We’ve entered into a new era of workplace communication, one in which we must offer empathy and transparency, and convey urgency and excitement, all without handshakes, lunches, or happy hours. Behavioral scientist Lindsay Kohler breaks down how to keep your productivity up, improve your communication skills, set boundaries, and challenge your own biases while working remotely. In Mailbag, we tackle refinancing a child’s student loan, a backdoor Roth conversion, IRA contributions, and whether $10,000 is best put towards paying off loans or investing in the stock market. Lastly, in Thrive, how Neflix can improve your credit score. (No, really!)

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When invested the right way, your money can impact change while also earning big returns. We break down what it means to put your money where your mouth is, with Fidelity Investments’ Eliza Badeau and Nicole Connolly. Bigger ESG funds are up 10% year over year, far outperforming the DOW and the S&P 500. Eliza and Nicole dive into how we can get involved today. Eliza breaks down how Fidelity is addressing the inequalities that different underrepresented communities face, and how the social changes that we’re going through as a nation are impacting the investing landscape, particularly for Millennial investors. In Mailbag, we tackle questions on investing vs. paying down a mortgage, transferring a 529 plan to a different state, doing a ROTH IRA conversion, and getting a prenup. In Thrive, how to do a mid-year financial check-up. 

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What role does luck play in life? How does luck relate to fate, and how does all of this tie back into what we can and can’t control? We’re discussing it all this week with Maria Konnikova, author of “The Biggest Bluff.” She talks about what good investors have in common, and the truth behind the “illusion of control.”  We discuss emotions, and why they’re so critical to our decision-making process, and we get a crash course on how to bluff — and how to know when we’re being bluffed. In Mailbag, we talk aging parents, target date funds, and caring for a significant other financially. In Thrive, should you take a gap year if your college is closed this fall? 

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In this episode, we dive into all your questions on investing in an IRA vs. a money market fund, what to do with your stocks during times of market volatility, and whether you can open a 529 for a child who hasn’t yet been born. We also tackle a question on planning for the financial needs of an autistic older brother, and a question on balancing retirement contributions amidst mortgage refinancing and HELOCs. Got a question for us? Email us at [email protected]. 

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When’s the last time you took a trip somewhere other than your local grocery store? And what are we supposed to do with all those credit card miles and points we’ve been accruing? We discuss with The Points Guy himself, Brian Kelly. He tells us how to get the safest flight possible for the best price, how to decide if you need a new kind of credit card, and what to do with our points right now. In Mailbag, Jean and Kathryn talk through credit freezes for 5-year-olds, how to allocate retirement investments, and UTMA/UGMA accounts for kids. In Thrive, car insurance companies offering refunds. 

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Women of color are behind white women in almost every financial and career measurement. Today, we take a look at action steps that white women can take to be allies and advocates, and begin to truly make an impact. Administrative Judge Karen Ortiz and CEO of communications firm CJC Insights, Chanel Cathey, join us to talk about what it’s like to be the only woman of color in the room, and the biases and stereotypes that we all need to watch out for in our daily lives. In Mailbag, we talk about financially supporting our parents and paying down credit card debt with personal loans. In Thrive, the essential items that every woman should build into her budget. 

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Health matters have been a priority for all of us lately, and when we’re sick, the last thing we want to deal with are insurance questions and medical bills. Janine Urbaniak Reid, author of “The Opposite of Certainty” joins us to share her story and discusses some of the tactics that she used to get answers. She dives into the topic of resiliency, and opens up about how we can all “live a life you don’t hate, in circumstances you do.” She also tackles how to stay positive through it all, how to support a friend who is hurting, and how to truly live in the present. In Mailbag, we tackle questions on asking for a raise during the pandemic and refinancing a home. In Thrive, a chat with your parents about their financial situation. 

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Lauren Maillian, CEO of digitalundivided, joins us for a chat about Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, and the barriers women face in the world of fundraising and founding companies. We dive into how women can create a safety net for our own financial security at the same time we’re building a business, why “scrappiness” is at the heart of entrepreneurship, and how everyone can help create opportunity, share influence, empower, and uplift. In Mailbag, we talk whole life and term life insurance, and what to do about health insurance (and claiming a pension) when you retire before 65. In Thrive, what to do if your summer internship was sidelined. 

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“Americans Are Shopping For Groceries Like It’s 1996.” That headline caught our eye because it’s true — we’re cooking at home, we’re ordering everything from Amazon, and our spending habits have radically changed. Will they ever go back to “normal”? Dan Frommer, Founder of The New Consumer, joins us to share why it’s like “a switch flipped, and we skipped 15 years into the future.” Dan talks about some of the pitfalls of shopping online, and the growing popularity of direct-to-consumer brands, like Warby Parker and Glossier. We also talk about where to get the best bargains out there right now. In Mailbag, what to do with 529 funds that may have been refunded, how to prioritize funds between debt repayment and investing, and navigating target date funds. In Thrive, the steps you need to take to keep your connections strong in this happy hour-less era. 

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Megan Smith, Chief Technology Officer of the United States under President Obama and CEO of Shift7, joins us for a candid conversation on inclusion and diversity. For Megan, inclusion means that all people are able to bring forward their greatest self, not “stomp on others.” She and Jean talk about the importance of supporting innovators, how tech is helping us to drive bias from movies and television, and the importance of “being there” for LGBTQ youth. In Mailbag, we hear from Marcia Mantell again on a question about Social Security for freelancers, and we take listener questions about setting up IRA accounts, and the pros and cons of having all your investments at one firm. In Thrive, what it really means for your bottom line when you file early for Social Security. 

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