HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

Being a mother is hard. Going at it alone? Even harder. There are 10 million single moms in the United States, and they’re on track to become the majority, with 57 percent of millennial mothers being unmarried. That's why we invited Emma Johnson, author of the upcoming book The Kickass Single Mom: Be Financially Independent, Discover Your Sexiest Self, and Raise Fabulous, Happy Children, to come on the show. Johnson, a single mom of two, has been kicking ass for herself — and fellow single moms — for years. We discuss her journey, operating from a place of confidence and the importance of financial independence, which lead to the question: Should all women work? Emma says yes, and we go back and forth on some provocative research, including a Harvard University study (link below) on working moms, and a Pew Research Center study (link below) on what people think is best for children. Emma and I disagreed on a few things, and that's O.K. Her opinion is an important one, and we felt the conversation needed more air time, so look out for our Mailbag and a special Hayden Helps later this week. http://www.hbs.edu/news/articles/Pages/mcginn-working-mom.aspx http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/04/08/7-key-findings-about-stay-at-home-moms/

Pour yourself a cocktail (a cup of coffee works, too), and put your hair in a messy bun, because this week’s show feels like a HerMoney happy hour. We're talking with "professional oversharers" Catherine Belknap and Natalie Telfer — aka Cat & Nat. They head up a rapidly-exploding online community of like-minded moms, who tune in daily on YouTube and Facebook to watch them rewrite the paradigm of "the perfect mom." They're known for saying what you're thinking, but do they talk about money? Now they do! We discuss how the besties-turned-business partners handle money both personally and professionally — and we do a reality check on their retirement savings. Kelly and I cover your questions on buying a home with a VA loan and finances for couples who aren't planning on tying the knot. As always, please leave us a review and share us with your besties.

Like a fine wine, Hoda Kotb keeps getting better with age. This week she takes us through the pain points of her 40s — cancer, divorce and thinking children might not be in her future — and how all of them made her fearless. She also tells us how now, in her 50s, she's in a job she pushed for, in a relationship that makes her happy and, best of all, a mother to her baby, Haley Joy, who she adopted earlier this year. She's living her life by her own rules and sharing how you can do the same. Then, Kelly and I answer your questions on how to handle your bank accounts post-Equifax breach and whether or not a company credit card can affect your credit score. And, if you're looking to donate after the recent storms, we cover smart and safe ways to give back so that your dollars are being put to good use.

Starting a new job, buying a house, getting married, getting divorced, having a baby or having a baby move back home — all of these events not only shake up your life, but your finances, too. And, as it turns out, research from Fidelity shows not all events are created equal when it comes to the impacts they have on your physical and financial health. Fidelity's senior vice president of Thought Leadership, Jeanne Thompson, takes us through the research, how it specifically applies to women and the two moves that are proven to improve your overall well-being no matter what. We answer your questions on the "marriage penalty" for taxes, interest on savings accounts and curbing impulse buys. And then we close the show with some interesting research on materialism. Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, and share this show with someone who's going through a major life change right now.

Long before "Catch Me If You Can" was made into a movie, Frank Abagnale was one of my go-to sources on all things identity-related. In the years since, he's consulted with companies, governments and organizations big and small about how to keep their data (and yours) safe. I'm thrilled he was available to chat about what we need to do now that 143 million of us have had our Social Security numbers or other personal info swiped in the Equifax breach. So, don't panic. Tune in and learn what steps to take next.

Think of the last time you really blew something. Was it a meeting, an interview, a test or a date? Did the setback stop you in your tracks — or did it give you the push you needed to move forward? Because, when it comes to long-term success (however you choose to define it), how you fail is more important than the failure itself. This week, author and educator Rachel Simmons gives us a private lesson on failing well (adapted from her popular course at Smith College). We also touch on the culture of mean girls and why it's important to surround yourself with women who help you shine. In Mailbag, we tackle your questions on investing in a long-running bull market and 529s before kids. Join us!

As she was doing research for her last book, Gretchen Rubin started noticing that people respond to internal expectations (the ones you set for yourself) and external expectations (the ones others and society set for you) in four different ways. She also discovered that knowing which of the four you are — a Questioner, Obliger, Upholder or Rebel — is essential when it comes to breaking habits and making new ones. She's here to tell us about it and her new book, The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People's Lives Better, Too). (Play along by taking this quiz before listening: http://bit.ly/2ikY96f.) Plus: Kelly and I dish about flat-fee real estate agents and credit cards for recent grads. Please rate us on Apple Podcasts, leave us a review and tell us what we can do to make the show better. Because when it comes to your expectations of HerMoney, we're definitely Upholders with Obliger tendencies.

C'mon, admit it. You've thought about starting a business, launching a side gig or taking that brilliant idea of yours and seeing if it actually has legs. You're not alone: The number of women-owned businesses jumped by 45 percent between 2007 and 2016. And JJ Ramberg, host of Your Business on MSNBC and founder of Goodshop.com, can help you make it happen. We dissect the DNA of successful female entrepreneurs, their common characteristics and their money musts. Then, Kelly and I answer your questions on pensions, free FICO scores and investment moves to make in college. Plus, we talk about how to pay taxes when your income isn't exactly regular. As always, please share us with your family and friends — and rate us on Apple Podcasts!

It took a former rocket scientist to figure out that investing isn't all that complicated after all. Alice Finn's career has taken her from NASA to wealth management to author. In her new book, Smart Women Love Money, and in our conversation, she lays out the only five things you need to do to guarantee financial success — and why embracing your inner investor is feminism's final frontier. Then Kelly and I dig into your questions about maximizing a post-divorce nest egg and the either/or of investing your savings or paying off debt. And we ponder this biggie: How much money is enough? Please leave us a review and share us with your loved ones!

What happens when you go all in? Can you have work, friends, a relationship, kids and money all on your own terms? Ann Shoket, the longtime editor of Seventeen magazine and author of The Big Life, says it's possible. It may be messy. It may stress you out at times. It may not look like what you thought life was going to look like, but it's there, and she tells us how to take it. Then Kelly and I answer your questions about combining finances before marriage and health savings accounts, and we dish on why estrogen is a good thing to have when investing your money. As always, please share HerMoney with the other women in your world.

HerMoney recently had the opportunity to sit down with Gloria Steinem (yes, the Gloria Steinem) and fellow personal finance journalist, Stacey Tisdale, at the Winning Play$: Black Women, Feminism, & Empowerment event. We cover financial independence, reproductive rights and how the pay gap is wider for black women. Then, Kelly and I answer your questions on using a Roth IRA to repay student loans, playing catch-up on retirement savings after co-signing on a loan and choosing a debt management plan. Please give us a review, send us your questions and share us with your family and friends!

The average woman buys 64 items of clothing every year, then wears each one just three times or less. If that makes you stop and count, then this week's episode will be an eye-opener. Jennifer Hyman, founder and CEO of Rent The Runway, says Instagram (and the fact that many folks don't want to be snapped in the same outfit more than once) has completely changed the way we shop for clothes. She argues it makes more sense to rent — not just for a special occasion, but for day-to-day. (Oh, and tune in to find out how 100 HerMoney listeners can get a month of Rent The Runway unlimited free.) Then, Kelly and I hash out budget-tracking apps, the latest options to refinance student loan debt and whether a Roth IRA will help you save more. Please leave us a review, and share us with your friends!

If you were to write a kiss-off letter to that whopping student loan or credit card bill you're carrying, what would it say? How would it feel to get all of those thoughts and emotions out into the open? Blogger Melanie Lockert, author of the book Dear Debt, knows the answers. Melanie shares how she finally made the critical mid shift from complete denial of her own $81,000 in student loan debt, to being obsessed about paying it off — and then got other people to face the financial music, too. Then, Kelly and I weave through the ins and outs of 403(b)s, the hidden allure of tag sales and the importance of saving automatically even while you are, yes, digging yourself out of debt. Plus, if some company has ripped you off, send your complaint our way: Hayden Field, our "Hayden Helps" is on the case. Maybe she can get your moolah back.

So many questions, so little time, so we're sending out another Bonus Mailbag edition of HerMoney. Kelly and I answer your questions about whether extra cash should go to home improvements or paying off debt, hiding debt in a relationship, buying rental properties and more. And...drum roll please...our colleague Hayden is a mad genius when it comes to getting money back from companies that have done you wrong. Listen to her success stories, then send her your issues for our new segment: Hayden Helps!

We’re in the heart of summer and it's time to sloowww dowwwnn. That means shifting out of your comfort zone as a type-A person, who wears busy as a badge of honor, to dropping the ball (à la Tiffany Dufu — check her out on episode #57) and saying “no” more often. This week we break that down with my friend Caren Osten, a certified positive psychology life coach. She helps her clients find balance, resilience and positivity during transitions and challenging times, and she walks us through the steps. Then, Kelly and I cover how to get a break on your credit card fees and eliminate clutter in the kitchen. Oh, and we've got research on how bad perfectionism is for your health. P.S. We have another Mailbag show coming your way this Friday. Happy summer!