So Money with Farnoosh Torabi

This week’s Ask Farnoosh pulls together some of the most revealing financial stories of the week, grom pandemic-era homebuyers now feeling “locked in” by their ultra-low mortgage rates, to Gen Z putting marriage, kids, and career plans on hold until they can afford a home. Farnoosh also breaks down an under-the-radar proposal from the CFPB that could weaken anti-discrimination protections in lendi...

Hannah Cole, founder of Sunlight Tax, is back on So Money. And she’s here with big news: Her new book, Taxes for Humans: Simplify Your Taxes and Change the World When You’re Self-Employed , is officially out in the world — funny, joyful, deeply practical, and truly unlike any tax book you’ve ever read. I’m holding it in my hands right now. And for my Montclair and NYC listeners: Hannah is coming t...

Today’s guest is someone who has spent more than two decades helping women, families, and entrepreneurs build, protect, and keep their wealth. Ann Margaret Carrozza is a nationally recognized asset-protection and elder-law attorney, a former New York State Assemblywoman, and a trusted legal commentator seen across CBS, NBC, Fox Business, and iHeart. Her new book, The Smart Woman’s Guide to Buildin...

Farnoosh breaks down how much a 50-year mortgage would actually cost (spoiler: it's hardly a savings!) Plus: Getting your employer to help you with your down payment, helping your child become a millionaire, and splitting furniture costs with your partner when moving in together. Learn more about Farnoosh's upcoming literary workshop Book to Brand. Early bird registration is now open! Hosted on Ac...

What does it really take to launch a big idea? One that can change your career, business, or even the world? Is being a visionary enough, or is there a hidden formula for success? Guest Jen Kem says it's all about building the right "unicorn team." But here’s the twist: even if you’re a solopreneur or running a small business—like me—this book is still for you. Jen’s framework isn’t about having a...

Where do you think you are on the wealth ladder? Just starting out and struggling to save? Sitting on six figures and wondering what’s next? Or maybe you’ve hit a financial milestone—but it doesn’t feel as life-changing as you expected. Today’s episode is all about understanding what changes—and what should change—as you move up the financial ladder. My guest is Nick Maggiulli, author of The Wealt...

We’re doing something a little different this week. My guest is my friend and financial planner Georgia Lee Hussey, founder and CEO of Modernist Financial, and together we’re unpacking the Big Beautiful Bill and what it means for your taxes in 2025 and beyond. We explore how this new legislation could impact everyday taxpayers, what it reveals about our national priorities, and how we can each ali...

How can you harness your curiosity to grow your career? What are the most important questions to ask yourself when attempting to manage your money well? Guest Danielle Robay is a TV host, journalist, and content creator known for her open-hearted questions + compelling interview style. Noted by Forbes as a “game changer,” she is recognized for creating the podcast “ PRETTYSMART, ” the bestselling...

This is episode 1900, friends! Ten years of conversations about our money, our fears, our growth, and the power that comes when we take control of our financial lives. I can’t think of a better guest to mark this milestone than my longtime friend and former colleague, Tracy Byrnes . Tracy and I go way back to our early days in broadcast journalism, when we reported from the floor of the New York S...

Financial fear is common and quite frankly, normal. In this episode, Farnoosh breaks down some of the pivotal financial moments in her life where the underpinning emotion was fear. Starting all the way back in her early childhood. Then we hit the mail bag and answer questions about life insurance for kids, using a Roth IRA as an emergency account and where to allocate charitable giving this year....

Imagine a world where you were no longer expected to compete. That’s the world today’s guest, Ruchika T. Malhotra, invites us to imagine—and to start building. You may remember Ruchika from her last appearance on So Money , when she turned our understanding of imposter syndrome upside down, revealing it not as a personal flaw, but as a systemic one. Her new book, UNCOMPETE: Rejecting Competition t...

As the year winds down, many of us are asking, "What should I take care of financially before December 31st? What can wait until the new year? And how can I build a spending plan that actually reflects the life I want to live?" We're going to explore all of this, including how to think about emergency funds, the current economic cycle, and how that might affect our plans, as well as the myths arou...

