Many women leave the workforce to care for someone they love. But how do we do it while compensating for our lost savings opportunity? Even a one year career break can mean $160,000 less by retirement. Kathy Murphy, President of Personal Investing at Fidelity Investments, offers real solutions for weighing the pros and cons of a career break, and shares concrete steps we can take to reduce the financial impact. In Mailbag, saving in an emergency fund, second act careers, and helping a parent sav...
Nov 25, 2020•50 min•Ep. 241
We love saving money, but how much is too much? Bill Perkins, author of ‘Die With Zero’ argues that the more time and money we can invest in our experiences during our lifetime, the richer our lives will be. Bill makes the case that we should all be spending more of our time and money exploring the world, savoring our relationships, and pursuing our dreams. In Mailbag, we take questions from a listener who is worried that all she does is “work and save,” a woman who wants to diversify her invest...
Nov 18, 2020•42 min•Ep. 240
Ask any woman on the street today, and she’ll probably tell you she’s shouldering more worry, more responsibility, more of the invisible “mental load” than ever before. And. We. Are. Exhausted. But what’s to be done? Eve Rodsky, author of “Fair Play” walks us through the steps we can take to level the playing field in our homes, and change the dynamic of women shouldering the brunt of childrearing and domestic responsibilities. In Mailbag, Jean advises a woman looking for a lower management fee ...
Nov 11, 2020•50 min•Ep. 239
As appealing as an investment in real estate sounds, many of us don’t want to be landlords, which is why we’re talking about investing passively in real estate, via real estate syndications. Annie Dickerson and Julie Lam, co-founders of Goodegg Investments, walk us through exactly what real estate syndications are and how they work, the minimums needed to invest, and the typical returns expected. In Mailbag, we advise a woman considering a career as a financial coach, a single woman considering ...
Nov 04, 2020•43 min•Ep. 238
All eyes are on next Tuesday, Nov. 3 — Election Day. This year, women are expected to turn out in record numbers to have our voices heard. Why? Frankly, we’re worried. About coronavirus, paying for healthcare, the future of Social Security, our careers and our place in the economy, and whether or not we’ll be able to afford to retire. Nancy LeaMond, EVP at AARP discusses exactly how women voters will influence the election this year. In Mailbag, we talk about saving for a niece’s future, scaling...
Oct 28, 2020•48 min•Ep. 237
Want to become an angel investor? Someone who provides funding for small startups or entrepreneurs? Brianna McDonald, President of Global Investment Network Keiretsu Forum, gives us a crash course in what an angel investor really does, and breaks down the different pathways to becoming one. We talk about finding successful rates of return, doing your research, and hidden “gotchas.” In Mailbag, saving for the down payment on a child’s home, rebuilding a credit score, and what to do when a card lo...
Oct 21, 2020•42 min•Ep. 236
Does anyone have just one job anymore? This week, we’re diving into what it looks like to realize a dream while still working full-time. We’re learning from Jessica Goodman, an editor at Cosmopolitan who just wrote the book, ‘They Wish They Were Us.” Jessica talks about how she found the time to write, how she juggled deadlines, and made tough choices between work obligations and social experiences. In Mailbag, we discuss where women can thrive with a career in finance, ways to save on personal ...
Oct 14, 2020•38 min•Ep. 235
When you think about the young women in your life, what comes to mind? What do you want most for them to realize and achieve, and how do you want to help them get there? We sit down with Illana Raia, founder of Être, a mentorship platform for middle school girls, to discuss how girls can raise their hands instead of lowering their standards. We talk about female leaders, diversity in boardrooms, and how to bridge the “confidence gap” that plagues women of all ages. In Mailbag, we talk Roth IRA c...
Oct 07, 2020•42 min•Ep. 234
How do you connect with the people in your life who make it rich — with the friends who you love most? We sit down with Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, hosts of the “Call Your Girlfriend” podcast, and co-authors of the book, “Big Friendship.” We talk about what it means to be a good friend, how to sustain friendships, and why society under-values friendships. In Mailbag, we talk about supporting aging parents in their retirement, leaving a stressful job and starting a family, and we clarify retir...
Sep 30, 2020•52 min•Ep. 233
How long has it been since you applied to college? These days it seems every school wants something different, but the process doesn’t have to be anxiety-inducing, say this week’s guests, Eric J. Furda and Jacques Steinberg, authors of “The College Conversation.” The pair offer up a step-by-step guide to having some tough conversations, assessing the schools best suited to your child’s interests, getting financial aid, and making the final decision on a school. In Mailbag, we tackle alternatives...
