Credit

On Tuesday, Starbucks launched "Create Jobs for USA," a program to raise loan funds for small businesses. We talked to CEO Howard Schultz about his concerns about gridlock in Washington, unemployment, the need for a sense of solidarity, and the role of corporate leaders in getting America out of this downturn.

More people in Southeast don't have bank accounts than in any other part of the country. Mississippi leads the country with more than 16% of households using cash-and-carry for all their transactions. That's a situation that can keep families from climbing the ladder of success.

Credit unions, mid-size banks and online institutions are eagerly stepping up to capture banking customers who are fed up with increasing fees at the biggest banks. And so far, it seems, those big banks don't mind losing their business.

Your credit score has nothing to do with your age, gender or career. Here are the five factors that matter.

Americans are expected to accumulate $54 billion in credit card debt in 2011, according to a recent study. So imagine a card that you can program to control your spending -- one that actually shuts off if you blow past your monthly budget at your favorite shoe store, or sends you an alert when you eat out more than you planned.

Consumers' wallets are really getting the squeeze these days as banks continue to raise ATM and bounced check fees. Meanwhile, the percentage of free checking accounts is on a steady decline, according to a new Bankrate survey.

Splitting up makes a mess of your finances, as Lynn, a nurse living in Florida knows all too well. Her 2008 divorce from her husband of 28 years left her in debt, with bad credit, and with limited financial skills. She's already begun to dig out, but she needs a better plan.