If you’ve read economic headlines recently and thought, “Well, that’s not comforting,” you’re not alone. Market swings and broader economic uncertainty are enough to make even confident investors second-guess their strategies. 

And here’s the hard truth: Wall Street doesn’t care if you’re retiring next year. It doesn’t care if you’re five years away. And it definitely doesn’t care if you’re lying awake at night wondering if you’ve done “enough.”

The good news? You can take steps to build confidence. 

On a special episode of the HerMoney Podcast, sponsored by LIMRA, Jean sits down with two of the smartest voices in retirement – Jason Fichtner, Executive Director of the LIMRA Retirement Income Institute and David Blanchett, head of retirement research at Prudential, a portfolio manager at PGIM and a LIMRA Retirement Income Institute Fellow – to talk about how to step off the emotional rollercoaster of the markets and build a retirement plan that feels stable, predictable and livable. 

In the episode, they’ll break down:

• Why market swings hit harder as retirement gets closer
• How protected income can help build a foundation for financial peace of mind
• Whether you should be worried about the future of Social Security
• Why waiting to claim Social Security can be one of your biggest wins – and strategies to make doing so easier

Protected income can play a helpful role in creating more stability in retirement. If you’re curious and want to dig deeper, these two resources from LIMRA can help:

• Retirement planning can feel complex. This resource breaks down how fees and commissions work, so you know what to expect and what questions to ask.

• There’s plenty of conflicting information online about annuities. This guide walks through common misconceptions and explains the basics to help you better understand how they fit into retirement planning.

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More American women are single than ever before, but our financial system is still built for couples.

In this episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with finance journalist and author Renée Sylvestre-Williams to unpack the hidden financial penalties of being single (aka The Singles Tax) and what solo earners can do to protect themselves, build wealth, and plan for retirement on their own terms.

We're talking about:

• What the “Singles Tax” really is—and where it hits hardest
• Why single women may need larger emergency funds and more downside protection
• Renting vs. buying: how to decide what’s right for you
• The most overlooked tax strategies for single women
• The biggest retirement planning mistake single women make

📚 Resources & Links:

Join InvestingFixx, our judgment-free investing community designed to help you build confidence, grow your money, and make smart decisions.

The Singles Tax: No-Nonsense Financial Advice for Solo Earners by Renée Sylvestre-Williams

The Budgette Newsletter (Renée’s newsletter for single earners)

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What does financial freedom really mean? Not just a healthy retirement account or a growing investment portfolio, but the ability to walk away from a situation that isn’t right. To say no. To have choices.

In this episode, Jean sits down with writer and speaker Paulette Perhach, whose essay about building a “F*ck Off Fund” has resonated with women for nearly a decade. Together, they explore how financial independence evolves over a lifetime, from the early years of building an emergency cushion to the later years of protecting your retirement, your relationships, and your sense of agency.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What a “F*ck Off Fund” really is,  and why it doesn’t have to be a huge number to change your life
• Why financial independence is about more than money
• The power of small boundaries and everyday decisions
• How to talk to daughters, nieces, and younger women about money 
• Why many women still feel financially fragile, even when they’re doing everything “right”
• How financial independence evolves as you approach retirement

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Join InvestingFixx (HerMoney’s twice-monthly women’s investing club)

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard 

The Paradox of Choice

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How many credit cards is too many? Are premium travel cards actually worth those eye-popping annual fees? And what should you do when a card in your wallet stops pulling its weight?

This week, Jean Chatzky is joined once again by money expert Vivian Tu for a listener mailbag all about credit cards, points, and smart strategies for getting real value, without paying unnecessary fees or interest.

Together, they break down:

• How to decide if high-end travel cards like Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve are actually worth the cost
• The smartest way to evaluate card perks — from lounge access to travel protections — in real dollar terms
• When it makes sense to downgrade a credit card
• How to use points efficiently without spending hours comparison shopping
• What to say if you call your credit card company to ask for a lower interest rate
• How to switch cards while protecting your credit score and account history

📈 Join our InvestingFixx club, your first month is free! 

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She’s back, and she brought her boldest advice yet. Vivian Tu, New York Times bestselling author and founder of Your Rich BFF, joins us to talk about her new book Well Endowed and why now is the time to rethink how you spend, save, and build the future you want.

Vivian and Jean get real about what it means to be truly wealthy—not just financially, but emotionally and generationally. From burnout to budgeting to luxury trap purchases, this episode is your permission slip to stop spending for the wrong reasons and start aligning your money with what actually matters.