Sep 23, 2020•38 min•Ep. 232
What are some of the ugly truths that keep women of color from having a seat at the table in corporate America? Minda Harts, author of “The Memo: What Women Of Color Need To Know To Secure A Seat At The Table,” joins us to discuss. Minda weighs in on microaggressions, what corporate America is doing wrong (and right) when it comes to advancing women of color, and what all women can do to secure a seat at the table in a remote work world. In Mailbag, we discuss long term care policies, how to rec...
Sep 16, 2020•43 min•Ep. 231
Financial success doesn’t come overnight, but it can come if we learn to retrain our brains to achieve our most important money goals. We chat with Barbara Huson, author of “Rewire For Wealth,” about how we can step into the driver’s seat of our money and our careers. Barbara discusses the differences between men and women in how we approach our financial lives, and how we can move past our fears. In Mailbag, we talk about saving for retirement, putting kids through college, and claiming your ex...
Sep 09, 2020•40 min•Ep. 230
When’s the last time you got a bargain? This week, we’re talking about negotiating BIG purchases, like houses and cars, with Tonya Rapley, founder and CEO of MyFabFinance.com. Tonya worked as a car salesperson, and just purchased her first home along with her first company. We talk negotiation skills, dealer discounts, no-haggle lots, and the best times of the month (and day!) to pull the trigger on a new ride. In Mailbag, we talk about target date funds, buying a home after living small, and wh...
Sep 02, 2020•43 min•Ep. 229
So many of us are struggling right now, and we're tackling listener questions on job loss. We hear from a listener who is unsure which source of income to tap if her job search takes longer than she'd like. We also hear from a woman who is debating a balance transfer and a 401(k) loan in order to manage her credit card debt situation. We also guide a couple debating taking money from their 401(k)s in order to pay off their house, and we advise a woman who is worried about being able to retire as...
Aug 28, 2020•23 min
Ree Drummond, best known as “The Pioneer Woman,” is one of the most loved chefs in America, and this week she sits down with us to talk about her favorite recipes, cooking for any budget, kitchen mishaps, her most-used gadgets, and how she stays organized. In Mailbag, saving for retirement in an IRA, market volatility, and the best places to save money. In Thrive, our biggest money regrets and how to avoid them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Aug 26, 2020•51 min•Ep. 228
We’ve entered into a new era of workplace communication, one in which we must offer empathy and transparency, and convey urgency and excitement, all without handshakes, lunches, or happy hours. Behavioral scientist Lindsay Kohler breaks down how to keep your productivity up, improve your communication skills, set boundaries, and challenge your own biases while working remotely. In Mailbag, we tackle refinancing a child’s student loan, a backdoor Roth conversion, IRA contributions, and whether $1...
Aug 19, 2020•42 min•Ep. 227
When invested the right way, your money can impact change while also earning big returns. We break down what it means to put your money where your mouth is, with Fidelity Investments’ Eliza Badeau and Nicole Connolly. Bigger ESG funds are up 10% year over year, far outperforming the DOW and the S&P 500. Eliza and Nicole dive into how we can get involved today. Eliza breaks down how Fidelity is addressing the inequalities that different underrepresented communities face, and how the social ch...
Aug 12, 2020•48 min•Ep. 226
What role does luck play in life? How does luck relate to fate, and how does all of this tie back into what we can and can’t control? We’re discussing it all this week with Maria Konnikova, author of “The Biggest Bluff.” She talks about what good investors have in common, and the truth behind the “illusion of control.” We discuss emotions, and why they’re so critical to our decision-making process, and we get a crash course on how to bluff — and how to know when we’re being bluffed. In Mailbag, ...
Aug 05, 2020•44 min•Ep. 225
In this episode, we dive into all your questions on investing in an IRA vs. a money market fund, what to do with your stocks during times of market volatility, and whether you can open a 529 for a child who hasn’t yet been born. We also tackle a question on planning for the financial needs of an autistic older brother, and a question on balancing retirement contributions amidst mortgage refinancing and HELOCs. Got a question for us? Email us at mailbag@hermoney.com . Learn more about your ad cho...
Jul 30, 2020•28 min
When’s the last time you took a trip somewhere other than your local grocery store? And what are we supposed to do with all those credit card miles and points we’ve been accruing? We discuss with The Points Guy himself, Brian Kelly. He tells us how to get the safest flight possible for the best price, how to decide if you need a new kind of credit card, and what to do with our points right now. In Mailbag, Jean and Kathryn talk through credit freezes for 5-year-olds, how to allocate retirement i...
