Today we’re giving you a first look inside our brand-new Patreon-exclusive Mailbag series — and this one’s powerful. A listener, a single mom of a toddler, just received a cancer diagnosis. She reached out with urgent questions about how to manage her finances during treatment: Are cancer insurance payouts taxable? Should she prioritize paying off IRS debt or building savings? How can she prepare for unpaid leave while focusing on recovery? Jean and Kathryn dig into it all, from the tax treatmen...
Oct 30, 2025•13 min
What happens to everything you've worked so hard for — your home, your savings, your family memories — after you're gone? If your answer is “I’m not sure,” the time to start planning is now. In this empowering episode, Jean sits down with Heather Winston, Certified Financial PlannerTM professional of Principal Advised Services, LLC and Assistant Vice President at Principal Financial Group ®, to talk all things estate planning; what it can really mean, why it matters, and how to get started, no m...
Oct 29, 2025•42 min•Ep. 499
If you’ve ever felt intimidated walking into a meeting with a financial advisor or unsure if you’re even asking the right questions, this episode is for you. Jean sits down with Pam Krueger, investor advocate and founder of Wealthramp , to walk through actual word-for-word scripts that you can use when meeting with an advisor for the first time, reassessing a current relationship, or navigating retirement planning. Together, Jean and Pam role-play a variety of real-life money conversations: from...
Oct 24, 2025•37 min
We’re more financially informed than ever, thanks to FinTok, money podcasts, and yes, even chatbots. But when it comes to having real conversations about money with the people closest to us? We still freeze. This week, Jean sits down with Carl Richards — New York Times “Sketch Guy” columnist, CFP®, and author of the new book Your Money: Reimagining Wealth Through 101 Simple Sketches — to talk about why personal finance is more emotional than we think, and how to start the conversations we’ve bee...
Oct 22, 2025•39 min•Ep. 498
Jennifer, 47, lives in Maryland, with her partner of 12 years. She’s the Vice President of Communications for a consulting firm. Her partner is a teacher and voice actor, and together they make about $300,000 a year. In this week’s A Week In Her Wallet , Jennifer tracks seven days of spending that include thoughtful gift-giving, a haircut she happily budgets for, a hefty mortgage payment on her beach home, and a few well-earned indulgences. 💬 In this episode: How Jennifer manages separate finan...
Oct 17, 2025•34 min
Have you been laid off, or are you worried you might be? This week, Jean is joined by Laura Brown (former Editor-in-Chief of InStyle ) and Kristina O’Neill (former Editor-in-Chief of WSJ. Magazine ), authors of the bold and unfiltered new book, All the Cool Girls Get Fired: How to Let Go of Being Let Go and Come Back on Top . Both women hit the top of their industries… and then got let go. Now, they’re helping other women, especially Gen Xers and those over 40, navigate layoffs, ageism, financia...
Oct 15, 2025•38 min•Ep. 497
On this special HerMoney Mailbag episode, Jean Chatzky is joined by Morgan Housel, bestselling author of The Psychology of Money and The Art of Spending Money , to answer real questions from the HerMoney community. From investing a lump sum at midlife to managing fear around paying off debt, Jean and Morgan dive into the emotions and strategy behind smart money moves. What You’ll Hear In This Episode: Should I use my savings to pay off credit cards or keep the cash for peace of mind? How to inve...
Oct 10, 2025•17 min
Morgan Housel, bestselling author of The Psychology of Money , is back with a brand-new book: The Art of Spending Money . In this episode, he sits down with Jean Chatzky to talk about what truly makes us feel fulfilled when we spend, and why we often get it wrong. Together, Jean and Morgan unpack the emotions that drive our financial behavior, from fear and guilt to FOMO and dopamine addiction. You’ll learn why saving money can become a harmful identity, how to redefine success beyond your bank ...
Oct 08, 2025•33 min•Ep. 496
In this special HerMoney Mailbag episode, Jean Chatzky is joined by Yahoo Finance senior columnist and author Kerry Hannon — and she’s tackling your most pressing retirement questions. In this episode, Jean and Kerry dive into: Whether to cash out a paid-up life insurance policy How to invest in ESG funds without overpaying on fees What to look for in a financial advisor before you retire How to know if and when you’re truly ready to stop working And Kerry’s favorite tip from her new book Retire...
Oct 03, 2025•16 min
The oldest members of Gen X are facing retirement, and many are feeling unprepared. Traditional pensions disappeared just as Gen X entered the workforce. 401(k)s weren’t mainstream until much later. And along the way, they endured the tech bubble, the Great Recession, and a pandemic. No wonder headlines call Gen X “the forgotten generation” and warn of a retirement crisis. In this episode, Jean sits down with author and Yahoo Finance senior columnist Kerry Hannon to talk about her new book with ...
