Jill On Money With Jill Schlesinger

As someone who consumes a massive amount of financial data and then tries to make it palpable to listeners, viewers and readers, I am drawn to those who have an uncanny ability to break through the clutter. At the New York Times, my-go to writer for personal finance is Ron Lieber. His column, the wildly popular Your Money, covers just about anything and everything that hits you in the wallet, from investing to paying for college to mortgages and homes. And that pretty much describes how our discussion went. We bounced around -- from Equifax and Wells Fargo to the cost of college and the fiduciary debate. Ron is also an accomplished author. His most recent book is The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money. His latest book project, What To Pay For College, is set to be released in 2020 and will ask college presidents questions that families don’t know (or are afraid) to ask, as well as putting the surprisingly small amount of existing data on this topic into con

It's always so encouraging when we get calls from younger people who are already dreaming about early retirement. That's the case on the latest BONUS call with Ronny from Connecticut who is just out of school and already thinking about hanging on the beach. While it's encouraging, I'm also not sure how realistic it is. You'll hear what I mean when you listen. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://apple.co/2pmVi50 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s hard to imagine how an argument between a couple of billionaires could make for a compelling story. But when it happens on live television, and it involves two major Wall Street heavyweights, it’s like watching a trainwreck that you just can’t pull yourself away from. And that’s exactly what happened in 2013, when Wall Street titans Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman got into a legendary verbal battle on CNBC that centered around Herbalife, the company caught in the middle.   The host that day was Scott Wapner who unexpectedly found himself refereeing this 30 minute segment that became known as “The Brawl.” It left such a mark on Wapner that he felt compelled to explore the roots of the battle by writing When the Wolves Bite: Two Billionaires, One Company, and an Epic Wall Street Battle. This recently released compelling read recounts the story of the clash of these two titans over Herbalife, a nutritional supplement company whose business model Ackman questioned. Icahn decided to vouch for them, and the di

Pensions are certainly not as common as they once were, but they're still out there, and we still field a lot of questions on them. Usually the most common one is whether or not a lump sum payment is the best option. That's the case with Phil from Tennessee on the latest BONUS call. “Better Off” is sponsored by Betterment. We love feedback so please leave us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. "Better Off" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://apple.co/2pmVi50 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can you incorporate your values into your investments? While many of us have principles and views about what is “right” and “wrong”, putting those principles into action within a portfolio can be difficult. Although hard to accomplish, there are different ways of making an impact. They vary in terms of feasibility, effectiveness, and potential cost. When trying to determine the best approach, ask yourself, what am I trying to achieve? What outcome do I want? Is it about making me feel good or are do you seek an impact in the world? If you’re considering adopting a values-based approach to investing, there are four different options to consider:Divestiture: When you avoid owning the stock or bonds of of a company or issuer.Engagement: Owning company stock, and putting pressure on the board and management through voting.Impact investing: Investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate social and environmental impact.Charity: Giving to the causes you believe brin

Okay, so here's the scenario...you're pretty certain your mom is getting screwed by her advisor...yet she doesn't want to hear your concerns. What do you do? How do you have the talk? Can she be convinced? That's the dilemma facing Diane from Indiana on the latest BONUS call. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’re working in an office environment, it’s hard to ignore the massive shift that’s taking place in the workplace. In today’s average company, up to 80% of employees’ days are now spent working in teams. And yet the teams most people find themselves in are nowhere near as effective as they could be. They’re often divided by tensions, if not outright dissension, and dysfunctional teams drain employees’ energy, enthusiasm, and creativity. How can we fix it? That’s where today’s episode comes into the picture, and our chat with Chester Elton, who along with Adrian Gostick, recently published The Best Team Wins: The New Science of High Performance. Throughout the pages of their latest book, the duo share the proven ways managers can build cohesive, productive teams, despite the distractions and challenges every business is facing. The pair studied more than 850,000 employee engagement surveys to develop their “Five Disciplines of Team Leaders,” explaining how to:Recognize and motivate different generatio

You were required to buy private mortgage insurance (PMI) but are now in a position to get rid of it. Should you? And is it okay to deplete the brokerage account for a kitchen renovation? Just a couple of the questions from Melanie in New Jersey on the latest BONUS call. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Desperate times call for desperate measures. The questions from you guys continue to pour in, and at the current rate of taking one or two a week, we’re never going to clear out the inbox. Hence today’s episode, one that’s devoted entirely to you guys and your questions! We’ll probably start doing this on a regular basis, maybe once a month or maybe more if you like it. So please let us know by sending a quick note or by leaving a comment in iTunes. The first question on today’s episode comes from Britton in South Carolina. There’s cause for celebration as Britton and his wife just learned that a baby is coming! Woot woot! As a police officer and teacher it’s safe to say they’re not raking in the bucks. With a small savings account, and a small chunk of student loan debt remaining, does it make sense to beef up the savings or just get rid of the outstanding loan before the baby comes? Next up was Alex calling from somewhere overseas. Alex is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. Married, no kid

