WSJ Your Money Matters

2022 has been a year of higher prices and rising interest rates aimed at tamping down inflation. This week, the Federal Reserve approved another interest-rate hike, and officials say rates will likely keep rising next year. But what does this mean for your finances? WSJ personal-finance reporter Julia Carpenter joins host Danny Lewis to discuss getting the most out of your money in 2023 .  Learn m...

Instead of physical toys or cash, many children are asking for virtual currency to spend on items in their favorite videogam es. It might sound strange to parents, but can online currencies teach kids valuable financial skills? WSJ reporter Sarah E. Needleman joins host Danny Lewis to discuss the lessons (intended or not) that kids can learn from virtual currencies. Learn more about your ad choice...

For years, the Federal Trade Commission has tried to make it easier for identity-theft victims to file claims and fix their credit scores. But it may have inadvertently opened the door for fraudsters and unscrupulous credit-repair firms to file false identity-theft claims on behalf of unknowing consumers. WSJ reporter AnnaMaria Andriotis joins host Danny Lewis to discuss what this kind of “credit...

With U.S. housing affordability at its lowest in decades, renters are staying in their properties longer, and now some are investing in wallpaper, doorknobs and even floor tiles to make their rentals more livable. WSJ personal economics reporter Imani Moise joins host Daniella Cheslow to explain why and how renters are spending like they own the place. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megap...

Pooling money together is one reason why married couples have as much as four times the wealth as unmarried couples who live together. Personal-finance reporter Julia Carpenter joins host Daniella Cheslow to discuss why that is, and why more couples don’t do it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Homeowners’ insurance rates have risen by nearly 10% since early last year . WSJ personal-finance reporter Veronica Dagher joins host J.R. Whalen with some ways homeowners can potentially shave several percentage points off their monthly insurance costs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big banks including JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo are drawing up plans to issue refunds to users of the Zelle peer-to-peer payment platform who were victimized by fraudsters . WSJ’s David Benoit joins host J.R. Whalen with details of the refund plan, and how users can protect themselves against scammers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rising cost of dinner and drinks is making dating an expensive activity for singles . Host J.R. Whalen is joined by WSJ reporter Rachel Wolfe to discuss how they are adjusting, and by 24-year-old Rachel Horowitz, who shares some awkward dating moments she’s had after money entered the picture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The effects of holding student loans on people’s personal finances can be measured against the financial outcomes of those who didn’t take them out in the first place . Host J.R. Whalen is joined by WSJ reporter Joe Pinsker to discuss what the data shows, and by Colorado resident Skyler McKinley, who graduated from college without taking on debt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

A lawsuit challenging key provisions of the Affordable Care Act could result in millions losing access to no-cost preventive screenings . WSJ reporter Stephanie Armour joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss where the litigation stands and how it could affect people with emplo yer-provided health coverage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The deadline to file your tax return is still several months away, but there are steps you can take now to score tax breaks and stay ahead of some tax changes that are coming next year . WSJ tax reporter Laura Saunders joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retailers have been posting prices ending in “99” for decades, but what does it say about the value consumers are getting for their dollar? WSJ “Numbers” columnist Josh Zumbrun joins host J.R. Whalen with some surprising findings about retailers’ pricing strategies .  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

High inflation and rising interest rates might make it easy to overspend this holiday season. WSJ personal finance reporter Imani Moise joins host J.R. Whalen tips for easing the strain on your bank account . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a summer of chronic delays and passenger frustrations, the nation’s airports face a crucial test this holiday season. Travel columnist Dawn Gilbertson joins host J.R. Whalen with the WSJ’s rankings of the nation’s best and worst airports . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite an unsettled economy and rising interest rates that have rattled Wall Street, investors continue to favor U.S. stocks over foreign equities. WSJ markets reporter Eric Wallerstein joins host J.R. Whalen to explain why, and what it means for your portfolio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student loans is in limbo after a federal judge in Texas ruled it was unconstitutional. Now the issue is tied up in the courts, but scammers aren’t waiting for a final decision . WSJ personal finance reporter Julia Carpenter joins host Daniella Cheslow to talk about how fraudsters are trying to cash in on the confusion, and how borrowers c...

Republicans taking control of the House of Representatives this week means divided government for at least the next two years. WSJ personal-finance reporter Ashlea Ebeling joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss what that likely means for major legislation affecting your personal finances, and steps you can take to save money while Washington is divided. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...

While most workers displaced by the pandemic have returned to the workforce, many in their early 20s have not. WSJ reporter Bryan Mena joins host J.R. Whalen to explain how this has puzzled economists and how these workers’ absence affects employers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retailers have rolled out Black Friday deals early this year to attract shoppers returning to stores en masse for the first time in two years . WSJ reporter Suzanne Kapner joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss which retailers are discounting the most and how long the deals will last.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week’s collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX deepened this year’s losses for many crypto investors . WSJ tax reporter Laura Saunders joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how investors can turn their crypto losses into tax benefits, and how the IRS plans to crack down on people flouting tax laws. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It takes a lot to earn status with airlines. Some rungs on the elite ladder require spending up to $250,000 on a carrier-branded credit card. Those rules were relaxed during the pandemic, but now they are tightening up again. WSJ travel reporter Jacob Passy joins host Daniella Cheslow to explain what’s new in elite status and how to plan for the changes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...

More colleges are accepting students through a process called “direct admission” that lets them skip many of the traditional application steps and even get a scholarship along the way . Sound too good to be true? Wall Street Journal higher-education reporter Melissa Korn joins WSJ Your Money Briefing host J.R. Whalen to discuss how it works and what students need to keep in mind. Learn more about...

As cryptocurrency exchange Binance proposed and then pulled out of an acquisition of rival FTX, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies suffered sharp declines . WSJ reporter Vicky Ge Huang joins host J.R. Whalen to explain how these exchanges function and why Binance’s action triggered a crypto selloff.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inflation has made getting a divorce a lot more expensive . WSJ personal-finance reporter Veronica Dagher joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss the rising costs and how some former couples are finding ways to rein in expenses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More employers are including salary ranges in job postings as states and cities pass pay-transparency laws . But some posted salary ranges are so wide, they can leave applicants with more questions than answers. WSJ reporter Theo Francis joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices