HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

The fear that you'll run out of money in retirement is big and real and daunting. Which is why we're always excited to hear about it when someone — somewhere — has a new idea to help us conquer the challenges of making our money last. This week's hero: Morningstar's Head of Behavioral Science, Dr. Stephen Wendel. He outlines how a handful of modest (and specific!) changes, when made simultaneously, can amount to much bigger nest eggs. So, calm your retirement anxieties — and geek out on the research — with us. Then, in Mailbag, we’re discussing 401(k) rollovers, the 5-year rule on Roth IRAs and having a dedicated savings account for healthcare. And in Thrive, how to budget with a cash-only diet.

This week we’re speaking with a woman who’s on a mission to make other women, "really f***ing rich." And who doesn't like the sound of that? Cindy Eckert, founder and CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals is leading this charge, while simultaneously supercharging our sex lives. Her company — which she sold for $1 billion and bought back for practically nothing — created Addyi, the first ever FDA-approved drug for low sexual desire in women. We talk hormones, big pharma, negotiations and how to handle sexism. Her strategy: "Kill them with competence." It's a must-listen. In Mailbag, we dive into credit cards, student loans and other financial trade-offs. And, in Thrive, we discuss troubling research on the big little lies we tell when women outearn their husbands.

It’s college application season for thousands of high school seniors across the country — and the ones who love them. Whether you're up against the deadline this year — or see it coming around the corner — it's never too early to start strategizing. We sat down with independent university admissions counselor and founder and CEO of IvyWise, Dr. Kat Cohen, to talk not just about reigning in the cost of college, but the cost of applying itself. In Mailbag, we answer your questions on wealth strategies for singles, bankruptcy scores and credit cards for young adults. Then, in Thrive, meet HerMoney reporter Kathryn Tuggle! She shares her reporting on how — and why — pet insurance can be a smart move.

We have that back-to-school spirit over here and it inspired us to do a Bonus Mailbag! Here's what's on the syllabus: Ideas outside of retirement for investing "for fun," the perks of making additional mortgage payments (but also whether you should? Think ROI!), 529 alternatives, why someone might put her home in a trust and how to build an emergency fund and pay down debt at the same time. Yes, it's both possible and encouraged. Have a great weekend!

Dear HerMoney listeners, this week we're getting up close and personal about our spending habits with Refinery29's work & money director, Lindsey Stanberry. She's here to discuss her new book, "Refinery29 Money Diaries: Everything You've Ever Wanted To Know About Your Finances... And Everyone Else's" — inspired by the viral series she launched that gives readers inside looks into the spending habits of millennial women across the country. (Warning: They're addicting.) In Mailbag, Kelly and I start drafting our diary entries and answer your questions on credit card loyalty, balance transfers and one listener's difficult decision to keep health insurance. And, in Thrive, the two biggest strategies for making sure that you'll have enough money to last you in retirement.

A few episodes back, we talked about one of our friends in the personal finance community achieving a perfect credit score. Yes, a score of 850. I like to say you’re not your credit score, but in Washington Post columnist Michelle Singletary’s case, you might want to be. She's on this week to discuss her quest for perfection (honestly, she didn't even have to try that hard), paying for college for her kids on a journalist's salary, spending in line with your values and how to live a debt-free life. In Mailbag, we answer your questions on how to stay calm (and sane) when you or someone you love is about to take on significant student loans. We also talk Roth IRAs and how you really can earn money working from home. And, in Thrive, the importance of taking time off. It turns out not taking a vacation can cost you more than you think.

This week’s big question: Do you trust your bank? Since 2008, the answer for many Americans has been...not so much. We're diving into all your feels around our country's banking system with UPenn's Lisa Servon, author of "The Unbanking of America: How the New Middle Class Survives." We discuss her take on banks large and small and why more Americans continue to flee traditional ones for both credit unions and fintech alternatives. In Mailbag, we answer your questions on catch-up strategies for retirement savings and whether buying your first (or second) home in your 20s is a viable investment strategy. And we wrap with a little econ talk. The US economy kicked into high gear this spring, but will it last? Stay tuned....

Were you raised to be financially independent? Or did your childhood (rocky or otherwise) motivate you to seek financial independence out? These are questions inspired by this week's guest MSNBC LIVE anchor Stephanie Ruhle, who spent 14 years working in finance before turning to a career in television. She opens up about her upbringing, offers her most important career advice and weighs in on financial advice she thinks women like us need most. In Mailbag, we answer your questions on SEP IRAs and high-interest checking accounts. In Thrive, we cover new, and yes, still frustrating, research on gender expectations. Listen in, roll your eyes with us and try our solution.

We’ve talked about the wage gap and the leadership gap — and we’ll keep talking 'til they’re closed — but we haven’t focused on a gap that is arguably at the root of all the others: The confidence gap. This week we dig deep with master life coach and fellow podcaster, Cara Alwill Leyba. She’s out with her new book: "Like She Owns The Place, Give Yourself The Gift of Confidence and Ignite Your Inner Magic." We discuss what confidence means, looks like, feels like and how you, too, can light it up. In Mailbag, we've got questions (and answers, natch) on what to do with a CD that's coming due, how to pay off your mortgage faster, and where to find a fee-only financial advisor. Plus: Amazon recently acquired PillPack, an online pharmacy startup that delivers medication to consumers' doorsteps. Could it drive down drug prices?

When it comes to saving, investing and all things financial independence, Stella & Dot CEO and founder Jessica Herrin walks the talk. With the idea that nine-to-five doesn't work for everybody, Herrin set out to reinvent what flexible income — and home business opportunities — look like for the modern woman. She speaks to the importance of saving and investing, but she and I agree that your most important investment is the one you make in your skill set — especially if you're in the gig economy. In Mailbag, the pros and cons of using your savings to learn a new skill and checking your credit report and score for free. And speaking of credit scores...our friend Michelle Singletary (also a future guest) has a perfect one. We share how she achieved the 850 mark.

Kevin Arnold, we get it. Just like you fell for Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years, we've fallen for Danica McKellar IRL. (Case in point: When she played Monopoly growing up, she'd create emergency cash cushions by hiding her money from herself.) It's no surprise that the actress many of us grew up with is also an internationally-recognized mathematician, who has her own theorem (yes, a theorem) and is the author a number of books aimed at helping girls in particular become more confident about math. She came on to talk about her latest — "Do Not Open This Math Book" — but also the origins of math phobias and why the stereotypes about women and math still linger today. It's a must-listen. Then, in Mailbag, we answer your questions on life insurance for children, IRAs and finding an advisor that's right for you. In Thrive, we cover new variables that could determine your credit opportunities.

What does it take to become self-made? For Nely Galán, the first Latina President of Entertainment for a U.S. television network (Telemundo), it required strategy, sacrifice and a whole lot of self-control. She joins us this week for an inspiring conversation on immigration, building wealth (if you're interested in investing in real estate, this show's for you) and why overachievers (hint, hint) need to slow down in order to accomplish more on our ever-growing to-do lists. In Mailbag, Kelly and I answer your questions whether it matters if your landlord reports your rent payments to the credit bureaus, and what to do if you have a house on the market that won't sell, but is costing you more and more every month. And, in Thrive, we discuss how student debt in the U.S. has hit $1.5 trillion (yes, “trillion” with a “t”) for the first time ever — and how to pay yours down.

What's your definition of success? Did your mind go straight to career? Family? Both? This week we're tackling this loaded question with Hana Schank and Elizabeth Wallace, authors of the new book: "The Ambition Decisions: What Women Know About Work, Family, and the Path to Building a Life." We discuss all things women and ambition — the realities of work-life balance, motherhood, what “counts” as ambition, success and more. Also, see if you're a "High-Achiever," an "Opt-Outer" or a "Life-Flexer" and what each could mean for your career, finances, love life and overall happiness. In Mailbag, we answer your questions on the percentage of income to save and how to go about getting 401(k) dollars from past employers. Plus: Wedding season isn't the only season that’s in our midst — hurricane season has also begun. In Thrive, we're talking whether or not you should consider flood insurance.

Happy 4th of July HerMoney fam! To celebrate, we're answering your questions. We discuss tuition reimbursement programs and the pros and cons of using a 0% APR credit card to cover it until your employer does. We bounce ideas around for one listener on how she can use her stellar financial habits — and credit — to boost her partner's. Plus: How to waive annual fees on credit cards (and to justify them), the value of prenups for later-in-life marriages and negotiating your promotion post-maternity leave. That last one is tricky, but we came up with a script. We hope you enjoy this episode to or from your bbq — have a safe holiday!

"You lose your keys — not your loved ones," so says Laurie Burrows Grad, whose husband died a few years back and who put her feelings into a wonderful book, "The Joke’s Over, You Can Come Back Now: How This Widow Plowed Through Grief and Survived." In a conversation filled with heart, insight and laughter, she gives us a window on widowhood, schools us on what to say — and what not to say — to our friends and family who are grieving, tells us why you should let your widowed friends pick up the tab every once in a while and gives us the 411 on what to do financially when someone dies. With more women outliving men — and women being more likely to fare worse financially as widows — this episode is important for everyone to hear. In Mailbag, Kelly and I answer your questions on aggressively saving for retirement (when it means taking on more credit card debt), diversifying your retirement savings between Traditional and Roth accounts and taking loans to pay off student loans. Then, stick around to up your privacy settings in Thrive. Did you know that if you have your privacy settings on “default,” Facebook lets marketers use your name in their Facebook ads, Amazon keeps recordings of all of your conversations with Alexa and Google saves a map of everywhere you go — and that's just scratching the surface. We tell you how to go incognito.