HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

Money is SO personal, and no matter how prepared you think you are to meet your money goals, there are many factors that can throw a wrench into your carefully designed plans. There’s perhaps no greater hurdle to overcome than being part of a community that is historically diminished in conversations about money.  Ellyce Fulmore, a queer ADHD money coach and neurodivergent content creator, joins u...

It finally happened…the Fed lowered interest rates, by a greater-than-expected half a percentage point when they met on Wednesday. This was the first time rates were cut in more than four years, and it’s expected that the Fed may continue cutting the rate at its two remaining meetings before the end of this year.  We’ve heard from many of you who have been waiting to drive off the lot in a new — o...

A few months ago, AARP released a survey that found that one in five Americans over 50 reported having no retirement savings, and over half don’t think they'll have enough money to keep them going in retirement. While many of us used to have pension plans to keep us afloat in retirement, now the vast majority of us rely heavily on Social Security and 401(k)’s.  Our system and our life expectancy a...

CDs (Certificates of Deposit) often get dismissed as "your parent's savings plan"—safe but, let's be honest, a little boring. But in today's high-interest-rate environment, they're making a strong comeback as a smart choice for short- and medium-term savings. With inflation cooling and the Fed expected to cut rates soon, these great rates won’t last forever. Joining us today is banking veteran and...

In this double-feature Mailbag, Jean talks to Kathryn and Audrey. Kathryn is a little over a decade from retirement and recently started a new job. In her new role, she'll be eligible to receive a pension when she retires. She's wondering if, in addition, an annuity makes sense for her.  Our next call is from Audrey who’s working on rebuilding her credit after not being employed for a little while...

From lip butter to Botox, people today are shelling out a lot of money on beauty products and procedures. According to The Aesthetic Society, people in the U.S. spent $11.8 billion on aesthetic procedures in 2022. When it comes to beauty products, one report from Lending Tree shows the average American spends $1,754 annually, with younger generations budgeting even more for beauty (thanks, TikTok)...

Did you spend too much this Labor Day weekend? Yeah...us too. Marketers are smart and they're only getting smarter. These days, there is so much targeted marketing based on what we like on Instagram, what we're watching on TikTok, or even (more creepy) the conversations we’re having with friends. Sometimes it can be really difficult not to just click buy when the recommendations are SO spot on.  S...

Close your eyes for a second and step back to the 1940s. Specifically, New York City in the 1940s. You’re walking down the crowded street with a certain pep in your step because guess what? You’re headed to your favorite department store, Lord & Taylor.  Department stores were not only the places where women shopped but also the places where women had power — power they did not have elsewhere at t...

In this Mailbag, Jean talks to Ally, a 39-year-old single woman who bought a house in 2020 when rates were low and is wondering if now is the right time to upgrade and whether or not to keep her current home as a rental property. Have a personal-finance question for us or want to jump on a call with Jean so you can get all of your follow-up questions answered? Write in at mailbag@hermoney.com. For...

Very classy, very demure, very mindful…that’s how the new TikTok trend that recently went viral from creator Jools Lebron says we should be in the workplace. We should be presentable, wear minimal, clean makeup, and not take up too much space. In other words, we should be bringing a muted version of ourselves to the workplace. Bonnie Hammer, Vice Chairman of NBC Universal and author of: “15 Lies W...

Last week, 2.9 billion records of personal data were for sale, from people in the US, Canada, and Britain, stolen from a company that does background checks called National Public Data. This data breach included the holy grail, Social Security numbers.  This is just one of the thousands of data breaches that have happened so far this year and a continuation of a growing pattern. Kim Komando joins...

Annika Sorenstam is one of the best female pro golfers that the world has ever seen. She also is a woman, like many of us, who started out with very little money, made some, and had to learn first how to budget it, and then how to invest it. She shares how she manages her money and advocates for other female professional golfers, on and off the green.  Chapters: 00:00 The Parallels Between Sports...

However you feel about LinkedIn, there’s no denying that having a profile is important. According to Forbes, LinkedIn is an essential platform to not only establish a professional online presence but also to showcase your skills and accomplishments.  Hala Taha, top LinkedIn influencer and host of the Young and Profiting podcast says that having a LinkedIn that gets you noticed is so much more than...

In this Mailbag, Jean talks to Allie, who is looking for advice on how to help her friends who are about to inherit a significant amount of money. She wants them to make smart financial decisions and overcome their struggles managing money in the past.  Have a personal finance question for us or want to jump on a call with Jean so you can get all of your follow-up questions answered? Write in at m...

Learning something new can be daunting, especially as you get older. But here’s the thing, the sooner you master a new skill, whether it be how to invest in the stock market, manage your debt, or take on a new sport — the closer you are to mastering it.  Gwendolyn Bounds, author of “Not Too Late: The Power of Pushing Limits At Any Age,” wants you to ignore that nagging voice at the back of your he...

When we start losing our hard-earned money in the market, we want to put a stop to it. We want to take action. But statistically, we know that investors who stay the course do better over time than those who try to time the markets.  Jinny Uppal, author of “IN/ACTION: Rethinking the Path to Results," dishes on why we should stop listening to the voice in our head that tempts us to a default action...

Today is Mom’s Equal Pay Day so we’re talking about the reality of motherhood in America today, no not the reality we see on social media where momfluencers make pregnancy to childbirth, to raising multiple kids seem like a breeze…we’re talking about what it’s really like to have kids in a country that doesn’t make it easy for us.  Jessica Grose, author of, “Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustaina...

In this special episode, Jean Chatzky is joined by professional investor and cohost of our InvestingFixx club, Karen Finerman. They’re talking about what the heck is going on with the stock market right now. With tech stocks plummeting and recession fears looming, Jean and Karen emphasize the cyclical nature of markets and the importance of staying calm in a downturn. They share their extensive ex...

You asked, we answered! In this Mailbag, Jean is joined by Celeste Headlee, author of, “We Need To Talk: How To Have Conversations That Matter” to talk through how to approach your toughest money conversations.  They tackle your questions on everything from preparing kids for navigating their own finances in college to addressing salary disparities at work. Celeste shares practical advice from her...

We’re smack dab in the middle of one of the hottest summers on record and although the heat can make many of us go a little crazy, it also forces us to slow down a lot, spend some time by the pool or the beach (or in the comfort of your living room with the AC on full blast) and embrace boredom more.  Celeste Headlee, author of, “Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Under...

In this Mailbag, Jean talks to Cecilia, a 58-year-old listener, about asset allocation and portfolio management as she approaches retirement. She has a defined benefit pension and government benefits, but also wants to draw down on her portfolio for the first few years of retirement.  They explore the need to adjust asset allocation, the role of fixed income in your portfolio, and the importance o...

When we think about our financial fears, one tops the list: Running out of money before we run out of time. According to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, half of all US households are at risk of not having enough income to maintain their standards of living in retirement. The bottom line is that Americans have a problem and we know it. The good news is that we have the ability...

For years, we’ve been told that we need a college degree to get anywhere in life and that a college education is the most important thing for our careers. But lately, young people have been asking themselves: do you really need a college degree anymore?  Hannah Maruyama, one of those would-be college students, decided not to take that path. Now she’s making $100,000 a year working in AI and teachi...

We are just past the halfway point of 2024, and things aren’t feeling great economy-wise, despite the US economy reaching “superstar status,” according to a recent article in the Atlantic.  Kyla Scanlon coined the term “vibecession” to explain this feeling. In her new book, “In This Economy? How Money & Markets Really Work,” she breaks down why what’s really going on in our economy feels at odds w...

Have you ever stopped for a second and thought about all of the things you do at work in a week? There are some tasks most of us need to do to be successful at our jobs. But do you also find yourself doing other tasks like administrative work, planning and setting up for parties, or training new employees? And have these responsibilities started to take over your work days?   If so, you’re not alo...