It’s estimated only 35% of Americans work with financial professionals. One of the things holding them back? Thinking they’re only for the wealthy. Experts say that’s not the case and if you’re not working with a financial professional, you could be missing out on opportunities to build wealth and reach your retirement-related goals.
There are a variety of different types of financial professionals, and finding the right one starts with figuring out exactly what you’re looking to do. From advisors who help manage a complex retirement investment portfolio on an ongoing basis, to advisors who charge you a one-time fee to develop an annual budget and retirement savings plan to put you on track, Michael Kitces, “Chief Financial Planning Nerd” at Kitces.com, explains the different types of advisors, the different ways you compensate them, and how to pick the right financial professional for you.

If you’re enrolled in Medicare, or plan to be soon, you know selecting coverage to fit your needs can be enough to make your head spin. Complicating matters, as you get older, healthcare issues–and expenses–become more frequent. Luckily, there are things we can do to manage the maze that is Medicare, as well as better handle healthcare costs during the second half of life.

It goes without saying that where you live shapes who you are as a person. That holds true in your retirement years too, a time when many people may find a new place to call “home.” But how do you pick the right place to relocate to during the second half of life? That’s a question Ryan Frederick, an expert in the field of aging with a particular focus on the role of “place,” has helped countless people answer.

It doesn’t take much to feel overwhelmed by technology these days. With things changing so quickly, there’s a lot to learn and it can be hard to keep up. Not only with the latest developments, but also with the latest scams, many of which target older Americans.

Kim Komando joined Jean Chatzky to discuss these issues.

Getting people to do the right thing for the future versions of themselves is what Hal Hershfield, UCLA Professor of Marketing, Behavioral Decision Making, and Psychology has spent decades working on with colleagues. He joined Jean Chatzky to discuss planning for your future self.

Hershfield recently published a book – Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today – that contains a lot of the answers, as well as suggestions for ways you can act now to improve your life down the road or whatever your next chapter in life.

According to the World Alzheimer Report, almost 80% of the general public are concerned about developing dementia. Evidence also suggests that these fears increase with age. They’re not without merit. Currently, the lifetime risk for Alzheimer’s at age 45 is 1 in 5 for women, 1 in 10 for men. Some 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. One in three seniors will die with Alzheimer’s or some other dementia. Jean Chatzky was joined by CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta to discuss this important issue. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is also author of the new handbook, 12 Weeks to a Sharper You. As Dr. Gupta points out – cognitive decline is not necessarily inevitable. Incorporating a series of healthy habits into your day-to-day life can provide protection for your brain – and its health – for the long term.

Jean Chatzky shared a conversation with Author, MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your ‘Enough’ Manisha Thakor for an episode of Your Money Map titled, When Is Enough, Enough? How To Reach Money Zen.

On Wednesday, August 23, Kerry Hannon, Author, work and retirement expert, Yahoo Finance senior columnist joined Jean Chatzky for a Your Money Map episode titled Your Second Act in Retirement: Planning for the Next Phase of Your Career.

More Americans are continuing to work after they reach retirement age. Whether it’s because they want the extra income, love their work, or enjoy having a sense of purpose, older workers have a unique opportunity to use their skills and experience to explore their passions. Jean Chatzky and career strategist Kerry Hannon discussed how older adults can redefine their work lives and walked through all the financial and tax considerations working retirees should keep in mind.

On August 8, 2023, Jason Fichtner, Vice president and chief economist at the Bipartisan Policy Center and Marcia Mantell, President of Mantell Retirement Consulting, Inc. joined Jean Chatzky for a Your Money Map episode titled What You Need to Know About Social Security, With Key Considerations for Women.

Episode Description: Social Security is one of the few sources of protected income we have, and millions of Americans rely on it every year. But it’s only designed to make up about 40% of your retirement income — and there are risks to taking your benefits too early, especially for women. Jean Chatzky was joined by Marcia Mantell and Jason Fichtner to unpack everything you need to know about Social Security, when to take it, and how you can fill the income gap in retirement.

