Wsj Your Money Briefing

As the country emerges from the pandemic, many workers plan to seek opportunities with new employers. "Work & Life" columnist Rachel Feintzeig joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss why they want to change jobs, and how their managers should respond. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Americans paid off credit-card debt during the pandemic at levels not seen in years. Personal finance reporter Amber Burton joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss which types of debt consumers should focus on next. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Generous tipping became a habit for many Americans during the pandemic as a way to support service workers. Reporter J.J. McCorvey joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how the rules of tipping have changed since last year, and how to fit tipping into your personal budget. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fidelity is the latest company to roll out an investment product geared to children as young as 13. Reporter Justin Baer joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss why financial institutions are developing products for adolescents, the concerns that come with them and the guardrails that are being put in place to reduce risk. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Low housing inventory and high demand is leading many prospective home buyers to raise their bids to compete with other offers. Personal-finance reporter Deborah Acosta joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss some points buyers should consider before stretching beyond their budget. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The IRS is going after investors who haven't paid taxes on bitcoin, ether and other cryptocurrencies. Tax columnist Laura Saunders joins host Charlie Turner to discuss what crypto investors need to know about filing their taxes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Under a new initiative called Project Reach, some large banks will consider customers' deposit histories as a way of extending credit to people with no borrowing history. Banking reporter Peter Rudegeair joins host Charlie Turner to discuss the government-backed program and what it could mean for millions of consumers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Homes in the U.S. valued below the national average are seeing an outsize surge in sale prices. Reporter Ben Eisen joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss what that could mean for lower-income home buyers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The cost of many consumer products has risen sharply in recent months. Food retail reporter Jaewon Kang joins host J.R. Whalen to explain why prices have risen so much, and whether any relief is in sight for consumers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Millions of taxpayers are waiting much longer than usual for their tax refund money to hit their bank account. Tax reporter Laura Saunders joins host J.R. Whalen to explain what is causing the delay, and what taxpayers can do about it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

People rely on Social Security as a major source of funds in retirement, and mismanaging it can have a big impact on their personal finances. WSJ contributor Neal Templin joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss common pitfalls like claiming benefits too early, and the so-called "tax torpedo." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rising college costs and tighter family finances have forced many people to rethink how they will pay for higher education. WSJ contributor Cheryl Winokur Munk joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss some often-overlooked options for loans, scholarships and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Reference letters have become less important to hiring managers in recent years. "At Work" columnist Krithika Varagur joins host J.R. Whalen to explain why, and discuss what companies are doing instead to learn more about job candidates' backgrounds. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Many people still have the first credit card they ever got sitting in their wallet. Personal-finance reporter Amber Burton joins host J.R. Whalen to explain how that can be damaging to their credit profile, and how to reap benefits from those older cards without canceling them. 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.

The federal mortgage forbearance program has helped millions of homeowners weather the pandemic and resume making payments, but Black homeowners are exiting the program at a slower rate than other groups. Consumer-finance reporter Orla McCaffrey 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.

Tens of billions of dollars in state-unemployment benefits may have been improperly paid out due to fraud, officials say. Personal-finance reporter Anne Tergesen, whose personal information was used by fraudsters, joins host J.R. Whalen to explain how the scam works and what you can do to prevent it from happening to you. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our week-long series of special investing episodes concludes with a look at the speculative world of bitcoin. Cryptocurrency reporter Paul Vigna joins host J.R. Whalen to explain what bitcoin is, why it is so volatile, how it differs from traditional currencies, other cryptocurrencies like ethereum and dogecoin, and whether bitcoin could complement an investment portfolio. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our week-long series of special episodes focused on how new investors can build a portfolio continues with a look at gold. Markets reporter Amrith Ramkumar joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss gold's appeal to investors, how it can fit into a portfolio, its reputation as a safe haven, and different ways of investing in it. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our week of special episodes for new investors about building a portfolio continues with a look at mutual funds. They aren't as flashy as some other things you could put your money in, but mutual funds can provide a shelter from risk, at a cost. "Intelligent Investor" columnist Jason Zweig joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss what mutual funds are, how they differ from ETFs, different kinds of mutual funds, rankings, and first steps for putting your money into them. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week's series on building an investment portfolio continues with a look at bonds. Sometimes seen as a less-flashy cousin to stocks, bonds offer a safety net to investors, as well as other benefits that you might not have thought of. Reporter Sam Goldfarb joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss what bonds are, how they work, the role of interest rates, and the potential risks they carry. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.