Personal Finance

Nearly 15 percent of retirees depend on a Social Security check as their sole source of income. Reporter Peter O'Dowd talks to seniors in Arizona about getting by with just Social Security.

Host Tess Vigeland and MSN's Liz Pulliam Weston answer listener questions on: Is there such a thing as 'good debt', is it better to pay off a mortgage or reserve some cash to build up your savings and is it wise to pay off debt using a home equity line of credit?

The estate tax lapsed last year and if Congress does not vote to reinstate it, estates larger than one million dollars will be taxed upon death as of Jan. 1. Laura Sanders of the Wall Street Journal joins Tess Vigeland to discuss further.

Tess Vigeland talks to personal finance expert Beth Kobliner about the Office of Financial Literacy, which will conduct two studies on financial literacy. Will these studies be the death of the financial literacy education idea or will it actually help us in the long run?

Tess Vigeland and Los Angeles Times columnist David Lazarus answer listener questions including how to get a project loan on property, should one get a collateral loan and what is the best way to save a set amount of money.

This week the Federal Trade Commission issued a report calling for major changes in the debt collection industry. Robert Andrews analyzes the debt industry.

Tess Vigeland and personal finance expert Kathy Kristoff answer your questions on how a newly-wed couple should handle joint finances and how a cash-strapped family can manage to add to their savings.

Marketplace reporter, Gregory Warner, walks listeners through how a health insurance call center representative is created.

Marketplace asked you to submit your story of when being a cheapskate ended up smacking you in the fact. Here are our top favorites.

In some areas of the country transit authorities are cutting service and raising fares. Matthew Schuerman looks at how New Jersey riders are coping with the increased expense.