Help! I'm drowning in debt thanks to high interest student loans. My mom has the money to help. Is it worth having a conversation? That's the dilemma facing Megan from North Carolina on the latest BONUS call. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is defanged and the Department of Labor rolls back rules that would require retirement professionals to put the best interests or customers first, it’s easy to feel like nobody has our backs. The good news is that individual states are coming to the rescue when it comes to financial regulation and protecting consumers. In my conversation with Maria Vullo, the Superintendent of Financial Services for the State of New York (DFS), you will learn how Vullo and her department attempt to regulate a wide swath of industries. DFS has a lofty mission: “To reform the regulation of financial services in New York to keep pace with the rapid and dynamic evolution of these industries, to guard against financial crises and to protect consumers and markets from fraud.” Here’s what Vullo and her team are attempting to do on a daily basis:Eliminate financial fraud, other criminal abuse and unethical conduct in the industryEducate and protect users of financial products and s

By now you know that we're all about helping you prepare for retirement and making sure you have a solid game plan in place. But what happens when for whatever reason your parents find themselves struggling in their retirement years? That's the theme on the latest BONUS call with Jessica from New Jersey who we've decided wins the 2018 Daughter of the Year Award. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“I’m just bad with money!” I know that many have convinced themselves that they were born with a recessive money management gene, but financial planning can be learned, like anything else. That's the message of This Is the Year I Put My Financial Life in Order. In a book that is part financial memoir and part research-based guide to attaining lifelong security, New York Times reporter John Schwartz bares his financial soul. Schwartz and his wife, Jeanne, are upper middle class earners, who have been on a financial rollercoaster. Sharing his own alternately harrowing and hilarious stories, from his brush with financial ruin and bankruptcy in his thirties to his short-lived budgeted diet of cafeteria food, John will walk you through his own journey to financial literacy, which he admittedly started a bit late. He covers everything from investments to retirement and insurance to wills (at fifty-eight, he didn't have one!), medical directives and more. Whether you're a college grad wanting to start out on the

The subject of early retirement is quickly becoming one of the most common questions we receive. The latest one comes from Mitch in California. Can he do it? Or will he have to bite the bullet and keep working? Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The new documentary film The China Hustle begins amid the depths of the 2008 financial crisis, when we meet protagonist Dan David and a band of Wall Street outsiders. These detective-like investors operate on the fringes of the financial world, scouring global markets for money making opportunities. With the U.S. economy and markets in a tailspin, they turn to China, where there is what seems like a modern day gold rush. Chinese stock market indexes are doubling every year and the potential seems endless. There’s one problem, though: U.S. investors can’t participate because they are barred from investing directly in Chinese markets. But this is America, and people always find a way. A few Wall Street operators create a novel solution by bringing hundreds of promising Chinese companies directly to U.S. stock markets. All of the sudden, US investors can get in on the Chinese miracle, without leaving the comforting confines of the NYSE and the NASDAQ. MOVIE TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55892jT06aI

The idea of retiring early always sounds amazing, but there's a big time risk of calling it quits and having to dip into your nest egg too early in the game. That's the discussion we had with Lee from Germany. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Raise your hand if your employer offers a workplace retirement plan.  Keep it raised if your employer offers a match. Raise the other hand if you’re participating.   Now keep them both raised if you can tell me what fees you’re paying and what funds you’re invested in. Funny how all those hands just went down! Most of us have access to retirement plans through our jobs and Americans have more assets than ever in those plans and with the advent of financial technology (fintech), plans have become more robust. Some are using advanced algorithms to help employees select the most appropriate benefits based on information provided, while others assist participants with fulfilling future goals, like purchasing a home, sending kids to college, and ultimately retiring. Whether or not your plan is using fintech, there are specific questions that you should be asking:Are you contributing to six percent?Are you increasing your contribution by at least one percent each year? Are you getting the full match, if there i

Should you use your emergency reserve to tackle your student loan debt? That's what Kristin from Florida was wondering on the latest BONUS call. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week marked the first time the press spotlight was on Jerome Powell, the new Chairman of the Federal Reserve. It was just a few weeks ago that Powell succeeded Janet Yellen, and as expected, the Fed just announced another quarter-point increase in short term interest rates, a sign that the economy continues to grow.  It’s probably safe to say that the average person thinks the Federal Reserve is this big stone building in D.C. that does its own thing, if people are thinking about the central bank at all! But the truth of the matter is that not a lot comes out of the Fed without running things by another big stone building, the one that houses the Senate and House of Representatives. To help pull back the curtain a bit on the complicated relationship between the Fed and Congress, we are joined by my childhood friend and Fed expert, Mark Spindel, who along with Sarah Binder, recently published: The Myth of Independence: How Congress Governs the Federal Reserve. The pages trace the Fed’s transformation

Another week, another BONUS call where we're once again discussing the benefits of using a Roth retirement vehicle. Today's question comes from Marshall (and his daughter) in Virginia. Have a money question? Email me here. Better Off is sponsored by Betterment. Please let us know what you think by leaving a rating or review in Apple Podcasts. Connect with me at these places for all my content: http://www.jillonmoney.com/  https://twitter.com/jillonmoney  https://www.facebook.com/JillonMoney  https://www.instagram.com/jillonmoney/  https://www.youtube.com/c/JillSchlesinger  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillonmoney/  http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/jill-on-money  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/better-off-jill-schlesinger/id431167790?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices