensive hotel suites. [The Business Insider]

Follow More Money on Twitter at http://twitter.com/moremoneyblog.

You'd think the subprime bust would mean no more mortgages for borrowers with little skin in the game. Well, it doesn't.

While most lenders have tightened standards for down payments — usually requiring at least 10% down and 20% for the best rates — the Federal Housing Administration has continued to offer loans to borrowers putting down as little as 3.5%. On Thursday the House Financial Services Committee is considering whether to boost the minimum down payment requirement to 5%.

I think the move is overdue, especially since FHA mortgage defaults are at a record high and the agency's reserve fund is at a record low. More

Ed Glaeser has some fascinating ideas about cities — why some thrive and others don’t. Raised in New York City, the Harvard economist studies the economic, environmental and emotional forces that shape where we live and the price we pay for our homes. I interviewed Glaeser for the "Minds Over Money" feature that ran in MONEY's December 2009 issue, and we talked a lot about the forces that move real estate prices and what’s next for the housing market. (One of Glaeser's most provocative opinions: He wants the mortgage interest tax deduction abolished.) More

Personal finance from around the Web to get your week started:

• Take advantage of a one-day sale from JetBlue to get some great travel deals Monday. But whatever airline you fly next, Luggage Limit helps you minimize baggage fees.  [It's Your Money/Lifehacker]

• Bank of America today launched a program called Credit Card Clarity Commitment — what it says is an easy-to-understand list of terms and conditions for each account. [Charlotte Business Journal]

• A sign of times to come? Not only did shoppers spend less on Black Friday, but also a new survey reports that consumers plan to rely on cash instead of credit during this shopping season. [Reuters/ The New York Times]

• Health reform: It's not dead yet. Here's the latest look at how different House and Senate proposals stack up. [US News & World Report]

• Second time may not be the charm: The Obama administration's new plan to reduce mortgage payments and stop foreclosures isn't likely to work. And at Straight Talk About Mortgages and Real Estate, Tom Vanderwell talks rising mortgage rates. [WalletPop]

Follow More Money on Twitter at http://twitter.com/moremoneyblog.

Personal finance from around the Web to get your week started:

• The delinquency rate on bank-issued cards dropped 6 percent between June and September, according to credit-reporting agency TransUnion. The company cites the unemployment rate, limited credit, and higher interest rates as the main cause of cutting the delinquency rate. Still, it's too early to tell how new credit card regulations and holiday retail sales will affect credit behavior in the long run. [AP via GoogleNews]

• Christmas came early this year! Because of falling produce prices, the American Farm Bureau estimates that this year's Thanksgiving dinner should be 4 percent cheaper than last year's. The average cost of stuffing 10 people with a Thanksgiving dinner shakes out to a grand total of $42.91. [It's Your Money]

• Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit health-policy news service funded by the Kaiser Family Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest managed care systems in the nation, has released a consumer guide to the health care overhaul. The report answers most, if not all, of your basic questions about insurance and presents possible changes in an easily comprehensible manner.  [Kaiser Health News]

• After last month's embarrassing data loss, T-Mobile is jumpstarting a slick Sidekick offer with cheaper phones and a longer contract. But is it worth it? Reports in the UK suggest T-Mobile staff selling off customer information to the highest bidder. [Wallet Pop]

• Thanks to the expiring tax credit, home sales competely exceeded last month's expectations as first-time buyers pushed seasonally-adjusted resales up 10.1%, according to the National Association of Realtors. Set to run out at the end of this month, Congress renewed it earlier and expanded the policy. Not everyone, however, is impressed with the numbers coming out of the NAR.  [NPR via AP, The Big Picture]

• "Twilight's" vampiric sequel "New Moon" experienced a blowout monster weekend sucking in a total of $258.8 million in box offices worldwide. Regardless of age, women came out to cheer for their supernatural team of choice, putting "New Moon" third on the all-time domestic chart.  Apparently, women do like older men — well, as long as they're 118 years old and have sharp teeth. [EconomPic]

Follow More Money on Twitter at http://twitter.com/moremoneyblog.