On July 26, 2023, Robert Waldinger, Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School joined Jean Chatzy for an episode titled What Does It Mean to Live a Happy Life? We all want to feel like we’ve had a fulfilling life, but sometimes that big-picture goal falls on the back burner as we work hard to develop our careers, grow our wealth, and build our families. As you approach retirement, you might have more time and experience to reflect on what truly matters. How will you make the most of your retirement years? Jean Chatzky and Robert Waldinger, director of the world’s longest scientific study on happiness, discussed the psychology behind fulfillment and how money fits into the equation.

On July 12, 2023, Michael Finke, Wealth Management Professor, American College of Financial Services joined Jean Chatzky for an episode titled A License to Spend.

Retirement is full of unknowns — a big one is exactly how long you’ll need your savings to last. Research from Michael Finke, Professor of Wealth Management and Frank M. Engle Chair of Economic Security at the American College of Financial Services, has shown that retirees are worried about outliving their savings and actually underspend when they don’t have guaranteed income to rely on. Michael Finke and Jean Chatzky discussed longevity risk, why it’s an issue for women in particular, and how annuities can increase your sense of security in retirement and give you a “license to spend.”

On June 28, 2023, Chris Farrell, Senior Economics Contributor at Marketplace joined Jean Chatzky for an episode titled, Check Off Your Retirement Bucket List. Episode Details: For many of us, retirement is about more than just relaxing — it’s about having the time, money, and freedom to accomplish dreams and goals that might have been decades in the making. That might mean traveling the world, starting a business, or spending quality time with friends and family. The big question — how can we afford it? Join host Jean Chatzky and Chris Farrell, senior economics contributor at Marketplace, as they unpack what today’s pre-retirees want to achieve in their later years, how they can make it happen financially, and what it looks like to find both purpose and a paycheck in retirement.

On June 14, 2023, Jennifer Hatch, president of financial planning firm Christopher Street Financial, joined Jean Chatzky for an episode titled, Retirement Planning for LGBTQ+ Families to discuss how LGBTQ+ families can plan ahead as they grow their careers, buy houses, raise kids, and invest in their futures. They spoke about how there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to planning for retirement. People from different generations and backgrounds have different goals — but we all want financial security and peace of mind. In celebration of Pride Month, they dove into the financial priorities and challenges that LGBTQ+ families face as they prepare for their next chapter of life.

On May 31, Your Money Map aired a pre-recorded episode. Ben Harris, economist and author, joined Jean Chatzky for the episode titled, What Top Economists Know About Retirement (That Consumers Don’t).

Planning and saving for retirement isn’t just an individual goal — it’s also a systemic challenge. With longer lifespans, increasing health care costs, and the uncertain future of Social Security, America’s retirement system as a whole needs a reboot. Jean Chatzky and Ben Harris, long-time White House economist and author of The Retirement Challenge, discussed the changes we need to make on a societal level to secure Americans’ retirement incomes, the importance of annuities in filling the current gaps, and the actions that families can take to protect their financial futures.

On May 17, Your Money Map aired a pre-recorded episode with Amanda Clayman, a licensed clinical social worker and financial therapist who helps her clients understand how their thoughts, feelings, and past experiences shape their financial choices using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT. She coaches people one-on-one, builds financial wellness programs for companies, and develops online courses on financial wellness on LinkedIn. Her work has been featured on CNBC, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and HerMoney.

On May 3, 2023, Joanne Lipman, author and former editor-in-chief of USA, joined Jean Chatzky for an episode of Your Money Map titled, Peak 65: What a Retirement Surge Means for Your Future. In 2024, more Americans will turn 65 than ever before. This represents a major demographic shift — our population is growing older, which means it’s even more crucial for us to plan ahead for retirement. How does a higher number of retirees impact older Americans? What effect does it have on our retirement income streams? With longer lifespans and increasing economic uncertainty, how should we be rethinking the traditional retirement age and lifestyle?

On April 19, 2023, Jean Chatzky joined Financial Therapist, Author, and Coach, Kathleen Burns Kingsbury and Head of Enterprise Strategic Relationship Management at Prudential, Melissa Kivett, to unpack those challenges and discuss how we can level the playing field. We all know about the gender pay gap, but many don’t realize this also contributes to a “retirement income” gap between men and women. Lower incomes, longer lifespans, and a tendency to avoid risk in the markets are just a few of the challenges that women are likely to face, causing them to have less in savings during retirement.

