So Money With Farnoosh Torabi

Joining Farnoosh this week is Megan Gorman, founder of Chequers Financial Management. She is a Forbes contributor and has her own blog, The Wealth Intersection, where she writes about the intersection of personal finance and daily life.Together they tackle your questions, including:Should I pay down student loans or invest?Should we drain our 529 to pay for an emergency fund?How do I know if I'm being paid fairly?How can I optimize my savings?Follow Farnoosh on @Instgram and send her your questions there!

Our guest today was suddenly stricken with a brain aneurysm in 2016, an occurrence that is typically fatal. But CNBC senior correspondent Sharon Epperson survived and is here on our show to share her journey through that experience and how key financial preparations helped her and her family avert a financial catastrophe.I first interviewed Sharon back in 2015. She is a well-known financial expert who can be seen regularly on CNBC and other media platforms. As the network's senior personal finance correspondent, Sharon was named one of "12 to Watch in TV News" in 2018. When I interviewed her years ago, we talked about her career as a journalist and her upbringing, but today, we’re going to talk about her major health scare. Sharon is now healthy, back at work, and is now an advocate for raising awareness about brain aneurysms and raising money for research.

In the next few decades, America will experience one of the biggest wealth transfers in history: $30 trillion dollars. Women will be the ones receiving most of that money. Are we going to be ready for it? Well, our guest today is dedicating her profession to helping everyone, men and women, become more financially empowered and admits that she, too, didn't always understand some of the basics of personal finance. Veronica Dagher is the host, co-creator and producer of The Wall Street Journal Podcast called Secrets of Wealthy Women. She interviews successful women who aren't afraid to charge what they're worth, pursue their ideas and build a life of fortune. Notable guests have included Gloria Steinem, Maria Sharapova, Mary Higgins Clark. I actually joined Veronica on her podcast on New Year's Day, along with some incredible women in personal finance; Jean Chatzky, Bobbi Rebell, Sharon Epperson and Deirdre Bolton.Veronica's podcast is more than just a job for her, it's a passion. After losing her father early

Talking about financial infidelity on Ask Farnoosh today. A listener asks what she should do about her husband who secretly amassed $65,000 in debt...while they were supposed to be saving up to buy a house.Joining Farnoosh is Emily Gershen, an avid So Money listener. When not binging on So Money, Emily Gershen is a designer, freelancer and entrepreneur. Formerly a New Yorker, she now spends her time in Grenada, West Indies.  Her company, Florecera Design is rooted in her loves for travel, indigenous textiles and intentional design.

Gemma Hartley is the author of the new book  Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women, and the Way Forward. The book was inspired by a viral article that Gemma wrote for Harper’s Bazaar called “Women Aren’t Nags - We’re just fed up.” It was read more than 2 billion times, so clearly it struck a cord and it definitely resonated with me. In our conversation Gemma pulls from her own life experiences as a mother and wife that I think we’ll find all-too familiar. We discuss how she defines emotional labor, how women often find themselves bearing the brunt of it...And what is the way forward to living a fuller and more satisfying life? To learn more about Gemma, visit www.GemmaHartley.com and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Is this the year you’re going to go for it? It’s New Year’s eve and you might be on the precipice of a big change in 2019, but only if you really want it. Today’s guest is Sara Bliss. She is a New York Time’s bestselling author of 11 books. Today, she’s here to talk about her most recent, which is called Take the Leap: Change Your Career, Change Your Life. It profiles over 60 people who radically changed their careers. If this is the year you want to try something completely different, make a shift, this interview is for you. Sara believes you’re never quite stuck. You might feel that way, but it’s just a feeling. It’s not the reality. In her book, she showcases how 60 successful people transitioned to show readers that the life you want isn’t as unrealistic as you think. Now she profiles some pretty high-profile people from Bobbi Brown, the makeup guru, to Barbara Corcoran and Barneys’ creative ambassador Simon Doonan, NFL athletes. Just want to say, don't be intimidated by the list of names in her book. Sar

EP 755 Replay: Farnoosh and co-host Kara Stevens, founder of The Frugal Feminista, discuss your biggest money questions including how to manage money with friends who like to spend more than you do ... as well as the best ways to save and invest and sell real estate.