Now that the home buyer's tax credits are back up and running through May, the next bit of housing-related economic stimulus is focused on homeowners who are willing to spend money to make their homes more energy efficient. More

• Imagine the perfect gift card: Able to be used anywhere, anytime, without any restrictions. Uh, guess what? It's called cash. [The Wall Street Journal]

• Beware of boilerplate requirements in mortgage commitments. Sometimes you can wriggle out of them. [Tales from the Real Estate Wars]

• Has a friend or relative asked you to co-sign for a credit card or other loan? Here are four excellent questions to ask before you go through with it. [CreditCards.com]

• Maintaining your credit is like keeping yourself fit. Now is not the time to stop exercising what you have. [The Huffington Post]

• Worried about running out of cash during your retirement years? Here's some good advice on how to get the most from your Social Security benefits. [RetirementRevised]

Follow More Money on Twitter at http://twitter.com/moremoneyblog.

A looming shift in Federal Reserve policy could send the 30-year fixed mortgage to 6% or higher, up from Monday’s rock-bottom rate of 5.02%. For all the hullaballoo about the stimulative impact of last week’s decision to extend the $8,000 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit and create a $6,500 credit for current homeowners, a sharp rise in the bellwether mortgage rate could muck up a housing recovery. More

Five personal finance highlights from around the Web:

• FICO, the company that provides the nation's leading credit score, reveals how many points a consumer's credit rating will drop as a result of specific events. LIz Pulliam Weston sheds light on the impact of maxing out a card or making a late payment. [MSN Money]

• Will the McMansion buyers of the future want to live without theater roooms and butler's pantries? Luxury home builders think so. [The Wall Street Journal]

• '"I want to be rich" is not real a goal. And good financial planning requires clear, measurable goals. [The Boston Globe]

• Buffett: Investment opportunity is greater in the United States than abroad. The Oracle thinks the worst of the financial panic is behind us. [Reuters]

• Temporary conforming loan limits won't expire this year. The Federal Housing Finance Authority will extend the limit of $417,000 (up to $729,750 in high-cost areas) through 2010. [Washington Business Journal]

Follow More Money on Twitter at http://twitter.com/moremoneyblog.

Insights into personal finance from around the Web:

• Parents worried about the cost of higher education often consider sending their kids to a community college in hopes of a transfer to a better school. But this isn't always the smartest thing to do. [The College Solution Blog]
• A Harvard economist passes judgment on the expanded home buyer's tax credit that President Obama signed into law last week. The professor's verdict? The credit encourages "purely mindless house swapping." [Economix]
• Tough times make us more willing and likely to protect the things we have, but extended warranties probably aren't worth the extra cost. [Wise Bread]
• Watching The Karate Kid can teach you how not to accumulate credit card debt. Use visualization techniques to keep your spending in check. [Free Money Finance]
• The bright side of rising unemployment: With all those people staying home instead of going to work, the burglary rate is dropping! [Marginal Revolution]

Add More Money to your favorite RSS reader.  Subscribe at http://rss.cnn.com/moneyfeatures.rss.

The lobbyists for the National Association of Realtors sure earned their fee this go-round. Not only did Congress agree to extend through April, 2010 the existing $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers scheduled to expire at the end of this month, but now we’re going to all pay for existing homeowners to have a similar tax break.  In the new bill President Obama was slated to sign today — the housing credit legislation was  tacked onto legislation extending unemployment benefits — existing homeowners will be able to claim a $6,500 tax credit if they buy a new home they intend to use as their primary residence.

Congress also decided to swing the door wide open for more Americans to get in on both tax breaks More

Five interesting stories from around the web:

• The U.S. unemployment rate cracked double digits this morning. Clusterstock takes a look at the cities where it is hardest to find a job. [The New York Times, Clusterstock]
• Report: Hundreds of credit cards are still using "unfair or deceptive practices." Cards are upping interest rates, penalties and fees ahead of regulatory changes coming in February.  [MarketWatch]
• Why do so many people fail at making a budget? It's because, according to Wise Bread, they omit a crucial task: Tracking what they spend. Here's a step-by-step guide to getting started. [Wise Bread]
• The National Association of Realtors' seasonally-adjusted pending home sales index rose for the eighth consecutive month in September, but Move.com says it didn't see its usual spike in listings last spring. The site says visitors are browsing, but not buying. [Hot Property]
• Princeton professor Daniel Kahneman discusses attitudes toward gains and losses, and why overconfidence hurts individual investors. [Nightly Business Report]

With the November  30 expiration of the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit fast approaching, the wrangling in Washington over whether to extend the program is getting mighty interesting.

In early September, Senator Johnny Isakson, the patron saint of the National Association of Realtors (and a guy who made his fortune selling real estate) teamed up with Senator Christopher Dodd to back a plan that would increase the current $8,000 credit to $15,000, make it available to all homeowners (not just first timers), and double the income-eligibility rules. More