On April 5, 2023, Jean Chatzky was joined by financial analyst Rhonda Noordyk to unpack all the financial aspects of gray divorce, the additional challenges that it holds for women, and how you can protect yourself and your retirement. Divorce is challenging for anybody going through it, but the process gets even more financially complicated as you age. The last thing you want is for divorce to damage the retirement nest egg you’ve been building for decades.

On March 29, 2023, David Furnish, CEO of Rocket Entertainment and Chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, joined Jean for a very special episode of Your Money Map. David and Jean discussed the importance of the continued partnership with Elton and the Alliance for Lifetime Income: To help Elton’s fans with their financial planning.

On March 8, 2023, Jill Schlesinger, CFP, CBS News Business Analyst, author of The Great Money Reset joined Jean Chatzky for an episode of Your Money Map. The episode was titled, Retiring in a Volatile Market. It focused on how choosing the right time to retire can be complicated and confusing, even in the best financial circumstances and how uncertain economic times may affect your ideal retirement age, your portfolio, and your decumulation process.

On February 22, 2023, Michelle Singletary joined Jean Chatzy for an episode titled, Let’s Talk Taxes and Retirement. The episode covers what the biggest changes for the 2022 tax year are and how do they might affect your retirement dollars. Michelle and Jean spoke on how you can plan your taxes with retirement in mind and maximize your benefits on the most common retirement accounts.

On February 8, 2023, David Blanchett and Margarita Perry joined Jean Chatzky to discuss the whether or not the 4% Retirement Rule still works.

On January 25, 2023, Julie Morgenstern joined Jean Chatzky for an episode of Your Money Map to discuss goals and the best methods to reaching your goals.

On December 14, 2022, Ed Slott, CPA and founder of IRAhelp.com, joined Jean Chatzky on Your Money Map to discuss end of year planning.

On November 30, 2022, David Rae join Jean Chatzky to discuss a road to financial freedom for the LGBTQ+ community.

On November 16, 2022, Peter Kaldes joined Jean Chatzky to discuss tips and advice for making friends and finding community as you age.

On November 2, 2022, Nancy Collamer joined Jean Chatzky to discuss Navigating a Meaningful Second Act.

On October 26, 2022, Pam Krueger joined Jean Chatzky to discuss the topic Finding the Right Financial Professional for You.

On October 19, 2022, Jae Oh joined Jean Chatzy to discuss the latest on Medicare and the top 5 things to know.

On September 21, 2022, Bradley Schurman joined Jean Chatzky for an episode of Your Money Map to discuss financial advice for planning with longevity in mind.

On September 7, 2022, Rodney Harrell joined Jean Chatzky for an episode of Your Money Map to discuss tips and financial advice for planning where you will live in your next chapter, including what’s changed in the retirement or housing landscape since he last appeared on Your Money Map in June 2021.

On August 24, 2022, Dana Anspach joined Jean Chatzky for an episode of Your Money Map to discuss financial advice for planning your retirement while balancing student loans, whether your own or someone else’s.

On August 10, 2022, Michael Clinton joined Jean Chatzky for an episode of Your Money Map to discuss tips and financial advice for living your life to the fullest, finding your passions, and reimagining oneself at midlife.

On July 27, 2022, Joe Coughlin joined Jean Chatzky to discuss the latest thinking the longevity economy with a focus on the role of women.

On July 13, 2022, Marc Cohen joined Jean Chatzky to discuss the latest thinking on health care costs in retirement.

On June 29, 2022, Jean Chatzky hosted Richard Leider to discuss the importance of finding purpose in retirement.

On June 15, 2022, Jean Chatzky hosted David and John Auten-Schneider, the Debt Free Guys and hosts of the Queer Money podcast to discuss retirement concerns for the LGBTQ+ community.

On June 1, 2022, Jean Chatzky hosted Miata Edoga to discuss stable income for nontraditional careers.