Oct 01, 2025•32 min•Ep. 495
We’ve all heard the same story: Americans are facing a retirement crisis. But what if that’s not the whole truth? In this special replay of Your Money Map , Jean Chatzky sits down with Andrew Biggs, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of The Real Retirement Crisis: Why Almost Everything You Think About the U.S. Retirement System Is Wrong . Together, they unpack what the latest data really tells us about retirement savings, Social Security, and how financially secure tod...
Sep 26, 2025•33 min
Raise your hand if you feel like you’re running on empty. If you’re juggling work, home, relationships, and still coming up short. You’re not imagining it: the pressure to have it all is very much alive in 2025… but let’s be honest, it was never realistic to begin with. In this episode, Jean sits down with Dr. Corinne Low, Wharton professor and author of Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours . Corinne blends personal experience, economics, and de...
Sep 24, 2025•38 min•Ep. 494
This week on A Week In Her Wallet , we’re diving deep into what it really means to spend with intention. Meet Amy, a 49-year-old higher education administrator living in Tennessee with her partner. She's in a season of transformation; focused on her health, reevaluating her habits, and redefining what “worth it” means when it comes to her wallet. From zero-spend weekdays and resisting fancy lattes to a boutique shopping spree that lifted her spirits, Amy's week is a powerful reminder that every ...
Sep 19, 2025•31 min
When it comes to money, most of us know the basics. We’ve read the advice: build an emergency fund, stick to a budget, invest for the future. But what if we’re still struggling to feel confident or in control? What if our emotions — fear, guilt, shame — are silently running the show? That’s where financial therapy comes in. This week, Jean sits down with Erika Wasserman, certified financial therapist and author of “ Conversations With Your Financial Therapist,” to pull back the curtain on why ou...
Sep 17, 2025•32 min•Ep. 493
This week, we're spending seven days inside Shannon’s wallet, a 41-year-old teacher, mom of two, and money-minded multitasker who lives in a suburb of Washington, D.C. With summer break just beginning, Shannon uses her time off to reflect on her relationship with money, childhood financial trauma, and the emotional tug-of-war between responsible budgeting and spontaneous joy. 🎙️ In this episode, you’ll hear: How Shannon and her husband manage money as teachers Why she’s focused on paying off he...
Sep 12, 2025•28 min
Have you ever dreamed of walking away from your job — not forever, but just long enough to breathe, explore, rest, or chase a big, bold adventure? This week, we're talking about a radical reframe: What if we didn’t retire once at 65… but instead took many retirements throughout our lives? Jean sits down with Jillian Johnsrud, author of Retire Often: How Anyone Can Take Multiple Career Breaks To Unlock Adventure, Advance Their Career, and Find Financial Freedom . By 40, Jillian and her husband ha...
Sep 10, 2025•37 min•Ep. 492
This week, we’re continuing our special series A Week In Her Wallet , where we follow real women from our community as they track their spending for seven days — and reflect not just on what they spent, but why. Our guest is Kathi B, a 48-year-old school counselor from outside Philadelphia. She's a mom of two teenagers, wife to another educator, and (like many of us) trying to stay on top of both everyday expenses and life’s little curveballs, especially during the summer. In this episode, Kathi...
Sep 05, 2025•22 min
Are you doing everything right at work, meeting deadlines, showing up, delivering results, and still feeling stuck? This week, we’re welcoming back one of our favorite voices on workplace equity, Minda Harts , to dive into a topic that impacts every professional woman: trust. Trust at work isn’t just about your manager believing in you. It’s the key to feeling valued, getting promoted, and even building long-term wealth. ✨ Plus, stick around for a special segment with Armoire CEO Ambika Singh, w...
Sep 03, 2025•46 min•Ep. 491
In this episode of A Week In Her Wallet , we head to Chicago to meet Zoe M., a 29-year-old accountant who tracks every dollar with care, not just to budget, but to live in full alignment with her values. Zoe opens up about what it really means to spend with intention, how she and her boyfriend use a shared Google doc to manage finances together, and why she prioritizes saving 36% of her income each month — all while living in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Tune in to hear: How ...
Aug 29, 2025•33 min
When you hear the words estate planning , do your eyes glaze over? Or maybe you assume it's something you'll get to “one day”? In this episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with powerhouse elder law attorney and former New York State legislator Ann-Margaret Carrozza to explain why estate planning is not just for the wealthy , and why it matters way more than most of us think. Ann-Margaret breaks down exactly what needs to go in your plan, how to avoid the biggest (and most expensive) estate mistakes, ...
