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Under Paul Ryan's plan, Mitt Romney wouldn't pay any taxes for the next ten years -- or any of the years after that. Now, do I know that that's true. Yes, I'm certain. Well, maybe not quite nothing. In 2010 -- the only year we have seen a full return from him -- Romney would have paid an effective tax rate of around 0.82 percent under the Ryan plan, rather than the 13.9 percent he actually did. How would someone with more than $21 million in taxable income pay so little? Well, the vast majority of Romney's income came from capital gains, interest, and dividends. And Ryan wants to eliminate all taxes on capital gains, interest and dividends.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two mortgage-finance giants, this week reported some of their best quarterly results since the real estate collapse. On Wednesday, Fannie Mae posted second-quarter net income of $5.1 billion. That is up from $2.7 billion in the first quarter of this year and an improvement from a net loss of $2.9 billion in the second quarter of last year. Fannie requested no additional money from the Treasury and said it would pay a $2.9 billion dividend to taxpayers.

Goldman Sachs’ first-quarter income fell 72 percent after the bank paid out $1.64 billion in dividends to redeem preferred shares it issued to billionaire investor Warren Buffett during the financial crisis.

The Obama administration has begun monitoring the high-level board meetings of nearly 20 banks that received emergency taxpayer assistance but repeatedly failed to pay the required dividends, according to Treasury Department officials and documents. And it may soon install new directors on some of their boards.

McDonald's boosted its quarterly dividend by 11%, the latest company to return cash to shareholders as the perceived need to conserve has abated.

Taxes on high-income earners would rise by nearly $1 trillion over the next 10 years, under the budget plan. Capital gains and dividends will be taxed at 20% rather than 15%.

IBM boosted its quarterly dividend 10% and set aside $3 billion for additional stock repurchases, but an executive said it still has the capability for an acquisition.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Thursday posted better-than-expected February sales results, boosted by value-seeking shoppers, and hiked its dividend by 15%.