HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

What does being “good with money” actually look like?

It might look like steadily contributing to your 401(k). Or figuring out how to pay for summer camp while continuing to save for retirement. It might mean comparing health insurance plans, building an emergency fund, deciding how much house your family can comfortably afford, or simply asking the right questions before making a big financial decision.

In other words, women are making important financial decisions every single day — and there’s a good chance we’re doing many of them more successfully than we give ourselves credit for.

On this special episode of the HerMoney Podcast, Jean Chatzky sits down with FourLeaf Federal Credit Union President and CEO Linda Armyn to talk about the Money Like A Woman movement and the Five Pillars that they created: building financial confidence and independence; spending, borrowing, and planning with intention; building and growing wealth; protecting what matters; and strengthening your financial community.

Jean and Linda discuss why being “good with money” has traditionally been defined far too narrowly — and why we don’t have to be experts on Wall Street to build wealth. (In fact, many of the habits women may dismiss as “boring,” like saving slowly over time, trading less frequently, and staying invested for the long haul, can actually be some of the keys to financial success!)

They also dig into what it means to spend with intention (yes, you can buy the 10 pairs of black shoes!), why protecting the people you love through insurance and estate planning is a form of love, how to protect yourself from increasingly sophisticated financial scams, and why talking openly about money can help strengthen our entire financial community.

Ultimately, as Linda explains, the goal is for “anyone and everyone” to be able to Money Like A Woman, regardless of gender.

Be curious. Ask questions. Think long term. Make deliberate choices. Prepare for the unexpected. Share what you’ve learned. And give yourself a little more credit for everything you’re already doing right.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MONEY LIKE A WOMAN MOVEMENT HERE!
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Ever moved money out of your vacation fund to cover a car repair, or dipped into your emergency fund for something that wasn't quite an emergency? That's exactly where sinking funds come in.

This week, Jean sits down with Sean Pyles, CFP® and host of NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast, and his co-host Elizabeth Ayoola to break down the sinking fund strategy: separate, named savings buckets each tied to a specific goal.

Plus, Lacy Garcia of Willow is back. She's sharing the five things worth splurging on before the end of 2026, and the trade-offs she makes to afford them. She and Jean also get into when a financial advisor is actually worth the money, and what Willow's version of an advisor looks like for someone who's just trying to get organized.

Find NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Get guidance and connect with a vetted fiduciary https://hermoney.com/findanadvisor/.
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Medicare can feel like a maze of parts, plans and deadlines – and getting it wrong can cost you.

On this episode of the HerMoney Podcast, sponsored by LIMRA, Jean sits down with mother-daughter Medicare experts Diane Omdahl and Melinda Caughill of 65 Incorporated to break down exactly what you need to know: when to enroll, how to choose between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and what's changing in 2027 that could catch beneficiaries off guard – from Part D drug plan shakeups to insurers pulling back from Medicare Advantage.

We cover:

The basics of Medicare – who's automatically enrolled and who isn't, and when you should start prepping to make Medicare decisions

A quick guide to Parts A, B, C and D, plus where Medigap fits in

Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage: the key differences and why the choice matters more than you think

What to know about switching plans later – and why timing is everything

What's changing with Part D and Medicare Advantage in 2027

A tool that can help simplify comparing your options during open enrollment

After you’ve listened, if you’re ready to dig in, LIMRA’s 5-step guide to planning for healthcare costs in retirement is a great place to start. It will help you get organized, understand your options, and know what to ask your advisor about building a healthcare strategy before you retire.
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Jenna joins Jean Chatzky on this week's episode for another AMA conversation, this time digging into a decision that sits right at the heart of Jean's new book, The Forever Paycheck: Is it worth giving up more money on paper for the peace of mind that comes with guaranteed income?

In this episode:

Why Jenna and her husband are reconsidering the lump sum after years of assuming it was the obvious choice

Jean's take on why retirees with pensions tend to spend significantly more than retirees with the equivalent balance sitting in a retirement account

How guaranteed income can free up the rest of a portfolio to be invested more aggressively

Why Jenna says choosing peace over optimization is exactly how she and her husband got their finances in order in the first place

Want a signed copy of The Forever Paycheck? Leave The Forever Paycheck a review on Amazon, screenshot it, and email it to mailbag@hermoney.com to be entered to win.
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We've gotten really good at teaching people how to save for retirement. But almost nobody teaches you what to do the day you stop earning and have to start spending. That's the gap Jean set out to close in her new book, The Forever Paycheck: The New Retirement Strategy to Spend More, Worry Less and Never Run Out of Money, and on this episode, HerMoney Chief Content Officer Kathryn Tuggle turns the mic around and interviews Jean about it.

In this episode, you'll learn:

What a "forever paycheck" actually is, and how it fills the gap between Social Security and what your life will cost

The surprising research on why retirees with a pension spend twice as much as those with the same money in a 401(k)

How much of her own portfolio Jean is annuitizing, and how she decided on that number

The one exercise Jean says is the best way to get comfortable with spending in retirement

And if you've already read The Forever Paycheck, leave a review on Amazon and send Jean a screenshot at mailbag@hermoney.com; you'll be entered to win a signed copy.
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