HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

What does it actually feel like to be on the cusp of retirement and wonder if you're doing it right? This week, Jean sits down with two listeners, Nancy and Melissa, who are both asking the same underlying question: How do I make sure I don't run out of money in retirement, while still actually enjoying my life?

First, Jean talks with Nancy, 68, a soon-to-be retired nurse with $850K saved, a pension, and Social Security on the way. Nancy wants to renovate her bathrooms before she stops working, but she's torn between using her HELOC or tapping her nest egg. 

Then Jean hears from Melissa, 53, who, along with her husband, has $1.2M+ saved across tax-deferred, Roth, brokerage, and treasury accounts, and wonders if she's taking on too much risk. Jean helps her zoom out, look at the full financial picture, and think through what a bucket strategy or annuity could mean for her peace of mind.

In this episode:

HELOC vs. refinance vs. pulling from savings; how to think through home improvement financing in retirement

The 4% rule and when it makes sense to use it

RMDs, IRMAA penalties, and why timing your withdrawals matters more than you think

What 72% stocks actually look like when you account for your entire net worth

Why hybrid long-term care policies might be worth a look

How guaranteed income can actually free you to invest more aggressively with the rest

Pre-order Jean's new book: If this episode got you thinking about how to make your money last in retirement, The Forever Paycheck is out September 9th.
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Did you know that claiming Social Security at 62 instead of 70 could mean locking in a permanent 30% cut to your monthly benefits for life? 

In this episode, Jean sits down with Marcia Mantell, founder of Mantell Retirement Consulting and author of Social Security: Lightly Toasted, Not Burnt, to talk about what's really going on with Social Security's solvency, why Congress will almost certainly act before the fund runs dry, and how to make the best claiming decision for you.

In this episode:

The truth behind the "benefit cuts are coming" headlines, and what they get wrong

Why the 2032 trust fund deadline isn't the catastrophe it sounds like

What "popcorn careers" are doing to women's Social Security benefits

The divorced spouse rules that could mean hundreds of extra dollars a month

Survivor benefits: what every married woman needs to plan for now

The real cost of claiming early

Pre-order Jean's new book: If this episode got you thinking about how to make your money last in retirement The Forever Paycheck is out September 9th. 

Create your my Social Security account: ssa.gov
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What does a real week of spending look like for a busy working mom who also happens to be a landlord? This week on A Week In Her Wallet, we're heading to Annapolis, Maryland, to follow Larisa, a 48-year-old HR Director with a combined household income of $375,000, two kids in competitive sports, a dog, and a rental condo she's owned since her twenties.

We talk through it all: how she keeps a separate checking account just for rental income and expenses, why she almost always orders ahead for pickups at Sam's Club, and how she thinks about the guilt that still creeps in when she spends money on herself. Plus… Bucky's. If you've never stopped at Bucky's on a road trip down I-95, Larisa will make you want to.

In this episode, we cover:

The good, the bad, and the ugly of owning a rental property, and how she budgets for the unpredictable

How she handles big annual bills (like a $1,200 water assessment) without breaking a sweat

How she uses a dependent care spending account to offset summer camp costs

How splitting costs with her sister makes family vacations feel easy and fun

Want to be featured in A Week In Her Wallet? Every woman has a money story worth telling, and we want to hear yours. Fill out this form to be considered. We’d love to hear from you. 

Pre-order Jean's new book, The Forever Paycheck, out September 9! Every pre-order helps get this book into more readers' hands — thank you for supporting the show and the book.
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You’ve planned for retirement. You’ve built your savings, mapped out your Social Security strategy, and thought through market risks. But what happens if one day, you can’t manage your money at all? It’s an uncomfortable question – and one many people avoid. Yet, research shows that cognitive decline can quietly undermine financial decision-making, often earlier than we expect, and with serious consequences. 

On this special episode of HerMoney, sponsored by LIMRA, Dr. Chris Heye, LIMRA Retirement Income Institute Fellow and CEO of Whealthcare Planning and Wealthcare Solutions, explains why health risks – especially cognitive decline – may be one of the biggest blind spots in retirement planning today. Then, Erin Gilmore Smith, Head of Estate Planning for Edelman Financial Engines, joins us to share practical steps you can take now to protect your finances, your family, and your future self. 

In this episode, they’ll highlight:

Why health risks – and especially cognitive decline – might matter more than the markets

How cognitive decline shows up in our finances, before we realize we have it

Why women are more challenged when it comes to the risk of cognitive decline – and how we can protect ourselves

Protected income can help create greater stability in retirement, especially in the face of potential cognitive decline.

If you’re curious and want to dig deeper, this resource from LIMRA can help:

Protect Your Retirement From Cognitive Decline: The Link Between Cognitive Health and Financial Security
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You saved diligently for your kids' education, and now that chapter is closing. So what happens to the money? Can you protect those tax benefits and roll the funds into something new? We're getting into it.

This week, Jean is joined by Lacy Garcia, founder and CEO of TrustWillow.com, a personalized advisor-matching platform that connects women and their families with vetted, fiduciary financial advisors who are legally required to act in your best interest, and who have been trained specifically in working with women's financial lives.

They dig into your mailbag questions from:

Inge, who opened Coverdell ESAs for her kids 20 years ago, just got a notice that Vanguard is shutting down the program. What are her options for keeping that money tax-protected?

An anonymous listener just paid off her husband's student loans and is officially done with daycare. Where should that newfound money go?

Rebecca, who is recently divorced with a high school senior and a 529 that covers about one year of college. She wants to know: Are there financial planners who specialize in college planning?

🔗 Connect with a vetted fiduciary advisor at hermoney.com/findanadvisor
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