Wall Street's rally has tarnished gold's allure, but that could all change over summer, when politicians go to war over the debt ceiling, particularly if Fitch makes good on their downgrade warning.

For many Americans, a mortgage is indeed the most attractive way to borrow because interest rates are not only low, but also the interest is often tax-deductible.

"Living debt free" is a nice slogan, and beyond that it's something we should all aspire to. Unfortunately, some people couple this concept with living credit free. That is a far different story.

The nation has crippling credit card debt to the tune of almost $800 billion. This is obviously not a minor problem, but a financial epidemic. Americans are paying so much in fees and penalties each year that we may never dig ourselves out.

It might seem obvious that improving your finances includes saving for retirement, but it's important to think of your financial plan in a broader way. It's also about putting protections in place.

Consumers don't build great credit scores overnight. It's something that takes time, smart financial decisions and maybe even a little luck.

Some credit mistakes aren't so obvious. What's worse, the biggest secret credit mistake -- the one most people don't even know they're making -- actually happens when people are trying to turn their credit score around and be more financially responsible.

Unfortunately, finances are one of the biggest sources of marital tension. But it doesn't have to be that way. Want to get your marriage off on the right financial footing?

The nation's largest and oldest financial counseling organization. With so many scams and fake "credit repair" agencies out there, this organization offers the legitimate hand-holding you need when it comes to rebuilding your financial life.

Last month, the Federal Trade Commission released a new study that found a whopping 26 percent of people identified at least one error on their credit report. And it wasn't just people crying wolf.

Weddings are expensive, right? You spend a small fortune on the venue, dress, flowers, invitations and all the other extras in between. So why not make a little extra to help offset the cost of your wedding?

Face it, America, we are not being very smart about our credit. We are paying billions in penalty fees. We are spending more money than we make. We don't even know our own interest rates or credit scores. And the country as a whole is almost a trillion dollars in credit card debt.

By Barry Paperno Have you ever wondered how they come up with a three-digit number that can predict whether you're a good or bad credit risk? Back i...

We have all known people who lived a life they cannot afford, on credit they can not repay and then end up in financial ruin and embarrassment. Here are some easy ways to identify if someone is living beyond their means.