Jill on Money with Jill Schlesinger

We may need to create a subcategory called “Personal Finance 101” for those episodes we have that deal with the financial services industry in general. Today, my old pal Gary Schatsky is in the house to talk about the industry, the state of fiduciary and one of the most oversold/misunderstood products, annuities. Gary is a practicing financial advisor who was way ahead of his time by championing c...

Your husband thinks you're on track for retirement, you're not so sure. What do you do? If you're like Laura from Seattle, you call me for an unbiased opinion! Have a money question? Email me here. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at th...

The student loan picture in this country is not a pretty one. According to the Federal Reserve, over half of young adults who went to college took on some debt. It's so bad that outstanding student loans have topped $1.4 trillion! To address the problem, we’re going to have a bit of fun as we try and find some sorta way to ease the burden on those students. That’s why today we’re chatting with act...

I'm so glad when people call me before they make another mistake with their current financial advisor. That's the case on the latest BONUS call with Joe from California, who thankfully was sensing that something wasn't quite right. This is a great call to learn from. If your gut is telling you something, get in touch with me!! Have a money question? Email me here. “Better Off” is sponsored by Bett...

Should I refinance my student loans? Is debt consolidation the best option? Should I be using a Roth IRA? Those are the latest questions we answered as we attempt to clear out the inbox! Have a money question? Email me here. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman...

June is #PrideMonth, when the LGBTQ community and its allies, honor the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City, an event that served as the catalyst for the gay rights movement in the U.S. and around the world. Where’s the connection between Pride and Better Off, besides the lesbian host? This week I chatted with Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against D...

Because there aren't that many defined benefit pension programs out there anymore, we don't get a ton of pension questions. But they do still exist, and every once in a while we'll get a question from somebody trying to decide between a lump sum or monthly payments. That's the case with Janet from California on the latest BONUS call. Have a money question? Email me here. “Better Off” is sponsored...

On this quick bonus episode we're answering some emails about retirement planning, inherited IRAs, asset allocation and car leases. Have a money question? Email me here. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at these places for all my conten...

It’s pretty rare that I have a legit economist on the show. It’s even rarer when said legit economist is a woman -- WOOT! On this episode we check both those boxes with Linda Yueh, an economist who holds senior academic positions at Oxford University, London Business School, and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Linda joined us to discuss her latest book, What Would the Great E...

Retirement is approaching, and so far you've done a great job of planning for it on your own. Do you need to hire a financial planner or can you keep going solo? That's what Michelle was wondering on the latest BONUS call. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.c...

Desperate times call for desperate measures... Because our inbox is overflowing, we're going to start mixing in some bonus episodes until we clear out the emails. On this episode we're discussing the pros and cons of switching to a job that pays less, whether or not a second home purchase makes sense, and how to properly allocate your assets when preparing for retirement. Have a money question? Em...

Rising home prices has helped many homeowners get richer on paper...they have also prompted a big influx of questions about private mortgage insurance (PMI) and refinancing, so we figured it was time to bring on an expert. Nicole Hamilton, a tech executive-turned-mortgage and homeownership expert, founded Tactile Finance, the first digital tools that let people visualize their homeownership outcom...

If you have some extra cash on hand does it make sense to try and pay off the mortgage early? That's the topic this week on the latest BONUS call as we chat with Nick from Milwaukee.  “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at these places for...

Happy belated #529Day, a day when states try to boost interest and participation in 529 education savings programs with various incentives. To mark the occasion, we have one of the foremost authorities on 529 plans, Andrea Feirstein, founder and Managing Director at AKF Consulting Group, a leading strategic advisor to public administrators of state investment programs. Andrea was extremely knowled...

If you make too much money and are not able to contribute to a Roth IRA, I'm all for implementing the backdoor conversion strategy. But there are some rules associated with pulling it off, and that's what Jeff from Chicago was calling about on the latest BONUS call. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme...

Every once in a while I chat with somebody who makes me realize just how cool my job really is. That’s the case this week with Ken Langone, the legendary financier, who helped take a bunch of companies public before co-founding Home Depot. Ken has also became a philanthropist extraordinaire, helping to rebuild the New York University hospital. Ken dropped by for an in-studio to talk about his new...

If it's offered, should you be making post-tax contributions to your retirement plan? As you'll hear on the latest BONUS call with Chelsea from North Carolina, it kinda depends on your situation. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at thes...

As someone who consumes a massive amount of financial data and then tries to make it palpable to listeners, viewers and readers, I am drawn to those who have an uncanny ability to break through the clutter. At the New York Times, my-go to writer for personal finance is Ron Lieber. His column, the wildly popular Your Money, covers just about anything and everything that hits you in the wallet, from...

It's always so encouraging when we get calls from younger people who are already dreaming about early retirement. That's the case on the latest BONUS call with Ronny from Connecticut who is just out of school and already thinking about hanging on the beach. While it's encouraging, I'm also not sure how realistic it is. You'll hear what I mean when you listen. “Better Off” is sponsored by Bettermen...

It’s hard to imagine how an argument between a couple of billionaires could make for a compelling story. But when it happens on live television, and it involves two major Wall Street heavyweights, it’s like watching a trainwreck that you just can’t pull yourself away from. And that’s exactly what happened in 2013, when Wall Street titans Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman got into a legendary verbal battl...

Pensions are certainly not as common as they once were, but they're still out there, and we still field a lot of questions on them. Usually the most common one is whether or not a lump sum payment is the best option. That's the case with Phil from Tennessee on the latest BONUS call. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "...

How can you incorporate your values into your investments? While many of us have principles and views about what is “right” and “wrong”, putting those principles into action within a portfolio can be difficult. Although hard to accomplish, there are different ways of making an impact. They vary in terms of feasibility, effectiveness, and potential cost. When trying to determine the best approach,...

Okay, so here's the scenario...you're pretty certain your mom is getting screwed by her advisor...yet she doesn't want to hear your concerns. What do you do? How do you have the talk? Can she be convinced? That's the dilemma facing Diane from Indiana on the latest BONUS call. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a...

If you’re working in an office environment, it’s hard to ignore the massive shift that’s taking place in the workplace. In today’s average company, up to 80% of employees’ days are now spent working in teams. And yet the teams most people find themselves in are nowhere near as effective as they could be. They’re often divided by tensions, if not outright dissension, and dysfunctional teams drain e...

You were required to buy private mortgage insurance (PMI) but are now in a position to get rid of it. Should you? And is it okay to deplete the brokerage account for a kitchen renovation? Just a couple of the questions from Melanie in New Jersey on the latest BONUS call. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rati...