Ever dream of retiring early? Or just having enough in the bank so you can truly live a life on your terms? We’re looking back at the year and we had quite a few individuals on So Money in 2018 who are part of the so-called FIRE movement, have you heard of this? It stands for Financial Independence Retire Early. Now, just to be clear - because I know there is a bit of back and forth on what this actually entails- from my understanding and having interviewed so many people who are a part of this movement, retiring early does not mean quitting working, it just means you’re not tethered to your 9 to 5, you’re not working a job that you don’t love. You may be still making money even though - but you’re doing it on your terms. One of our guests this year from episode 687 was Tanja Hester, who arrived on the podcast having just retired and she’s not even 40 years old. After saving half of her income for years, she and her husband finally reached financial independence at the end of 2017. They left their careers and

Today’s episode is dedicated to looking back at all of the great interviews we’ve had over the course of this year, related to health and wealth. All of the tremendous insights shared by guests on So Money that have to do with physical and mental well-being, and the positive impact that all can have on our finances. We’re going to hear from a medical doctor, a meditation expert, a pelvic healer and an entrepreneur who recently detoxed her way out of a stressful divorce and a business.  And in each excerpt, my goal is to help us see the bigger picture of how health and wealth do intersect. First up is Dan Harris, Episode 712. You may know Dan Harris as the co-anchor of ABC News Night Line and the weekend edition of Good Morning America. He’s also the bestselling author of 10% Happier and his most recent book is called Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics. He’s been very vocal about once himself having a panic attack in front of millions of people while filling in on Good Morning America. It was that experience that

This episode originally aired on February 16, 2018.Is my debt to income ratio too high to be considered for a mortgage?What ways are good ways to payoff my mortgage faster?My new job offers a 3% match for our 401K. What are my best options for my current 401k ($150K+)?  Do I rollover into the new plan? An IRA?Answering these questions of yours and more on this week's Ask Farnoosh with co-host and former So Money guest Erin Lowry of Broke Millennial.

I always thought there should be a reality show called Extreme Money Makeovers that follows a person or a couple on their journey to resuscitating their financial life…People who go for broke and then do the hard and creative work of rebuilding their balance sheets. I, of course, would be the host…If anyone’s listening who wants to film a pilot, you know where to find me! In today’s yearend wrap, we’re focusing on So Money guests who are financial warriors. These are people who went to battle with their finances and were victorious.  First up: Drs Renee and Nii Darko….EPISODE 685. What would you do if you woke up with $662,000 in student loans? You heard that right, over $650,000 in just student loan debt. That is the reality. That is what happened to Nii and Renée. After a meeting in medical school and completing really rigorous surgical residencies, the couple woke up to see their total debt balanced had ballooned to the high six figures after years of deferment and forbearance. They were stressed, they wer

It’s no doubt that 2018 will go down in history as a major turning point for women’s equality, particularly in the workplace. The #metoo and #timeout movements have led to more women’s voices being heard and more bad actors called out, penalized and in some cases prosecuted for their injustices towards women and men.  I had the great privilege of speaking to a number of individuals this year who are helping to lead the financial feminist movement and get us to more equality and female empowerment in the workplace, in one’s financial life and everywhere. We are about to hear again some of the voices.. to highlight some their advice, personal stories and insights they generously shared…so as we head into the New Year we are reminded of ways we can all continue to succeed in our careers and financial lives. We’ll hear from money guru Suze Orman, Joanne Lipman, the author of That’s What She Said, Amy Nelson, founder of The Riveter, a co-working space designed to support female entrepreneurs. But first, we'll hear

Addressing your money questions, including why (or why not) to invest in a Roth IRA, the best way to manage an inheritance and how to achieve an M.B.A affordably, but also get a great return on your investment.Today’s co-host is Brandon Opre, a fellow Penn State graduate. He’s a financial advisor and the founder of TrustTree Financial. What I love about Brandon is that he also gives back to his community. He was recognized in Fort Lauderdale Magazine as one of "The 40 Under 40" movers and shakers who are helping shape a better Fort Lauderdale. He started his own non-profit organization called A Prom to Remember, which creates an amazing prom experience for sick teenagers. He partners with hospitals to book luxury venues, provides evening wear for the children, and even provides luxury transportation, too.Follow Brandon on Twitter @TrustTreeFin.Additional resources from this episode:U.S. News article about Roth IRAsU.S. News article about online MBA programs.  

Jenny Shih is a top business coach who helps women optimize their business, time and productivity. Jenny, herself, works a 30 hour week and earns $650,000 a year. On top of it, she’s recovering from Lyme Disease.  How she managed to build her career amidst that diagnosis. She’s takes us behind the scenes, and offers advice for all of us on how to budget our time like we do our dollars...and for entrepreneurs, how to charge for your products and services and find your best clients. To learn more about Jenny, please visit www.JennyShih.com or follow her on Twitter @JennyShih.

