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

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Over the next decade, roughly $30 trillion is expected to move into the hands of women, and the question isn't just what women will inherit. It's what they'll build.

This week, Jean Chatzky sits down with Janine Firpo, an impact investor and co-founder of Invest for Better, to talk about Our Sheconomy, a data-backed initiative that models what the world would look like if women had held equal economic and political power since 1925. 

But this episode isn't just about a hypothetical future. It's about the very real, very practical steps you can take right now — no matter how much (or how little) you have — to invest in alignment with your values without sacrificing returns.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to audit your current portfolio for impact using free tools (including one Janine swears by
• Why ESG isn't a political buzzword — it's a risk management to
• How to start impact investing for as little as $100

Ready to put Janine's advice into action? Join InvestingFixx, Jean's twice-monthly women-only investing club, where expert stock pickers bring ideas to the table, and a community of women learn and win together. Your first two classes are always free.

Resources:

As You Sow – Invest Your Values

Our Sheconomy

Invest for Better

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Why do we keep doing the things we know aren’t good for our finances? Whether it’s emotional spending, avoiding a growing credit card balance, over-controlling every dollar, or saying “yes” to spending when we really mean “no”. So many of our money habits aren’t about math; they’re about emotion.

This week, Jean Chatzky sits down with licensed marriage and family therapist and mental health educator Kati Morton, author of the new book Why Do I Keep Doing This?, to unpack the psychology behind the patterns that keep us stuck, especially when it comes to money.

In this episode, we explore:

• The difference between healthy control and control that quietly sabotages us
• Why emotional spending happens — and how it differs from compulsive spending
• How financial insecurity in childhood can shape our careers, relationships, and money mindset
• Why the world feeling “out of control” can trigger impulsive financial decisions
• How women nearing retirement can navigate financial anxiety during major life transitions
• Practical tools to help break the cycle

And if you’re ready to take control of your financial future in an intentional way, join us in InvestingFixx, our investing community designed to help you build confidence, clarity, and long-term wealth.

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What does a real week of spending look like for a 55-year-old director of technology earning $212,000 a year? In this episode of A Week in Her Wallet, Jean Chatzky talks with Kortne, a Texas-based executive, marathoner, and mom of two adult daughters, who tracked every dollar she spent over seven days.

Kortne grew up in a working-class family in Detroit and says she’s intentional about enjoying her money now — especially when it comes to experiences. She’s run all six Abbott World Marathon Majors, travels frequently, and invests heavily in her health. At the same time, she’s focused on retirement planning, savings, and making sure her lifestyle remains sustainable long term.

🎧 Want to be featured on A Week in Her Wallet? Apply here.

💸 Ready to grow your investing skills? Join InvestingFixx — our women-only investing club. Your first two classes are free.

📩 Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it helps more women find the show.

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Have you saved and saved and saved… but now feel unsure about how to spend? On this week’s episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with entrepreneur and bestselling author Mike Michalowicz to talk about why managing money isn’t a math problem, it’s a behavior problem.

Mike opens up about losing everything after selling two multi-million-dollar companies, how lifestyle inflation and ego nearly destroyed his finances, and the emotional moment with his daughter that forced him to completely rethink how money works.

From there, he shares his Money Habit System, a simple but powerful framework for:

• Paying off high-interest credit card debt
• Creating “financial seasons” (Recovery, Fund, Activate, Balance)
• Learning how to spend confidently in retirement
• Managing money as a couple without conflict
• Using debit vs. credit strategically
• Breaking bad money habits with behavioral science

💼 And if part of building better money habits means finding a financial advisor who truly understands your goals, visit HerMoney.com/FindAnAdvisor to get matched for free with a vetted fiduciary through our partner, Willow.

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Are private equity, private credit, and crypto coming to your 401(k)? And if they do, should you invest?

In this episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with CFP® professional and Summit Place Financial founder Liz Miller to break down the new push to allow alternative investments, such as private equity, private credit, and cryptocurrency, in retirement accounts.

In This Episode We Cover:

• What private equity and private credit actually are (in plain English)
• Why Wall Street is eager to bring alternative investments into 401(k)s
• The truth about private equity fees (including the “2 and 20” model)
• How much crypto is reasonable in a diversified portfolio
• Tax pros and cons of holding crypto in a 401(k) vs. a brokerage account
• Why illiquidity matters in retirement investing

✨ Want deeper investing conversations, live market breakdowns, and portfolio strategy guidance? Join the HerMoney Investing Club.

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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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