HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

When was the last time you felt truly in control of your time? Not your calendar, not your to-do list…your time? If the answer is "I can't remember," this episode is for you. Jean Chatzy is joined by Andy Hill, AFC, founder of Marriage, Kids, and Money, and author of Own Your Time: 10 Financial Steps to Put Your Family First and Escape the Corporate Grind. Together, they tackle your most pressing mailbag questions about the real tension so many of us are feeling right now: how do you balance saving aggressively for the future with actually enjoying your life today? In this episode: A 41-year-old high earner wants to know what to do with extra money beyond maxing out her accounts A 54-year-old asks whether her financial advisor is right that fully funding her 401 (k) won't make much difference.  A 52-year-old is stretched thin between her career and caring for her aging mom and wonders: Is it financially irresponsible to step back during her peak-earning years? Andy also shares how he and his wife hit their Coast FIRE number, redesigned their lives around a 20-hour workweek, and what the first move looks like if you want to do the same. Ready to make your money work harder so you don't have to? Join InvestingFixx and learn how to build a portfolio that buys back your time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're earning more than you ever have. You're doing everything you were told to do. So why does it still feel like you can't get ahead? This week, Jean sits down with Hanna Horvath, CFP, personal finance journalist, and writer behind the Substack Your Brain on Money, to talk about why so many women are struggling with money right now, and why it probably has a lot less to do with your choices than you think. In this episode, you'll learn: Why GDP being up and your life feeling hard are not contradictory, and what's actually driving the disconnect The concept of mattering, and why losing your sense of economic contribution can feel like an identity crisis The four money behaviors that show up when economic anxiety takes hold Why community investment is one of the most underrated strategies for financial resilience The one question to ask yourself before every spending decision Join InvestingFixx, our twice-monthly women-only investing club. Your first two classes are always free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Markets are swinging. There's a war with Iran. Oil is spiking. And if your stomach has been dropping every time you look at your portfolio, Stephanie Link has something to say about that. Stephanie is Chief Investment Strategist and Portfolio Manager at Hightower Advisors, and a longtime CNBC contributor with more than 30 years of experience managing money through every kind of market cycle. She joined Jean Chatzky this week to cut through the noise and tell us exactly what she's doing with money right now. Stephanie shares her boldest market calls for the rest of 2026, including why she's bullish on Brazil and why its role in the AI power story is completely underappreciated, which sectors she's watching closely, and why the fear that AI is going to kill software companies is, in her words, overdone. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Stephanie says it's impossible to time the market, and what to do instead Her top three international markets right now The AI infrastructure food chain, and which industries stand to benefit most How much crypto she actually holds in her own portfolio The one book every new investor should read  Connect with Stephanie Link: LinkedIn: Stephanie Link X: @Stephanie_Link Hightower Advisors: hightoweradvisors.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When retirement plans fall apart, we tend to assume it’s because someone overspent – maybe on travel, hobbies, or helping the kids a little too much. But, often, that’s not what does the real damage. It’s healthcare costs.  Dr. Carolyn McClanahan – a physician turned fee-only financial planner – joins Jean Chatzky on this special episode of the HerMoney Podcast, sponsored by LIMRA, to share how unexpected health costs impact women, and how you can better prepare so they don’t derail your financial security.  In the episode, they’ll break down: What people get wrong about healthcare costs – and why women face greater risks The Medicare misconceptions that can cost you How to prepare for the hidden threat of cognitive decline  What you can do to better plan for unexpected healthcare costs After tuning in, complete this “Healthcare and Aging Game Plan” worksheet from our friends at LIMRA. It will help you outline your healthcare priorities, decisions, and anticipated expenses in retirement, as well as prepare you to talk through these topics with your financial advisor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel, three ships were struck near the Strait of Hormuz just yesterday, and the word "recession" is creeping back into the conversation. And we’re all feeling more than just a little bit anxious about what that means for our money. On this special bonus episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with Claudia Sahm, former Fed section chief, senior economist under President Obama, and creator of the Sahm Rule, a recession indicator that has been 100% accurate going back to 1959. Claudia breaks down exactly what's happening with oil prices and why it affects everything from your gas tank to your grocery bill to your retirement account.  She explains what the Sahm Rule actually is, why she's cautioning people not to over-rely on it right now, and what she means when she says she just doesn't have "a good feeling" about this economy. Links mentioned: Claudia's Substack: Stay-At-Home Macro (SAHM) Claudia's writing at Bloomberg Opinion Join InvestingFixx — your first two classes are free! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if everything the wellness industry is selling you is actually making your life worse…not longer? This week, Jean Chatzky sits down with Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, oncologist, bioethicist, and author of Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long, Healthy Life, for one of the most thought-provoking conversations we've had on HerMoney. Then we're joined by Lacey Garcia, founder and CEO of Willow, for this week's mailbag. Because once you've thought hard about how long you might actually live, the next question is: do you have the right financial guidance to match? Jean and Lacey walk through three real listener questions about when to hire a financial advisor, when a one-time planning session is enough, and how to stop feeling embarrassed about your numbers and start getting the help you deserve. Get matched with a vetted fiduciary financial advisor who specializes in working with women: hermoney.com/findanadvisor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Janine Firpo, impact investor and co-founder of Invest for Better who leads the Our Sheconomy initiative, explains data-driven modeling of gender parity and why unlocking women’s economic power raises GDP. She discusses auditing portfolios for impact, using ESG as risk management, and practical ways to start values-aligned investing with as little as $100.

Kati Morton, licensed marriage and family therapist and mental health educator, author of Why Do I Keep Doing This?, explores why emotions drive our money moves. She discusses control as safety versus harm. She explains emotional versus compulsive spending. She offers quick tools like impulse logs, delay tactics, and media limits to reduce reactive purchases.

Kortne, a Texas-based director of technology, marathoner and mom, tracked a week of spending to see how her values show up in cash. She talks meal prepping every meal, prioritizing fitness and preventive care, buying meaningful experiences like concerts and races, and juggling travel hacks with retirement and savings planning. Short, candid snapshots of choices and priorities.

Mike Michalowicz, entrepreneur and bestselling author known for practical business and money systems, shares candid stories about losing it all and rebuilding. He explains a simple Money Habit System and financial seasons to stop guessing with money. Short, actionable ideas on debt, spending confidently in retirement, and managing money together.