Aug 27, 2025•36 min•Ep. 490
We’ve officially hit Peak 65, the historic moment when more Americans than ever are turning 65. But retirement in 2025 looks nothing like it used to. In this eye-opening episode of Your Money Map , Jean Chatzky sits down with generational researcher Jason Dorsey to explore how Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and even Millennials are rethinking retirement — financially, emotionally, and socially. 💬 Topics We Cover: Why 65 is no longer the "retirement finish line" The surprising truth about Gen X’s finan...
Aug 22, 2025•37 min
Social Security is back in the headlines, and the news isn’t exactly comforting. Words like shortfall and cuts are sparking real fear among retirees, near-retirees, and younger workers who wonder if the program will even be there for them. In this episode, Jean sits down with Michelle Singletary, nationally syndicated personal finance columnist for The Washington Post , to break it all down: What a potential 20–25% shortfall in 2033 could actually mean for retirees. Why your check won’t disappea...
Aug 20, 2025•38 min•Ep. 489
This week, we’re bringing you the first episode of our new series: A Week In Her Wallet , where real women track their spending for seven days — every swipe, tap, and temptation — and then reflect on not just what they bought, but why . In this episode, we're joined by Lizzie, a 41-year-old chiropractor, mom of two, and small-town New Englander who is all about spending with intention. She's self-employed, passionate about local businesses, and has a refreshing perspective on budgeting for real ...
Aug 15, 2025•29 min
Debt isn’t just a number on a statement — for so many of us, it’s tied to shame, secrecy, and the pressure to keep up. This week, Jean sits down with Jamie Feldman, writer, producer, and co-host of the Debt Heads podcast , who went from ignoring her $18,000 in consumer debt to tackling it head-on… and talking about it openly with the world. If you’ve ever felt alone in your money struggles, this conversation will remind you: you’re not. And the first step toward a different future might be as si...
Aug 13, 2025•36 min•Ep. 485
In this special HerMoney Mailbag episode, Jean Chatzky is joined by financial feminist icon Tori Dunlap, founder of Her First $100K and host of the Financial Feminist podcast. Tori returns to tackle some of your most pressing financial dilemmas. 💳 One listener is drowning in $100,000 of credit card debt despite making $180K/year. What can she do next when consolidation loans and HELOCs are off the table? ✈️ Another wants to know if her premium travel credit card is still worth the sky-high fee ...
Aug 08, 2025•17 min
This week, we’re sounding the alarm on a story that hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention but could have major consequences for your paycheck, retirement, taxes, and future. Jean sits down with HerMoney favorite and leading labor economist Kathryn Edwards to unpack the recent firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) chief and why it could undermine the very data we rely on to understand inflation, jobs, and the strength of our economy. Also in this episode: 💥 What’s really happening in th...
Aug 07, 2025•38 min
Women are building wealth like never before and doing it with confidence, strategy, and purpose. In this episode, Jean sits down with Tori Dunlap , founder of Her First $100K and host of the Financial Feminist podcast, to talk all things investing, financial power, and the game-changing “Great Wealth Transfer” that’s already underway. Whether you’re ready to invest for the first time, build better financial systems, or just stop apologizing for your ambition, this episode is for you. What You’ll...
Aug 06, 2025•38 min•Ep. 487
As more companies push for a return to the office, one thing is clear: workplace etiquette has never felt murkier. What’s the right way to navigate a hybrid schedule, an in-person meeting full of “old-school” colleagues, or a toxic work environment that feels impossible to escape? In this special HerMoney Mailbag episode, Jean Chatzky is joined by Lizzie Post, great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post and co-author of the new book Emily Post’s Business Etiquette . Lizzie brings clarity to the conf...
Aug 01, 2025•30 min
This week, we’re talking politics, but not the messy gridlock in Washington. We’re going hyper-local. Because local elections shape our neighborhoods, our schools, our budgets, and our rights. And right now, women are stepping up to lead the charge. Jean Chatzky sits down with Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something and author of When We're In Charge , and Sarah Pierce , HerMoney’s own managing editor and the first female Mayor of Watertown, NY. They get real about what it takes to run, h...
Jul 30, 2025•31 min•Ep. 486
What if midlife isn’t a crisis, but a chrysalis? On the most recent episode of Your Money Map , our weekly show with the Alliance for Lifetime Income, Jean Chatzky sits down with the always-inspiring Chip Conley — entrepreneur, bestselling author, and founder of the Modern Elder Academy — to talk reinvention, purpose, and how to make the second half of life the best half. If you like this episode and want more, check out all of our Your Money Map episodes at protectedincome.org/your-money-map/ o...
Jul 25, 2025•33 min
