WSJ Your Money Matters

Congress recently passed a broad set of rule changes that affect Americans’ 401(k) and retirement accounts, to make it easier for people to sign up. WSJ personal finance reporter Ashlea Ebeling joins host J.R. Whalen with details.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite a still-strong labor market, retail purchases have fallen in three of the past four months, and sales of autos and existing homes have fallen to their lowest levels in several years. WSJ economics reporter Harriet Torry joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss the substantial dropoff in consumer spending, and whether it likely means a recession is imminent.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Researchers suggest that time is something we should invest, rather than spend, to accumulate wealth, fulfillment and meaning that our future selves can draw on. WSJ personal-finance reporter Joe Pinsker joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how it can help us understand investing money as well.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As more Americans grow weary of inflation, some are cutting back on everyday goods so they can splurge on expensive items. Host J.R. Whalen is joined by WSJ reporter Rachel Wolfe, and Atlanta resident Lamont Johnson, who’s treated himself to several luxury items.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investors added cash to global money-market funds over the past four weeks at levels not seen since May of 2020. WSJ markets reporter Hardika Singh joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss how cash delivers better returns than many stocks in the current market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While workers across all groups saw a median 7.4% pay increase in 2022, Black workers as well as young people and low-wage earners received the largest pay increases in the fourth quarter. Wall Street Journal reporter Gabriel T. Rubin joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss what the 2023 jobs picture looks like for those groups.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite recent controversy about gas stoves, home buyers say they prefer them over electric units. WSJ’ personal-finance reporter Veronica Dagher joins host J.R. Whalen to explain why.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After several years of red-hot hiring during the pandemic, many companies are slowing down hiring amid economic uncertainty. So what does that mean for finding a new job? Wall Street Journal economics reporter Sarah Chaney Cambon joins Your Money Briefing host Danny Lewis to break down what’s going on in the job market. Unemployed Americans Find Job Searches Take Longer as Labor Market Cools - WSJ  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fraudsters posing as job recruiters have duped U.S. jobseekers out of hundreds of millions of dollars. Host J.R. Whalen is joined by WSJ reporter Imani Moise, who explains how the scammers operate, and by a California woman who was nearly taken in by a fraudster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Black-White wealth gap in the U.S. has prevented many people from passing down substantial wealth to future generations. Chelsea Ransom-Cooper, managing partner of Zenith Wealth Partners, joins host J.R. Whalen to discuss why the wealth gap persists and how independent financial firms are reaching out to communities of color to help them build wealth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices