Financial independence calculators allow us to understand the path we’re on—so we can either feel good about proceeding, or get on a different one. So, using the new features we added to the 2025 Wealth Planner, we’ll explore all the considerations that might impact your own projections—from temporary expenses you won’t need to support forever (like childcare) to future pension income that’ll lower your investment needs.  💰 JOIN THE 2025 WEALTH PLANNER WAITLIST FOR 25% OFF AT...

Rich Girl Lauren lives in an expensive city, and her parents are offering her some money—but she only gets the money as a down payment for a home and she’ll have to pay it back eventually. Is it worth it? And separately, how are home buyers affected by the recent NAR agreement? We are not licensed professionals; please do your own due diligence. Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and her Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money questions. Each month,...

At her career’s height, Lacy was earning more than a million dollars per year (!) as an executive at a major bank. Then, one early morning, Lacy woke up and realized she was unable to hear anything in her left ear, experiencing something called sudden sensorineural hearing loss. She feared the worst: Her career, as she knew it, was over. Fortunately, Lacy had purchased a valuable insurance policy a decade earlier. And you don’t have to be pulling down seven figures like Lacy to benefit in the...

In this week’s Rich Girl Roundup, Cassie asks what financial considerations she should discuss with her long-term partner and co-parent. Katie and Henah review the financial advantages of legally marrying, and how to potentially work those benefits into a different type of legal agreement. They are not certified financial or legal professionals; please do your own due diligence. Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and her Executive Producer Henah answer your...

In our "money dysmorphia" episode, a theme emerged that I wanted to revisit: Money anxiety increasing with income, not decreasing. While most of us are probably familiar with the law of diminishing marginal returns and accept that after a certain point, money won’t make us any happier, the idea that money could make us actively unhappier is pretty antithetical to the entire capitalist enterprise. So to get the inside track, we invited Clay Cockrell, a therapist for the ultra high-net worth,...

In this week's Rich Girl Roundup, Rich Girl Kelly S. asks, "Any resources for using a job offer to leverage more money in your current position? Is this a thing?" Katie and Henah share some suggestions, considerations, and a template for how to approach the conversation. Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and her Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money questions. Each month, we'll put out a call for questions on her Instagram (@moneywithkatie). New...

If you’ve ever found yourself feeling skeptical about capitalism (or the idea that its current iteration is the best and only economic system worthy of our attention), this episode is for you.  My guest, Grace Blakeley, recently published a book called Vulture Capitalism in which she tees up what we fundamentally misunderstand about capitalism and knocks down the many half-truths that enable the status quo's most powerful narratives. Transcripts, show notes, production credits, and more can...

"I'm going to retire early, but my husband isn't. How do we approach our separate finances in early retirement?" asks a listener who's still interested in taking advantage of financial independence tax loopholes. Reminder: We are not certified financial professionals, and this is not financial advice—please work with a CFP and CPA. Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and her Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money questions. Each month, we'll put out...

See why we’ve been named one of the top personal finance podcasts by US News and have nearly 10 million downloads, and check out The Money with Katie Show wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time ever, we're updating an episode we did back in 2022, all about money management systems. I’m detailing the two-track approach I recommend to hit your financial goals with minimal stress, because by taking advantage of the two big As—Automation and Amortization—you can put your financial life on the third A (Autopilot). (Sorry, I’ll stop.) I am not a licensed financial professional, so please do your own due dil. Transcripts, show notes, production credits, and more can be...

One listener reached out to ask, "If I know I'm getting an inheritance, how can I ask my parents for it earlier? It'll go further now in my 30s than later." We address if that's the best move, considerations to keep in mind, and ways to thoughtfully position the ask. Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and her Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money questions. Each month, we'll put out a call for questions on her Instagram (@moneywithkatie). New...

We unquestioningly repeat the knowledge that index funds are the easiest way to “passively” build wealth. But what happens when too many investors go passive? Is this the most “benevolent bubble” in history? (Fair warning: That description is hyperbolic.) In this week’s solo expedition, I attempt to make sense of these claims—and what it would mean if they’re true. (I am not a licensed financial professional, I’m just a podcaster with internet access, so please do your own due dil.) Find a...