Our guest today knows a thing or two about how to defy the odds, triumph in life despite economic challenges and grow a multimillion-dollar business. Susie Carder began her career as a hairdresser. Before that, she was raised in a very small home as one of nine children. She recalls the days of paying her mortgage with her credit card. As you just heard, raising her daughters as a single mom when a life-threatening accident takes place. She also admits to losing 90% of her wealth in the Great Recession, just 10 years ago and she has risen from the ashes. Today, she teaches others how to build wealth. Her new book is called From Bootstrap to Big Time, how to take your company from $250,000 to 10 million, and emphasizes that profit and planning are essential parts of a business's overall success. Susie also talks about in her life at least, how her faith has played a role in her success. By the way, she runs a nine-figure business and has helped people from Steve Harvey, to Lisa Nichols multiply their wealth, a

Brittney Castro is a Certified Financial Planner and she’s here to help us answer your money questions - AND spend a good bit of time talking about the finances of running a business. Brittney is the founder of Financially Wise Women, as I mentioned, and it’s something that she really built from the ground up in her 20’s. I know that for a lot of us listening, it’s important to us - especially as we look at the new year -to reassess our careers, maybe make that transition to starting a business or growing our existing business, I thought this would be a good time of year to give you some tips.  Brittney is a fellow Chase ambassador and she’s here on behalf of Chase Ink to share some insights into running that business successfully, and how to find the right mentors for growing your business. It’s important to find the right financial mentors and sponsors to help make the financial aspects of your business simpler. Also, how to manage the money in your business and in your personal life at the same time. This

We’re talking to one of the world’s most accomplished and active individuals in the world of cyber security: Dr. Diana Burley, named one of eight women to watch in IT security. Dr. Burley is a full professor of Human and Organizational Learning at George Washington University. She’s an in -demand speaker and, prior to joining GW, Dr. Burley managed a multimillion dollar computer science education and research portfolio. She also led the Cyber Corps Program for the US National Science Foundation. She has a terrific personal story of succeeding as a woman of color in a male-dominated field and how her family and professors helped to encourage and guide her. She and I also discussed all of the steps we can take to actively protect ourselves from the ongoing cyber threats. Well-known companies have had large breaches. And we are also targets as we shop furiously online this month. Hackers will be working nonstop to interfere. Dr. Burley has great advice on how we can stay safe. To learn more about Dr. Diana Burle

What can I say? It kind of felt like I had my kindred spirit on the podcast, or my name twin at the very least. Farnoosh Brock, author of The Serving Mindset: Stop Selling and Grow Your Business, is on the show today sharing some deep insightful revelations about what it means to lead a fulfilling life as an entrepreneur. Farnoosh left a career, a successful career in engineering to pursue a path in entrepreneurship. It wasn’t one that was met with a lot of support at the beginning, but she made it work. And how she made it work is truly, truly inspiring.Farnoosh lives by the mantra: "Serving is your competitive advantage," and she believes that if entrepreneurs focus on serving, instead of selling, they can learn how to feel good about the whole selling process and even ask for more money from their clients and customers. If you’re somebody who is looking at a start a business, or even a side hustle...and you want to be able to make the big bucks, Farnoosh has some really honest authentic advice. Learn more

Lots of great, important questions on Ask Farnoosh today pulled from Instagram and Farnoosh's website. Listeners want to know about recommendations for books for men whose wives who make more. Another fan wants to know whether it's better for your credit score to pay off a credit card balance once a month or paying purchases off as you go. Also: Tips for affording home renovation costs, and a college student listener has saved $5,000 and wants to know the best way to invest. To send Farnoosh questions, visit her on Instagram @FarnooshTorabi or send her a question at SoMoneyPodcast.com and click on "Ask Farnoosh."

Today, we’re going to talk about something that doesn’t get mentioned much here: marriage counseling. Specifically, we’re going to talk about how pursuing financial independence actually put today’s guest and his wife in marriage counseling. Today’s guest is Andy Hill. He’s the founder of the blog and the podcast, both called Marriage, Kids, and Money. I was just a guest on Andy’s podcast last month, so this is a treat to have him on my show today.Now, to be clear, Andy is a big proponent of financial independence and retiring early. Over the past 8 years, Andy and his wife, Nicole, have paid off $48,000 worth of debt, paid off their home that’s worth $400,000, and they’ve increased their net worth from 0 to $750,000 in 8 years. However, the journey to get to this point hasn’t been without its challenges. Because Andy’s blog and podcast focus on helping families become financially independent, he wants to cover all topics related to marriage and kids, including how beneficial marriage counseling has been to h