While many of us would prefer to forget the pandemic ever happened, the choices we made (as a society and perhaps, personally) in 2020 continue to have lingering effects. We know that women were disproportionately affected by the pandemic — an estimated two million women left the workforce due to the strains of caregiving. So, did the government do a good job of protecting us? And how are policies that were put in place, (such as stimulus checks and extended unemployment) still affecting our wallets? 

Bethany McLean, co-author of: “The Big Fail: What the Pandemic Revealed About Who America Protects and Who It Leaves Behind” discusses why we all need to take the time to learn about the effects of global events on our personal economies. 

In Mailbag, we hear from a listener who has a question about the 2026 change on estate tax exemption, and we hear from someone who’s wondering if they should transfer their credit card balance to a zero-interest card. For our money tip of the week, we discuss why the “set it and forget it” method of paying your monthly credit card bill could be hurting you financially. 

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The HerMoney with Jean Chatzky podcast is sponsored by Edelman Financial Engines. The podcast team and its host are neither employees nor clients of EFE, however, the show does receive fixed compensation and is a paid endorser and therefore has an incentive to endorse EFE and its planners. To learn more about the sponsorship, please visit PlanEFE.com/HerMoney.

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