This episode is a replay from April 11, 2025. Joining me today for a very special Ask Farnoosh episode is Maggie Johndrow, a seasoned wealth advisor and partner with Johndrow Wealth Management. Maggie brings her signature calm, clear-headed guidance to our turbulent financial times — and let's be honest, we could all use a little Maggie in our wallets right now. In this episode, we tackle some of...

Farnoosh sits down with beauty icon Anastasia Soare , founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills and author of the new memoir Raising Brows . Known as the “Eyebrow Queen,” Anastasia shares how she built a billion-dollar brand from scratch after immigrating from communist Romania with nothing but determination. She opens up about learning the “alphabet of finance” in America, the early days shaping brows i...

Feminist dating coach and Date Brazen founder Lily Womble shares how to invest in your love life the same way you invest in your financial future with intention, clarity, and confidence. Drawing from her new book Thank You, More Please , Lily explains how to move beyond the algorithm-driven dating grind and cultivate what she calls Essence-Based Preferences —a framework for attracting the relation...

This week's questions: Ways to build smarter budgets, earn extra money outside the 9-to-5, tackle those hefty annual credit card fees, and a pro tip for anyone struggling with medical debt. Learn more about Farnoosh's upcoming literary workshop Book to Brand. Early bird registration is now open! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new study reveals that more people want to quit their jobs now than during the Great Resignation. Whether it’s to find better-paying work to address the rising cost of living, or simply to leave their company or industry and start fresh on a professional path they actually enjoy, the big question remains: Will they quit? Our guest today is helping people overcome that hurdle. Goli Kalkhoran is a...

Money touches every part of a relationship — from who pays the bills to who feels free to spend, to how faith, privilege, and even family expectations shape the way we see our financial roles. But for many couples, these conversations stay on the surface — focused on budgets or account balances — instead of the deeper emotions and power dynamics underneath. My guests today, Heather and Douglas Bon...

This week, Farnoosh dedicates Ask Farnoosh to one of the most pressing money topics in America right now: debt relief. Visit SoMoneyLinks for resources. With household debt topping $17.7 trillion and credit card balances at record highs, Farnoosh answers real listener questions about tackling debt, from when to pause investing to whether it ever makes sense to use home equity or refinance student...

If you’ve been shopping lately, you’ve probably noticed — clothes cost a lot more than they used to. Inflation has hit fashion hard, but the quality? Not so much. From fast fashion to high-end brands, shoppers are wondering: why are we paying more for pieces that don’t seem to last? To help us make sense of it all — and learn how to shop smarter — I’m joined by stylist Amy Salinger , founder of St...

New York Times  bestselling author of  Take Back Your Brain ,  Kara Loewentheil , unveils her proven strategies for closing the “brain gap,” and how women can reclaim their financial confidence in a patriarchal society. Learn more about Farnoosh's upcoming literary workshop Book to Brand. Early bird registration is now open! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

This week's questions: Should I move my money overseas if I'm worried about immigrant rights? Should I divide my dad’s $100,000 (currently in a basic bank account) among savings, high-yield savings, and investments, and should I remarry my current boyfriend, knowing I would lose my ex-husband’s Social Security benefits? Learn more about Farnoosh's upcoming literary workshop Book to Brand. Early bi...

One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was this: you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate. It’s true, but for many of us — especially women — negotiating can feel loaded, intimidating, even risky. The fear of backlash is real. My guest today knows this better than anyone. In fact, a failed negotiation early in her career — one that ended with her being escorted out of the bu...

My guest today is one of the most vibrant and necessary voices in personal finance today. Katie Gatti Tassin is the founder of the wildly popular Money with Katie platform and host of the podcast by the same name. She's back on the show with a brand-new book that is as bold as it is brilliant: Rich Girl Nation. This isn't your average money guide. Katie weaves sharp analysis, real-world context, a...

Farnoosh kicks things off with life updates—juggling the whirlwind of September as a parent, launching The Montclair Pod (now a finalist for a prestigious Signal Award (vote here) ), and coping with a double hit of bank fraud that forced her to shut down an account and rebuild her banking setup. Sign up for her investing workshop on Tuesday, Sept 30 at SoMoneyWorkshop.com Farnoosh also shares impo...