What we’re diving into:

• The “values detox” every spender needs
• How to know if that splurge is really worth your time
• Why premium doesn’t always mean better (hello, MVP rule)
• What Vivian’s learned from the vibrant, retired women in her Miami building
• How to design a retirement that’s anything but tired
• Why estate planning is non-negotiable—even in your 30s

Resources & Links:

💰 Order Well Endowed by Vivian Tu

🧠 Join the HerMoney InvestingFixx Club

📝 Subscribe to Vivian's Substack: enRICHed with Your Rich BFF

🎧 Listen to Vivian’s podcast: Networth and Chill

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In this week’s episode of A Week In Her Wallet, we head to New Jersey to follow Prisca, a 35-year-old nurse and part-time money coach who tracks every dollar with intention. From $8 therapy copays to $25 dance classes that light up her world, Prisca shows us how structure and joy can coexist in personal finance.

Prisca’s week is packed with practical tips, emotional insights, and small moments that reveal big truths. Whether it’s her mantra of "aiming for calm" or her strategy to save before she spends, this is a blueprint for budgeting with purpose.

Resources:

Join our investing club! Your first month is completely free.

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What do two financial pros with over 60 years of combined experience really wish they knew about money 30 years ago?

In this very special crossover episode of HerMoney and The David Bach Show, Jean Chatzky sits down with longtime friend and bestselling author David Bach to share candid stories, big career lessons, and one bold new idea that could change retirement in America.

Together, Jean and David trade their top financial insights, biggest regrets, and heartfelt advice for anyone navigating money, health, aging, and family in 2026.

Resources:

• David’s Flat Tax Proposal
• The Automatic Millionaire (20th Anniversary Edition)
• HerMoney’s InvestingFixx Club

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This week, we’re cutting through the chaos and zeroing in on what matters most to your financial life: your investments, your home, and your next money moves.

Jean sits down with Dr. Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Analytics, to unpack how global uncertainty, rising mortgage rates, and Trump-era policies are reshaping our economy. From the stock market rollercoaster to the housing “lock-in” crisis, Mark offers practical, down-to-earth advice for navigating it all.

You’ll learn:

• Why Mark says, “Don’t even look at the market” (and what to do instead)
• What the mortgage “doom loop” means for Millennials, Gen Z, and retirees
• How long it could take to restore housing affordability in America
• Why homeownership is still a powerful wealth-building tool
• The truth about 50-year mortgages, portable loans, and whether they can help
• How to think smartly about helping your kids now vs. leaving a legacy later

💡 Further reading and listening:

The American Housing and Economic Mobility Act

“Die With Zero” by Bill Perkins

The Inside Economics Podcast – hosted by Mark Zandi

Join our InvestingFixx Club today!

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When people think about preparing for retirement, they usually think about saving. But the real challenge? Making sure your money lasts as long as you do. Morningstar’s Christine Benz joins us for a conversation about the smartest ways to prepare for retirement and make sure your money goes the distance. 

This episode is part of our new, monthly retirement-focused series, brought to you by LIMRA. With practical tips and real-world conversations, these episodes will give you the tools to help you feel more confident about what comes next.

In this episode, Jean and Christine break down:

• Why there’s no one-size-fits-all retirement plan
• How to shift from a saving to a spending mindset in retirement
• The biggest retirement blind spots – and why they’re more challenging for women
• The steps you can take today to feel less overwhelmed about retirement planning

🛣️ ARE YOU ON TRACK? If you’re ready to start putting together a retirement plan that works for you, download LIMRA’s free Retirement Income Planning Starter Guide.

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You’ve got questions, we’ve got Amanda Holden. In this special Mailbag episode of HerMoney, Jean is joined once again by investing expert and How to Be a Rich Old Lady author Amanda Holden to tackle your biggest investing dilemmas.

We’re talking:

• What to actually do after opening a Roth IRA
• Whether crypto deserves a spot in your portfolio
• What to do with a $500,000 401(k) after a layoff
• Whether target-date funds are worth the cost
• And why diversification is non-negotiable

✨ Want to get smarter with your money in 2026? Join our women-only investing club, InvestingFixx, where expert stock pickers pitch ideas—and you help build the portfolio.

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As we kick off 2026, it’s time to talk about the future—and the woman you want to become. Whether she’s rocking silver bangles on the beach or sipping coffee in her cabin, your Rich Old Lady deserves a life of financial freedom. And today’s guest is here to help you build it.

Amanda Holden is the founder of Invested Development and the author of How to Be a Rich Old Lady: Your Guide to Easy Investing, Building Wealth, and Creating the Wild, Beautiful Life You Want. After a career in investment management (yes, she was once a finance bro), Amanda walked away from Wall Street to help over 25,000 women learn to invest, without shame, jargon, or feeling overwhelmed. 

In this episode, Jean and Amanda break down:

• Why the financial system feels so exclusive—and how to take your seat at the table
• How to build “the Gap” (your most powerful financial tool)
• Amanda’s hilarious (and helpful) dating metaphor for asset allocation
• Whether it’s too late to catch up on retirement (spoiler: it’s not)
• The surprising risks of today’s AI-driven stock market boom

💼 Want more support with your investing journey? Join our women-only investing club, InvestingFixx, today!

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