New GM, old faces

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson has argued this week that a bankruptcy court needs to approve plans to create a new GM, one unburdened by many of the contracts and liabilities of the past.
But there are many auto industry experts who question whether Henderson, who has worked at GM ever since graduating from business school 25 years ago, is the right man to bring about a necessary change at the company. Read More

Weak auto sales continue into June
Most major automakers report disappointing sales in June despite some glimmers of hope; Ford one of few to beat expectations. Read More

Gas prices hold steady as July 4 nears
Despite travelers taking to the road for vacations and the Independence Day weekend coming up, gasoline prices in the United States are unchanged from two weeks ago, according to a survey published Sunday. Read More

Michigan to California: Send us your prisoners
Financially strapped states consider a 'mutually beneficial' deal.
Michigan has to close prisons to save money. California's are bursting at the seams.
Read More

Gas prices strain struggling households
The recent spike in gasoline prices comes at a particularly unfortunate time -- many Americans are still reeling from the economic downturn. Here is how some people have responded to the return of pain at the pump. Read more

Higher gas prices to hit July 4 travel
AAA says fewer Americans will travel 50 miles or more during the holiday weekend.
Read more

Mortgage due, severance pay is running out
Raul Camejo had always been in high demand as an internal auditor - until just before he was laid off earlier this year, when calls from recruiters suddenly dried up. Read more



Personal Finance

3 ways to dodge rising fees
To offset their losses, banks, credit card companies and mutual funds are charging you more. Here's what you can do to soften the blow. Read more

Visa's surprising resilience
Many analysts say the credit card company has gotten a bad rap just by association, but its stock carries on. Read more

The trouble with annuities
Fixed annuities promise tax-deferred growth at guaranteed rates. But the shelter they offer can end up a trap. Read more

How does your net worth stack up?
Comparing your assets and liabilities on a regular basis is a good exercise. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Read more

Coming out of retirement at 62
Robert Bertrand thought he had planned his retirement perfectly. Now he is suddenly back hunting in a market that has little interest in older workers, no matter how experienced they are. Read more

Do the right thing in a recession
In a tough economy you may face some hard decisions when it comes to money and your relationships with family and friends. Our ethics experts weigh in on how to handle some particularly thorny dilemmas. Read more

Find a job in a tough economy
Three out-of-work professionals get makeovers from a team of four top career experts. Result: One master plan for each, full of smart strategies to find a job in a tough market. Their advice can boost your prospects too.
Read more




Small Business

Business owners cut to the bone
Recent surveys indicate that business owners are still sacrificing staff, benefits, and personal savings to keep their doors open.
Read more

Getting small biz contracts to small businesses
Big businesses gobble up procurement deals that should go to smaller firms. A proposed new law aims to change that.
Read more

Tweeting for profit
Smart entrepreneurs are now doing deals in 140 characters or less on Twitter.
Read more

Emergency small business loans to the rescue
The Small Business Administration says its new loan program is off to a promising start. Small businesses owners disagree. Read more

No more free labor!
When John Trupiano and I co-founded our software company Smartlogic Solutions in 2005, we were college students who knew a lot about writing code but nothing about running a tech consulting business. Read more