And the big fear is that that will particular hurt those homeowners, those communities that are often have hard times getting access to the formal credit markets.

NPR: Is Housing Market Squeezing Out the Middle Class?

The OER Foundation, Otago Polytechnic (New Zealand), the University of Southern Queensland (Australia) and Athabasca University (Canada) are collaborating in this project as founding anchor partners to provide flexible pathways for OER learners to earn formal academic credit and pay reduced fees for assessment and credit.

UNESCO: Communication and Information

Between 2003 and 2011, about 30 million Brazilians joined the so-called "new middle class, " earning between GBP100 and GBP400 per capita per month, and gaining access to formal sector employment, credit, and the country's large consumer market.

CNN: Does Brazil deserve its 'B' for BRIC?

The good people there tell me the formal payment for my ticket from my credit card company arrived four minutes after my train left the station.

BBC: Swiss love affair with rail turns sour

The recent expansion of credit to such companies has helped to boost formal employment and shrink the informal economy, especially in Brazil.

ECONOMIST: Latin America

They would qualify for a larger tax credit if they took the next step and made contributions to a formal pension plan.

FORBES: Could Obama's Plan To Curb The Boss' Tax Breaks Hurt Workers' Retirements?

Mobile money also provides a stepping stone to formal financial services for the billions of people who lack access to savings accounts, credit and insurance.

ECONOMIST: Telecoms

There isn't a formal appeals process, but if the first dispute is rejected, consumers can "absolutely" protest again to the credit bureau or lender and send more information, says Kareem Rogers, Equifax's global consumer and business services leader.

WSJ: Getting Going: How to Fix a Credit-Report Error