HerMoney with Jean Chatzky Jean Chatzky Her Money

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, we talk aging parents, target date funds, and caring for a significant other financially. In Thrive, should you take a gap year if your college is closed this fall? 

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 planned. If you've suffered a job loss during this time, the whole HerMoney team is rooting for you, and we've got your back through this crisis. To reach out to us with a question for an upcoming episode, email us at mailbag@hermoney.com.

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 investments, and UTMA/UGMA accounts for kids. In Thrive, car insurance companies offering refunds. 

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 financially supporting our parents and paying down credit card debt with personal loans. In Thrive, the essential items that every woman should build into her budget. 

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 support a friend who is hurting, and how to truly live in the present. In Mailbag, we tackle questions on asking for a raise during the pandemic and refinancing a home. In Thrive, a chat with your parents about their financial situation. 

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 what to do about health insurance (and claiming a pension) when you retire before 65. In Thrive, what to do if your summer internship was sidelined.