Wsj Your Money Briefing

A spike in natural gas prices earlier this fall had homeowners bracing for high heating bills this winter. WSJ reporter Ryan Dezember joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss why prices have actually come down since then, and what the forecast is like for the upcoming winter season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

U.S. companies plan to budget more for pay increases next year than at any point since 2008. WSJ economics reporter David Harrison joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss who could benefit most, and how inflation factors into the picture. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the number of deaths caused by the pandemic continues to escalate, more millennials and younger Americans are planning their estates and drawing up wills. WSJ reporter Veronica Dagher joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss the trend. Plus, 29-year-old Ohio resident Ryan Bayonnet discusses why he and his wife recently created a will. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

U.S. savings rates soared to record levels during the pandemic, but Americans are still putting away large amounts of cash even as the economy recovers. WSJ personal-finance reporter Julia Carpenter joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss why that concerns financial advisers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Millions of Americans are avoiding crowded stores and delayed delivery schedules by getting what they need through "Buy Nothing" groups. WSJ reporter Veronica Dagher joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how people can join the groups, and what types of products are available. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As record numbers of people change jobs, some have called on recruiters to help them land a new position. But is calling a job recruiter when you're ready to change jobs too late in the process? WSJ workplace reporter Kathryn Dill joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss when people should reach out to recruiters. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Giving miles or credit-card points as a holiday gift could be a way to avoid supply-chain or shipping frustrations. WSJ travel reporter Allison Pohle joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how the process works, and offers tips on avoiding fees. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More individual investors are using borrowed funds to buy stocks in an effort to score higher profits. WSJ markets reporter Michael Wursthorn joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how the tactic known as margin borrowing works, and the risks that come with it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

People planning for retirement often mistakenly believe that financial security will ensure happiness in their later years. WSJ and Barron's contributor Cheryl Winokur Munk joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss the non-financial priorities that retirement advisors often emphasize with their clients. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A year after cutting back and spending nearly the entire holiday season at home, consumers this year are showing a willingness to open their wallets. WSJ Heard on the Street columnist Justin Lahart joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how the economic recovery has shifted the ways consumers are spending this year. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Initial public offerings are on the upswing this year, and more companies are allowing individual investors to buy shares as part of the process. WSJ markets reporter Corrie Driebusch joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how investors can get a piece of some IPOs and the risks they take on when doing so. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Planning out your 2021 taxes now can put you ahead of the game when taxes are due next spring, but it also can qualify you for certain benefits, including stimulus payments and child tax credits. WSJ tax reporter Laura Saunders joins host J.R. Whalen to explain. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Financial advisors have long counseled retirees to spend no more than 4% of their savings in the first year of retirement. But new research challenges that bit of conventional wisdom. Retirement reporter Anne Tergesen joins host Trenae Nuri to discuss the new research on retirement spending. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many Americans were able to pay down debt during the pandemic. But now lenders are spending billions of dollars to market credit cards to consumers. WSJ credit-cards reporter AnnaMaria Andriotis joins host Trenae Nuri to discuss what banks are doing to get people to borrow again. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Traditionally, frequent-flier programs were set up to reward loyal customers with perks based on the number of miles they flew. But now airlines are taking a new approach, one where flying may not matter as much. WSJ "Middle Seat" columnist Scott McCartney joins host Trenae Nuri to discuss the new rules for earning and keeping frequent-flier perks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Get-rich-quick scams have grown more common on social media, with fraudsters targeting younger, internet-savvy users. WSJ contributor Svati Kirsten Narula joins host Trenae Nuri to discuss how you can spot these scams and protect yourself. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When a spouse dies, everything changes. And not just your daily life, but your financial life as well, from how assets are handled to how you file taxes. Tax reporter Laura Saunders joins host Trenae Nuri to discuss what surviving spouses need to know. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many Americans struggle with paying medical bills. Unpaid bills can lead to lingering debt and drag down credit scores. But you may be able to slash the amount you owe if you know the right questions to ask. WSJ health-insurance reporter Anna Wilde Mathews joins host Trenae Nuri with pointers on how to negotiate hospital bills. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The U.S. labor market has more job openings than applicants, and companies are searching high and low for workers. To get more candidates in the door, some employers are easing up on their job requirements. WSJ workplace, management and leadership reporter Chip Cutter joins host Trenae Nuri to discuss what the new hiring process means for job seekers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Millions of Americans are skipping the dentist, with many of them unable to afford certain pricey procedures. Now some lenders are offering buy-now-pay-later options for dental care. WSJ banking and consumer finance reporter Orla McCaffrey joins host Trenae Nuri to discuss the financing options that are available, and the risks that come with them. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.