WSJ Your Money Matters

The Federal Trade Commission received nearly 1.4 million reports of identity theft last year, double from 2019. Now more people are considering paying for identity-theft protection services . WSJ contributor Cheryl Winokur Munk joins host Trenae Nuri to discuss how consumers can decide if those services are worth it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Students graduating from college this spring have made it clear they're seeking a sense of community and connection in their first job . But their message may not be resonating with recruiters and hiring managers. La Salle Network staffing company founder and CEO Tom Gimbel joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how grads can sharpen their message to ease the path to their first job. Learn more about y...

Stocks that pay dividends have regained popularity this year . WSJ markets reporter Akane Otani joins host J.R. Whalen to explain why they are becoming more attractive to investors and how financial advisers suggest people select dividend stocks to include in their portfolio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Federal Reserve approved plans to raise interest rates by half a percentage point, and more rate hikes are expected later in the year . WSJ personal-finance reporter Julia Carpenter joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss what higher interest rates mean for consumers’ credit-card balances, student loans and mortgages, and some steps they can take to protect their personal finances. Learn more about...

Fidelity will soon allow companies whose 401(k) retirement plans it administers to include bitcoin as an investment option for employees . WSJ retirement reporter Anne Tergesen joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss what retirement savers should consider before adding a risky investment like bitcoin to their portfolio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a lull during the pandemic, lenders are offering personal loans to consumers once again . WSJ banking reporter AnnaMaria Andriotis joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss why the loans are becoming popular again, and what borrowers need to watch out for when applying. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many people who have resigned from their jobs during the pandemic in pursuit of bigger salaries have faced an unexpectedly frustrating path to a job they like . Host J.R. Whalen is joined by workplace reporter Kathryn Dill to discuss the trend, and California resident Faith Del Regno, who shares her experiences cycling through several jobs after quitting her old one. Learn more about your ad choic...

Although some student-loan forgiveness plans have been discussed in Washington, nothing concrete has emerged . WSJ reporter Rebecca Ballhaus joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how borrowers can make a plan for paying back their student debt, and the various repayment options that are available. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A master’s or other advanced degree can come with a heavier financial burden than that for undergrads, and doesn’t necessarily guarantee a career with a higher salary . WSJ reporter Andrea Fuller joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how students can prepare for that financial responsibility, and which graduate degrees offer the best return on investment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph...

Filling out all the forms required to secure college loans, grants and scholarships can be an intimidating process . WSJ higher-education reporter Melissa Korn joins host J.R. Whalen to break down the key steps in the process and discuss common mistakes students and families make. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The cost to attend some of the nation’s top private colleges and universities can scare many people away from even applying . WSJ reporter Andrea Fuller joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how students and families can comparison shop and find the best value for their education. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Affording a college education can be a lot easier for students and families if they have important, though sometimes awkward, conversations about money as early as possible . WSJ higher-education reporter Melissa Korn joins host J.R. Whalen to kick off Your Money Briefing’s week-long series on managing student debt.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amid continued fierce competition for workers, companies are stepping up their efforts to recruit college students . Some are going far beyond the traditional job fair to woo prospective job candidates. WSJ workplace reporter Lin dsay Ellis joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bitcoin is down about 10% this year, but stocks of crypto-focused companies are doing much worse, falling as much as 60%, according to FactSet . Wall Street Journal cryptocurrency reporter Paul Vigna joins WSJ Your Money Briefing host J.R. Whalen to discuss the reasons why, and how professional and everyday investors are thinking about crypto. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...

After years of strong gains, stock-market returns are expected to be significantly lower in the next few years . WSJ contributor Michael A. Pollock joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss what financial advisors say retirees an d anyone building a retirement nest egg can do to protect their holdings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ticket prices for air travel rose an average of 11% in March from a month earlier . WSJ travel reporter Allison Pohle joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss what is behind the fare hikes, and what consumers can do to find cheaper tickets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The IRS will have an easier time tracking sales on e-commerce sites like eBay and Etsy under a new rule aimed at ensuring sellers pay tax they are supposed to. WSJ tax reporter Laura Saunders joins host J.R. Whalen to explain how this could affect your tax preparation in 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The average rate on 30-year fixed mortgages has hit 5% for the first time since 2011 . WSJ reporter Matt Grossman joins host J.R. Whalen to explain why rates are going higher and what that could mean for the housing market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Millions of employees are switching jobs in search of better pay, and many companies are willing to pay more to keep their workers on board . So what are the best ways of asking for a raise? At the recent Wall Street Journal Jobs Summit, Work & Life columnist Rachel Feintzeig di scussed how to get a salary bump with career coach and The Job Doctor founder Tessa White. Learn more about your ad...

While global oil prices have fallen roughly 20% from recent highs, the price of gas remains near record levels. WSJ energy reporter Collin Eaton joins host J.R. Whalen to explain the relationship between oil prices and the cost of gas at the pump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As prices continue to rise, consumers may lose the ability to judge what is a "good" price and what isn't. WSJ personal-finance reporter Julia Carpenter joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss the psychology behind inflation, and how thinking differently about prices can make you a smarter shopper. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Companies struggling to fill open tech-related positions are hiring more former blue-collar workers seeking a career change . WSJ reporter Kathryn Dill joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how these workers are preparing themselves to make the jump.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More business-school graduates are using “search funds” to seek out companies they can buy and lead . Host J.R. Whalen is joined by WSJ reporter Lindsay Ellis, who explains the process, as well as Jessica Patterson, who used a search fund to take charge of a health logistics company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration says the Education Department will revamp the student-loan repayment system between now and the end of August . Wall Street Journal reporter Gabriel T. Rubin joins WSJ Your Money Briefing host J.R. Whalen to explain how that would affect borrowers, and whether another payment extension beyond August is likely. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the labor market recovers from the pandemic, women are getting bigger pay raises than men, a significant shift from just a few months ago . WSJ reporter Sarah Chaney Cambon joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss what it means for the overall gender pay gap.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices