HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

What does a real week of spending look like for a busy working mom who also happens to be a landlord? This week on A Week In Her Wallet, we're heading to Annapolis, Maryland, to follow Larisa, a 48-year-old HR Director with a combined household income of $375,000, two kids in competitive sports, a dog, and a rental condo she's owned since her twenties. We talk through it all: how she keeps a separate checking account just for rental income and expenses, why she almost always orders ahead for pickups at Sam's Club, and how she thinks about the guilt that still creeps in when she spends money on herself. Plus… Bucky's. If you've never stopped at Bucky's on a road trip down I-95, Larisa will make you want to. In this episode, we cover: The good, the bad, and the ugly of owning a rental property, and how she budgets for the unpredictable How she handles big annual bills (like a $1,200 water assessment) without breaking a sweat How she uses a dependent care spending account to offset summer camp costs How splitting costs with her sister makes family vacations feel easy and fun Want to be featured in A Week In Her Wallet? Every woman has a money story worth telling, and we want to hear yours. Fill out this form to be considered. We’d love to hear from you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve planned for retirement. You’ve built your savings, mapped out your Social Security strategy, and thought through market risks. But what happens if one day, you can’t manage your money at all? It’s an uncomfortable question – and one many people avoid. Yet, research shows that cognitive decline can quietly undermine financial decision-making, often earlier than we expect, and with serious consequences. On this special episode of HerMoney, sponsored by LIMRA, Dr. Chris Heye, LIMRA Retirement Income Institute Fellow and CEO of Whealthcare Planning and Wealthcare Solutions, explains why health risks – especially cognitive decline – may be one of the biggest blind spots in retirement planning today. Then, Erin Gilmore Smith, Head of Estate Planning for Edelman Financial Engines, joins us to share practical steps you can take now to protect your finances, your family, and your future self. In this episode, they’ll highlight: Why health risks – and especially cognitive decline – might matter more than the markets How cognitive decline shows up in our finances, before we realize we have it Why women are more challenged when it comes to the risk of cognitive decline – and how we can protect ourselves Protected income can help create greater stability in retirement, especially in the face of potential cognitive decline. If you’re curious and want to dig deeper, this resource from LIMRA can help: Protect Your Retirement From Cognitive Decline: The Link Between Cognitive Health and Financial Security Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You saved diligently for your kids' education, and now that chapter is closing. So what happens to the money? Can you protect those tax benefits and roll the funds into something new? We're getting into it. This week, Jean is joined by Lacy Garcia, founder and CEO of TrustWillow.com, a personalized advisor-matching platform that connects women and their families with vetted, fiduciary financial advisors who are legally required to act in your best interest, and who have been trained specifically in working with women's financial lives. They dig into your mailbag questions from: Inge, who opened Coverdell ESAs for her kids 20 years ago, just got a notice that Vanguard is shutting down the program. What are her options for keeping that money tax-protected? An anonymous listener just paid off her husband's student loans and is officially done with daycare. Where should that newfound money go? Rebecca, who is recently divorced with a high school senior and a 529 that covers about one year of college. She wants to know: Are there financial planners who specialize in college planning? 🔗 Connect with a vetted fiduciary advisor at hermoney.com/findanadvisor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you actually know where your money went last week? Not roughly...where it actually went. Every coffee, every impulse buy, every bill that hit all at once on a Monday morning when you were least expecting it. A Week in Her Wallet is a HerMoney limited series where real women from our community track every single dollar they spend for one full week, and then sit down with Jean Chatzky to talk about what they learned. Because the way we spend says so much about what we value, what we're afraid of, and where we might want to make a change. In this series, you'll hear from women like: Kortne, a 55-year-old tech director in Texas who meal preps every meal — even on race day at a half-marathon across the country — but didn't think twice about dropping $820 on Bruno Mars tickets for her daughter Kristen, a single woman in her 40s who travels constantly for work, owns her own home, and used her yard sale earnings to buy festival tickets for a night out with a friend Larisa, a Maryland mom juggling a rental property, two busy kids, a road trip to Florida, and a Sam's Club run that started with paper towels and ended with a bathing suit Real women. Real numbers. Real life. Subscribe to HerMoney on Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode, look for A Week In Her Wallet directly in your HerMoney podcast feed. And if you want to track your own spending with us, apply here to be featured. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At HerMoney, we're always trying to make money a little less intimidating; breaking down the big, complicated stuff into things you can actually use in your real life. And when it comes to understanding the economy, nobody does that better than today's guest. Alex Mayyasi is a contributor to Planet Money, the NPR podcast that has spent seventeen years making economics genuinely entertaining, and he and the team have just written a book: Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life. Alex also stuck around for a Mailbag, answering listener questions about tariffs, tax-loss harvesting, and why everything you buy seems to be getting more expensive but less high quality at the same time. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the economy feels so broken right now, even when GDP is growing, inflation is down, and wages are solid Baumol's Cost Disease: the simple but powerful concept that explains why childcare, healthcare, and college keep getting more expensive What the history of the ATM tells us about AI and whether it's really going to take your job Why it's nearly impossible to beat the market, and what a cute animal experiment reveals about how stocks actually work The one economic principle Alex has found most useful in his own life, and why it applies to way more than just your money Resources mentioned in this episode: Planet Money’s new book, Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life Subscribe to the free twice-weekly HerMoney newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You've heard the rules. Subtract your age from 100. Go 60/40. Play it safer as you get older. But what if those long-held guidelines have been steering you wrong and costing you? Yale finance professor James Choi returns to HerMoney to share groundbreaking research that could change the way you think about your investments forever. His new asset allocation formula goes far beyond the traditional rules of thumb, factoring in your income, your savings, your risk tolerance, and something most investment guidelines completely ignore: the future paychecks you haven't earned yet. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the "100 minus your age" rule and the classic 60/40 portfolio have a critical blind spot The concept of "human capital" and why your future paychecks function like a bond in your overall wealth portfolio How the formula shifts dramatically for mid-career investors, and why the size of your nest egg matters more than you think What near-retirees and women already in retirement should really know about how much risk to take on Resources mentioned in this episode: James Choi's allocation spreadsheet calculator The Wall Street Journal piece on James's research Jean's new book, The Forever Paycheck (coming Sept 2026) Subscribe to the free twice-weekly HerMoney newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Q1 2026 has been a lot. Tariffs. Oil above $100 a barrel. A war in the Middle East. Recession chatter. Stock market swings. And the creeping feeling that something has shifted in the economy… and not for the better. This week, Jean Chatzky sits down with economist and fan-favorite guest Kathryn Edwards for a full Q1 economic report card and a roadmap for what Q2 might bring. In this episode: The K-shaped economy explained Why the White House's 4% growth projection was never realistic, and how we got from boom talk to recession odds so fast How long oil prices need to stay elevated before the economic damage becomes truly lasting Why Kathryn is still an optimist, and why she believes Americans are resilient to change Links mentioned: Follow Kathryn on socials: @kedseconomist Subscribe to Optimist Economy wherever you get your podcasts Join InvestingFixx — your first two classes are free! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you felt truly in control of your time? Not your calendar, not your to-do list…your time? If the answer is "I can't remember," this episode is for you. Jean Chatzy is joined by Andy Hill, AFC, founder of Marriage, Kids, and Money, and author of Own Your Time: 10 Financial Steps to Put Your Family First and Escape the Corporate Grind. Together, they tackle your most pressing mailbag questions about the real tension so many of us are feeling right now: how do you balance saving aggressively for the future with actually enjoying your life today? In this episode: A 41-year-old high earner with nearly $800K in savings wants to know what to do with extra money beyond maxing out her accounts and whether she's really as "behind" as the calculators say. A 54-year-old asks whether her financial advisor is right that fully funding her 401 (k) won't make much difference. And Julie, 52, is stretched thin between her career and caring for her aging mom, and wonders: Is it financially irresponsible to step back during her peak earning years? Andy also shares how he and his wife hit their Coast FIRE number, redesigned their lives around a 20-hour workweek, and what the first move looks like if you want to do the same. Ready to make your money work harder so you don't have to? Join InvestingFixx and learn how to build a portfolio that buys back your time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're earning more than you ever have. You're doing everything you were told to do. So why does it still feel like you can't get ahead? This week, Jean sits down with Hanna Horvath, CFP, personal finance journalist, and writer behind the Substack Your Brain on Money, to talk about why so many women are struggling with money right now, and why it probably has a lot less to do with your choices than you think. In this episode, you'll learn: Why GDP being up and your life feeling hard are not contradictory, and what's actually driving the disconnect The concept of mattering, and why losing your sense of economic contribution can feel like an identity crisis The four money behaviors that show up when economic anxiety takes hold Why community investment is one of the most underrated strategies for financial resilience The one question to ask yourself before every spending decision Join InvestingFixx, our twice-monthly women-only investing club. Your first two classes are always free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Markets are swinging. There's a war with Iran. Oil is spiking. And if your stomach has been dropping every time you look at your portfolio, Stephanie Link has something to say about that. Stephanie is Chief Investment Strategist and Portfolio Manager at Hightower Advisors, and a longtime CNBC contributor with more than 30 years of experience managing money through every kind of market cycle. She joined Jean Chatzky this week to cut through the noise and tell us exactly what she's doing with money right now. Stephanie shares her boldest market calls for the rest of 2026, including why she's bullish on Brazil and why its role in the AI power story is completely underappreciated, which sectors she's watching closely, and why the fear that AI is going to kill software companies is, in her words, overdone. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Stephanie says it's impossible to time the market, and what to do instead Her top three international markets right now The AI infrastructure food chain, and which industries stand to benefit most How much crypto she actually holds in her own portfolio The one book every new investor should read Connect with Stephanie Link: LinkedIn: Stephanie Link X: @Stephanie_Link Hightower Advisors: hightoweradvisors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When retirement plans fall apart, we tend to assume it’s because someone overspent – maybe on travel, hobbies, or helping the kids a little too much. But, often, that’s not what does the real damage. It’s healthcare costs. Dr. Carolyn McClanahan – a physician turned fee-only financial planner – joins Jean Chatzky on this special episode of the HerMoney Podcast, sponsored by LIMRA, to share how unexpected health costs impact women, and how you can better prepare so they don’t derail your financial security. In the episode, they’ll break down: What people get wrong about healthcare costs – and why women face greater risks The Medicare misconceptions that can cost you How to prepare for the hidden threat of cognitive decline What you can do to better plan for unexpected healthcare costs After tuning in, complete this “Healthcare and Aging Game Plan” worksheet from our friends at LIMRA. It will help you outline your healthcare priorities, decisions, and anticipated expenses in retirement, as well as prepare you to talk through these topics with your financial advisor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel, three ships were struck near the Strait of Hormuz just yesterday, and the word "recession" is creeping back into the conversation. And we’re all feeling more than just a little bit anxious about what that means for our money. On this special bonus episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with Claudia Sahm, former Fed section chief, senior economist under President Obama, and creator of the Sahm Rule, a recession indicator that has been 100% accurate going back to 1959. Claudia breaks down exactly what's happening with oil prices and why it affects everything from your gas tank to your grocery bill to your retirement account. She explains what the Sahm Rule actually is, why she's cautioning people not to over-rely on it right now, and what she means when she says she just doesn't have "a good feeling" about this economy. Links mentioned: Claudia's Substack: Stay-At-Home Macro (SAHM) Claudia's writing at Bloomberg Opinion Join InvestingFixx — your first two classes are free! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if everything the wellness industry is selling you is actually making your life worse…not longer? This week, Jean Chatzky sits down with Ezekiel Emanuel, oncologist, bioethicist, and author of Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long, Healthy Life, for one of the most thought-provoking conversations we've had on HerMoney. Then we're joined by Lacey Garcia, founder and CEO of Willow, for this week's mailbag. Because once you've thought hard about how long you might actually live, the next question is: do you have the right financial guidance to match? Jean and Lacey walk through three real listener questions about when to hire a financial advisor, when a one-time planning session is enough, and how to stop feeling embarrassed about your numbers and start getting the help you deserve. Get matched with a vetted fiduciary financial advisor who specializes in working with women: hermoney.com/findanadvisor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the next decade, roughly $30 trillion is expected to move into the hands of women, and the question isn't just what women will inherit. It's what they'll build. This week, Jean Chatzky sits down with Janine Firpo, an impact investor and co-founder of Invest for Better, to talk about Our Sheconomy, a data-backed initiative that models what the world would look like if women had held equal economic and political power since 1925. But this episode isn't just about a hypothetical future. It's about the very real, very practical steps you can take right now — no matter how much (or how little) you have — to invest in alignment with your values without sacrificing returns. In this episode, you'll learn: How to audit your current portfolio for impact using free tools (including one Janine swears by) Why ESG isn't a political buzzword — it's a risk management tool How to start impact investing for as little as $100 Ready to put Janine's advice into action? Join InvestingFixx, Jean's twice-monthly women-only investing club, where expert stock pickers bring ideas to the table, and a community of women learn and win together. Your first two classes are always free. Resources: As You Sow – Invest Your Values Our Sheconomy Invest for Better Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do we keep doing the things we know aren’t good for our finances? Whether it’s emotional spending, avoiding a growing credit card balance, over-controlling every dollar, or saying “yes” to spending when we really mean “no”. So many of our money habits aren’t about math; they’re about emotion. This week, Jean Chatzky sits down with licensed marriage and family therapist and mental health educator Kati Morton, author of the new book Why Do I Keep Doing This?, to unpack the psychology behind the patterns that keep us stuck, especially when it comes to money. In this episode, we explore: The difference between healthy control and control that quietly sabotages us Why emotional spending happens — and how it differs from compulsive spending How financial insecurity in childhood can shape our careers, relationships, and money mindset Why the world feeling “out of control” can trigger impulsive financial decisions How women nearing retirement can navigate financial anxiety during major life transitions Practical tools to help break the cycle And if you’re ready to take control of your financial future in an intentional way, join us in InvestingFixx, our investing community designed to help you build confidence, clarity, and long-term wealth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does a real week of spending look like for a 55-year-old director of technology earning $212,000 a year? In this episode of A Week in Her Wallet, Jean Chatzky talks with Kortne, a Texas-based executive, marathoner, and mom of two adult daughters, who tracked every dollar she spent over seven days. Kortne grew up in a working-class family in Detroit and says she’s intentional about enjoying her money now — especially when it comes to experiences. She’s run all six Abbott World Marathon Majors, travels frequently, and invests heavily in her health. At the same time, she’s focused on retirement planning, savings, and making sure her lifestyle remains sustainable long term. 🎧 Want to be featured on A Week in Her Wallet? Apply here. 💸 Ready to grow your investing skills? Join InvestingFixx — our women-only investing club. Your first two classes are free. 📩 Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it helps more women find the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you saved and saved and saved… but now feel unsure about how to spend? On this week’s episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with entrepreneur and bestselling author Mike Michalowicz to talk about why managing money isn’t a math problem, it’s a behavior problem. Mike opens up about losing everything after selling two multi-million-dollar companies, how lifestyle inflation and ego nearly destroyed his finances, and the emotional moment with his daughter that forced him to completely rethink how money works. From there, he shares his Money Habit System, a simple but powerful framework for: Paying off high-interest credit card debt Creating “financial seasons” (Recovery, Fund, Activate, Balance)• Learning how to spend confidently in retirement Managing money as a couple without conflict Using debit vs. credit strategically Breaking bad money habits with behavioral science 💼 And if part of building better money habits means finding a financial advisor who truly understands your goals, visit HerMoney.com/FindAnAdvisor to get matched for free with a vetted fiduciary through our partner, Willow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are private equity, private credit, and crypto coming to your 401(k)? And if they do, should you invest? In this episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with CFP® professional and Summit Place Financial founder Liz Miller to break down the new push to allow alternative investments, such as private equity, private credit, and cryptocurrency, in retirement accounts. In This Episode We Cover: What private equity and private credit actually are (in plain English) Why Wall Street is eager to bring alternative investments into 401(k)s The truth about private equity fees (including the “2 and 20” model) How much crypto is reasonable in a diversified portfolio Tax pros and cons of holding crypto in a 401(k) vs. a brokerage account Why illiquidity matters in retirement investing ✨ Want deeper investing conversations, live market breakdowns, and portfolio strategy guidance? Join the HerMoney Investing Club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve read economic headlines recently and thought, “Well, that’s not comforting,” you’re not alone. Market swings and broader economic uncertainty are enough to make even confident investors second-guess their strategies. And here’s the hard truth: Wall Street doesn’t care if you’re retiring next year. It doesn’t care if you’re five years away. And it definitely doesn’t care if you’re lying awake at night wondering if you’ve done “enough.” The good news? You can take steps to build confidence. On a special episode of the HerMoney Podcast, sponsored by LIMRA, Jean sits down with two of the smartest voices in retirement – Jason Fichtner, Executive Director of the LIMRA Retirement Income Institute and David Blanchett, head of retirement research at Prudential, a portfolio manager at PGIM and a LIMRA Retirement Income Institute Fellow – to talk about how to step off the emotional rollercoaster of the markets and build a retirement plan that feels stable, predictable and livable. In the episode, they’ll break down: Why market swings hit harder as retirement gets closer How protected income can help build a foundation for financial peace of mind Whether you should be worried about the future of Social Security Why waiting to claim Social Security can be one of your biggest wins – and strategies to make doing so easier Protected income can play a helpful role in creating more stability in retirement. If you’re curious and want to dig deeper, these two resources from LIMRA can help: Retirement planning can feel complex. This resource breaks down how fees and commissions work, so you know what to expect and what questions to ask. There’s plenty of conflicting information online about annuities. This guide walks through common misconceptions and explains the basics to help you better understand how they fit into retirement planning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More American women are single than ever before, but our financial system is still built for couples. In this episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with finance journalist and author Renée Sylvestre-Williams to unpack the hidden financial penalties of being single (aka The Singles Tax) and what solo earners can do to protect themselves, build wealth, and plan for retirement on their own terms. We're talking about: What the “Singles Tax” really is—and where it hits hardest Why single women may need larger emergency funds and more downside protection Renting vs. buying: how to decide what’s right for you The most overlooked tax strategies for single women The biggest retirement planning mistake single women make 📚 Resources & Links: Join InvestingFixx, our judgment-free investing community designed to help you build confidence, grow your money, and make smart decisions. The Singles Tax: No-Nonsense Financial Advice for Solo Earners by Renée Sylvestre-Williams The Budgette Newsletter (Renée’s newsletter for single earners) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices