Here's a Mother's Day downer: On average, women have nearly $41,000 less socked away for retirement than men -- but they're likely to need more. But these three things can help get you on track, no matter what your income is.

We all heard that employers are checking out the Facebook pages of prospective hires. High schoolers and their parents need to know that the folks who hand out scholarships are checking social media sites too.

The other day, a friend told me an interesting story. Her daughter had just gotten into her pick of colleges, but her top-choice school wasn't offering as much financial aid as the schools that were a bit lower on her list. So she was wondering – should she pick up the phone and called the...

The economy seems to be turning around for recent college grads, so members of the class of 2012 may have the cash to make a dent in their massive student loans. Now all they need is a plan.

Every dieter knows you sometimes have to give in to your cravings on the long road to a weight loss goal. Turns out the same principle applies to personal finance: A splurge now and then can actually help you attain your budget and savings goals.

Good news: The housing market is looking up. Bad news: Nearly 11 million mortgages are still underwater. More good news: Real help for those homeowners is finally available. More bad news: Getting that help can be baffling. Extra good news: Jean Chatzky's here to help.

The return of warmer weather is an cue for many of us to clear out the debris that has gathered over the winter. But it's not just the house and the yard that could benefit. Here's a step-by-step guide to spring cleaning your finances.

During more than two decades of helping people learn to manage their money, Jean Chatzky has picked up a host of financial maxims that she falls back on over and over again. Why? Because they make sense. They're funny. They're memorable. And they work.

It's not just politics that defines the differences between Republican-leaning "red states" and Democrat-leaning "blue states" -- and some of those differences may surprise you. For example, when it comes to credit scores, blue states are where the smart money is.

Every day, Americans throw out more than 350,000 cell phones and 130,000 computers. But we're passing up a tidy sum -- plus some potential tax deductions -- by dumping them in the trash or leaving them to gather dust.