Money Matters

The average child’s allowance is $65 a month. That’s $780 a year. How do you keep track of all that money? A slew of online startups is trying to solve that problem -- creating virtual banks managed by parents and their kids.

With childcare costs on the rise, it may be more affordable for some parents to stay home with the kids. But there are hidden costs.

Cheap credit is boosting car sales. But more buyers are taking loans of up to seven years. Monthly payments are lower; the total cost is higher.

Breaking down the numbers of raising a family. The Department of Agriculture estimates middle-income families will spend about a quarter of a million dollars raising one child.

First came mortgages. Now, courts are ruling against credit card issuers for sloppy paperwork or lack of proof when they sue alleged deadbeats.