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As finance experts rethink federal housing policy and whether troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie are worth keeping, some say the benefits of homeownership for many people just aren't what they used to be.

Finding himself unable to pay debts he had accrued as a student, a young man declared bankruptcy through the courts. Years later, the lender said that the debt had not been forgiven altogether. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the man.

Debate over the Bush tax cuts rages in congress, but there is little talk of extending the Obama cuts, which were part of the stimulus bill. E. J. Dionne of The New Republic says Democrats are losing this fight because they are letting Republicans dictate the terms of the conversation.

Starting July 1, banks and private lenders will be out of the federal student loan picture, and students will get their loans directly from the Department of Education. The direct-lending program already accounts for almost half of all federal student loans, but that number will more than double in the next three months.

An unusual sleepover camp brings together about 20 people who have dementia for a weekend of music, dance, reminiscing and other activities that emphasize strengths instead of losses. While the campers typically won't remember details of the retreat, it lifts their mood, camp staffers say.

The National Transportation Safety Board is scolding the leaders of three states for not passing tougher laws mandating child booster seats. Arizona, Florida and South Dakota are the only states that don't require older children to ride in boosters.

At self-serve kiosks at San Francisco International Airport, travelers can now pay a fee to offset the carbon dioxide emissions of their trip. The idea is that the money goes to stop emissions somewhere else or even to a forest that can absorb the carbon. But will patrons get what they pay for?

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships are taking place this week in Cleveland. The women skate Thursday night in the short program competition and they'll skate again on Saturday in the long program. USA Today columnist Christine Brennan tells Renee Montagne that many are watching the competition with an eye toward the Winter Olympic Games next year in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The U.S. economy continues to deteriorate, with claims for unemployment benefits jumping to a seasonally adjusted 589,000 in the latest week and Microsoft announcing Thursday that it is cutting 5,000 jobs. The bad news extended to the housing market, as new-home construction plunged to an all-time low in December.

Rick Perry, who is running for re-election next year, has refused $555 million in unemployment insurance from the federal government. He says that if he accepted it, businesses would have to pay more when the funding runs out. But his decision doesn't sit well with job seekers.