Traditional retirement advice often suggests balancing stocks and bonds as you near retirement—but as two Rich Girls pointed out, bonds seemingly don’t have great returns. So are they still worthwhile? And if so, should you buy them? Plus, we respond to some critical feedback we received. Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and her Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money questions. Each month, we'll put out a call for questions on her Instagram...

If we’re talking about negotiating for higher income without talking about labor organizing, we’re outright ignoring one of the most powerful determinants of how people are paid. This week on the show, you’ll hear from two people: an anonymous 20-year veteran of publicly traded, multinational corporate human relations who believes the “at-will employment” structure in the US is the core of our systemic insecurity, as well as renowned labor journalist Hamilton Nolan, who advocates tirelessly...

Listener Andrea shared a story that inspired this week's RGR: "I can't stop thinking about how my mom got screwed in a divorce and now has no retirement savings—she was a stay-at-home parent, and my father got all the assets in the divorce." We explore how to quantify and understand unpaid labor in the household, what stay-at-home parents can do to protect themselves, and other perspectives around gender norms and cultural beliefs. Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where...

I wanted to share the three numbers that I believe have the most impact on your life, so I invited Brad Barrett of the Choose FI podcast joins me to give his real-time reactions. But, more importantly, the real takeaway we landed on is that every conversation purportedly about money is actually about what it means to live a good life. This is not financial advice; please do your own due diligence. Transcripts, show notes, production credits, and more can be found at:...

One listener writes in, "I have my HYSA, my 401(k) plus employer match, a Roth IRA, and now am saving for a down payment. I'm worried I'm lopsided and over-saved for retirement." But is she actually saving too much? Hear Katie's hot take. (Reminder: We are not licensed financial professionals, and this is not financial advice. Please do your own due diligence.) Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and her Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money...

We had JL Collins, the Godfather of Financial Independence, on the show earlier this year, and there was one question we seemed to disagree on: Are the dollars and cents of life actually harder today than they used to be, or does it just feel that way? This prompted a listener to ask for a deeper dive: The official Boomer vs. Zoomer cage match of economic strife to understand, all else held equal, how the financial worlds these generations grew up in are different (and, more intriguing, the...

The FI/RE movement has picked up a lot of steam in recent years, but as one listener asks, how does that impact consumerism—and more broadly, can everyone to retire early? Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and her Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money questions. Each month, we'll put out a call for questions on her Instagram (@moneywithkatie). New episodes every week. Transcript, show resources, production credits, and more can be found at:...

Some of you recently shared articles about the so-called “birth rate panic,” pointing out that the intersection of economic policy with people’s decision to have children felt a little…off. So, I decided to dig into the coverage, some of the gaps I see, the cultural scapegoats, and of course, the bigger issue of treating our economy like a global MLM. Transcripts, show notes, production credits, and more can be found at: https://moneywithkatie.com/birth-rates. Learn more about your ad...

Many of you have asked: “How the heck do I make it work on a single income? What can I possibly do?” We’ll look at the levers you can pull (one in particular) and the context of how we got to this point. Plus, we respond to some of the feedback we received from our recent life insurance episode. Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and her Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money questions. Each month, we'll put out a call for questions on her Instagram...

Depending on the source, the average American buys between 1 and 1.3 new pieces of clothing every single week—and consumption is at an all-time high. So, why aren’t we tired of cheap shit yet and how can we better understand our psychological obsessions with spending? Well, we’re diving into it with sustainability expert and author of Consumed, Aja Barber. Transcripts, show notes, production credits, and more can be found at: https://moneywithkatie.com/overconsumption. Learn more about your...

On this week’s special Rich Girl Roundtable with Berna Anat: Traditional financial advice isn’t “one size fits all,” and that’s especially true for first-gen Americans who face unique challenges around building wealth and supporting family. How are the rules different for this demographic, and how can we make conversations around money more inclusive? Rich Girl Roundup is Money with Katie's weekly segment where Katie and her Executive Producer Henah answer your burning money questions. Each...

Life insurance is a notoriously scammy industry, made more confusing by the fact that there are legitimate forms of life insurance that aren’t a total waste of money. So which ones are legit, and which ones should you avoid? Reminder: I am not a certified financial professional and this is not financial advice; please do your own due diligence. Transcripts, show notes, production credits, and more can be found at: https://moneywithkatie.com/life-insurance. Learn more about your ad choices....