Jul 29, 2020•38 min•Ep. 224
Women of color are behind white women in almost every financial and career measurement. Today, we take a look at action steps that white women can take to be allies and advocates, and begin to truly make an impact. Administrative Judge Karen Ortiz and CEO of communications firm CJC Insights, Chanel Cathey, join us to talk about what it’s like to be the only woman of color in the room, and the biases and stereotypes that we all need to watch out for in our daily lives. In Mailbag, we talk about f...
Jul 22, 2020•51 min•Ep. 223
Health matters have been a priority for all of us lately, and when we’re sick, the last thing we want to deal with are insurance questions and medical bills. Janine Urbaniak Reid, author of “The Opposite of Certainty” joins us to share her story and discusses some of the tactics that she used to get answers. She dives into the topic of resiliency, and opens up about how we can all “live a life you don’t hate, in circumstances you do.” She also tackles how to stay positive through it all, how to ...
Jul 15, 2020•41 min•Ep. 222
Lauren Maillian, CEO of digitalundivided, joins us for a chat about Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, and the barriers women face in the world of fundraising and founding companies. We dive into how women can create a safety net for our own financial security at the same time we’re building a business, why “scrappiness” is at the heart of entrepreneurship, and how everyone can help create opportunity, share influence, empower, and uplift. In Mailbag, we talk whole life and term life insurance, and...
Jul 08, 2020•46 min•Ep. 221
“Americans Are Shopping For Groceries Like It’s 1996.” That headline caught our eye because it’s true — we’re cooking at home, we’re ordering everything from Amazon, and our spending habits have radically changed. Will they ever go back to “normal”? Dan Frommer, Founder of The New Consumer, joins us to share why it’s like “a switch flipped, and we skipped 15 years into the future.” Dan talks about some of the pitfalls of shopping online, and the growing popularity of direct-to-consumer brands, l...
Jul 01, 2020•49 min•Ep. 220
Megan Smith, Chief Technology Officer of the United States under President Obama and CEO of Shift7, joins us for a candid conversation on inclusion and diversity. For Megan, inclusion means that all people are able to bring forward their greatest self, not “stomp on others.” She and Jean talk about the importance of supporting innovators, how tech is helping us to drive bias from movies and television, and the importance of “being there” for LGBTQ youth. In Mailbag, we hear from Marcia Mantell a...
Jun 24, 2020•52 min•Ep. 219
We dwell with these things, and we dwell within them every single day of our lives, so when one of these things is a source of negativity for us, it impacts everything. Marisa Meltzer, author of “This Is Big: How The Founder Of Weight Watchers Changed The World — And Me,” dishes on all things body positivity, dieting, and how our relationships with food and money are so closely intertwined. In Mailbag, Jean and Kathryn check in with a very special guest — Piper Kerman, author of Orange Is The Ne...
Jun 17, 2020•50 min•Ep. 218
Jean sits down for an important discussion with Sharon Epperson, Senior Personal Finance Correspondent at CNBC. Sharon weighs in on how to show support for Black friends and colleagues during this time, and how to help elevate voices of color. Sharon offers a suggested script for diving into conversations, and a look at her favorite sources for education. In Mailbag, we discuss saving for a house while paying down debt, investing in the market, and supporting aging parents. In Thrive, why you sh...
Jun 10, 2020•51 min•Ep. 217
Everything women need to know about social security, both today and in retirement, with Marcia Mantell, author of “What’s The Deal With Social Security For Women.” We discuss the best claiming strategies for women (including when to file), the rumor that social security may not be there for us when we need it, and why women are different when it comes to social security. In Mailbag, Jean and Kathryn tackle where to invest additional funds in retirement, how to help victims of domestic abuse get ...
Jun 03, 2020•44 min•Ep. 216
How do we spruce up our LinkedIn profiles in order to stand out from the herd? Allison Nunes, workshop ambassador for LinkedIn’s “Rock Your Profile” program shares all her secrets. We cover job alerts, networking, applying for jobs, perfecting your profile, getting recommendations, and so much more. In Mailbag, we talk about online savings accounts, women bonding together in retirement (Golden Girls style), and buying a historic home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...
May 27, 2020•48 min
Women in tech. It’s a broad topic, and Hilary Gosher, Managing Director at Insight Partners, is here to help us distill it all. She discusses the importance of women in tech, and the barriers to increasing our presence in this male-dominated world. She shares how we can get more women interested in pursuing tech careers — it’s not just semiconductors anymore. The pair also discuss startup culture, female mentorship, and co-working spaces like Luminary and The Wing. In Mailbag, what to do with a ...
May 20, 2020•48 min