Support the fact-based journalism you rely on with a donation to Marketplace today. Give Now!
Personal finance reference guide

A guide to Money and the American Dream

Daryl Paranada Sep 20, 2013

The American Dream. What do you think of when you hear that phrase? 

We’ve spent the past few weeks trying to figure it out and asking people about their dreams. For some, the key to the American Dream is education, earning a college degree to achieve social mobility. For many, it’s about owning a home — perhaps the ultimate symbol of responsibility and a source of security. And then there’s retirement. Did your parents dream of retiring with ease? And for your pursuit of happiness to be successful, you have to be healthy — that means having access to good health care. 

A slew of experts helped us build a financial roadmap of sorts:  from where you are now to where you want to be.  We’ve assembled all of our coverage on the American Dream in a special page full of resources. You’ll find a definition of retirement accounts and tips on how to negotiate your health care bills. We have a checklist for homebuyers and communication tips for caregivers. Plus, a guide on how to get rid of your student loans without paying. And you can have some fun… with a game to match the famous home to its TV show, a quiz on bizarre scholarships, and 11 personal finance basics from “The Golden Girls.” 

Click here to explore the grid and resize your browser to make it dance.

There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.