On May 18, 2022, Jean Chatzky hosted Mia Taylor to discuss how travel and travel costs have changed over the past year.

On May 6, 2022, Jean Chatzky hosts returning guest Steve Vernon to discuss the relationship between money and happiness.

On April 20, 2022, Jean Chatzky hosted Sarah Newcomb to discuss financial literacy.

On April 6, 2022, Jean Chatzky hosts Ed Slott to discuss updates on taxes and retirement.

On March 23, 2022, Jean Chatzky was joined by Kathleen Kingsbury and Marcia Mantell to discuss the retirement crisis for women.

On March 9, 2022, Jean Chatzky hosted guest Chris Heye, Ph. D., to discuss defining and pursuing your financial wellness.

On February 23, 2022, Jean Chatzky hosted guest Larry Kotlikoff to discuss what economists know that your financial advisor may not.

On February 16, 2022, Jean Chatzky hosted guest Jennifer Streaks to discuss racial disparities in retirement.

On December 15, 2021, Jean Chatzky hosted guest Michael Kitces to discuss policy changes impacting retirement planning.

On December 1, 2021, Jean Chatzky hosted guest Marci Alboher to discuss volunteering and charitable giving in retirement.

On November 15, 2021, Jean Chatzky was joined by Jean Statler and Miata Edoga Live for a special in-person Your Money Map episode from Detroit, MI to discuss retirement planning for freelancers and artists.

On November 3, 2021, Jean Chatzky was joined by guests Jeannette Bajalia & Eszylfie Taylor to discuss the topic of talking with your family about finances.

On October 20, 2021, Jean Chatzky hosted guest Samantha Brown from PBS’s Places to Love to discuss traveling in retirement.

On October 6, 2021, Jean Chatzky hosted guest Jeffrey Levine to discuss policy changes that affect retirement.

On September 22, 2021, HerMoney’s Jean Chatzky hosted guest Anna N’Jie Konte to discuss catching up on retirement savings.

On September 8, 2021, HerMoney’s Jean Chatzky hosted guest Jae Oh to discuss investing now to for your future health care.

On August 25, 2021, Jean Chatzky hosted guests Blanche Cheeley and Heather Drebenstedt to discuss the topic demystifying the financial professional: Which one is right for me?

On August 11, 2021, HerMoney’s Jean Chatzky hosted Richard Leider to discuss how to find purpose in retirement.

On July 28, 2021, Jean Chatzky hosted guest Kerry Hannon to discuss retiring sooner or later than planned.

On July 14, 2021, HerMoney’s Jean Chatzky hosted guest Peter Kaldes, CEO and President of the American Society on Aging to discuss: What you should be thinking about as you age.

On June 30, 2021, Jean Chatzky was joined by Steve Vernon, Research Scholar at the Stanford Center on Longevity and President of Rest-of-Life Communications to discuss: Longevity and planning for a long life.

On June 16, 2021, Jean Chatzky was joined by John Schmidt, Investing and Retirement Editor at Forbes Advisor where they discussed topic: LGBTQ retirement guide.

On June 2, 2021, Jean was joined by guest Dr. Rodney Harrell to discuss how COVID-19 is impacting senior housing trends.

On May 5, 2021, Jean Chatzky was joined by Michelle Singletary to discuss the topic of the sandwich generation.

On April 21, 2021, Nora Super joined Jean Chatzky to discuss the topic of health, wealth and longevity.

On April 4, 2021, Jean Chatzky was joined by Elaine Floyd to discuss the topic of social security planning.

On March 24, 2021, Jeannette Bajalia joined Jean Chatzky to discuss why the age of 65 matters for women.

On March 10, 2021, Jean Chatzky was joined by Tiffany Aliche to discuss the language of money.

On February 24, 2021, Jean Chatzky was  joined by Ed Slott to discuss the topic of Tax and retirement planning policy changes.

On February 10, 2021, Jean Chatzky was joined by Carolyn McClanahan to discuss the topic of health care and the idea of wealth care.

On January 27, 2021, Jean Chatzky was joined by Sharon Epperson to discuss the topic of getting back on track in 2021.