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| Stat Of The Day |
| 80% |
That’s the share of people who say estate planning is important. Yet only 31% have a will. Translation? We know we should do it. We just don’t.
The truth is, estate planning isn’t about how much money you have. It’s about making life easier for the people you love. If estate planning has been sitting on your to-do list (right next to clearing out that junk drawer), here’s a good place to start. |
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| This Week In Your Wallet |
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Here’s a stat that made us wince: By the end of 2025, total credit card balances hit $1.28 trillion – a 5.5% jump from the year before, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. But the bigger story isn’t just how much debt there is…it’s who’s carrying it. A growing share of Americans are leaning on credit cards to get by. New research from debt management company Achieve found that 55% of consumers with balances are using their cards to cover essential expenses (think groceries, gas, utilities, etc.). For many, this means tough trade-offs between paying off debt and covering daily expenses. "This is what the K-shaped economy looks like in the real world. There’s an affluent half of the population whose financial lives aren’t disrupted by momentary inconveniences. But for everyone else, financial triage and tradeoffs are a way of life," said Andrew Housser, Achieve’s co-founder and co-CEO. "The longer this persists, the more the gap widens."
🚨 Carrying significant credit card debt? Consider reaching out to a nonprofit credit counseling organization, like the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, or enlisting the help of a reputable debt relief company.
And now for a little financial good news. Car insurance rates are finally easing – at least in some parts of the country. A new report from Insurify found the average annual full-coverage premium fell nationally to $2,144 in 2025 after years of relentless increases. Some states saw especially big drops, as Axios reports, including Wyoming (-30%), Iowa (-25%), and Arkansas (-23%). That’s a welcome shift after car insurance costs skyrockted 46% in the years following the pandemic. Of course, the relief isn’t universal. Drivers in some states – including New Jersey (+20%) and Washington, D.C. (+18%) – are seeing big increases. The takeaway? If you suspect you’re overpaying, it’s worth it to get fresh quotes.
Finding a financial advisor shouldn’t feel like a job interview, it should feel like finding a partner who actually gets you. Credentials matter, sure. But if you don’t feel heard, respected, and comfortable asking the "dumb" questions (ahem, there are none), the relationship won’t work. In this powerful piece, Lacy Garcia — CEO of Willow, HerMoney’s partner platform that connects women with vetted fiduciary financial advisors — explains why chemistry, communication style, and shared perspective can matter just as much as performance charts, and how to tell if an advisor is truly the right fit. Because the right advisor doesn’t just manage your money — they help you feel stronger about it.
Not sure where to start your search? Let our friends at Willow help! Take a short survey about your financial goals, values, and preferences, and Willow will match you with a vetted advisor who aligns with your needs — not just your net worth. |
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| Things That Save You Money |
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Free and college usually don’t go together, but they’re starting to show up in the same sentence more often. Check out this database of nearly 1,000 colleges and universities offering some form of free tuition program. It’s a resource worth exploring, whether you have a college-bound child or you’re thinking about heading back to the classroom yourself. |
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40% of American adults believe they need more life insurance. But for many of them, shopping for coverage can be confusing – not to mention time-consuming. Here’s a one-stop shop of top-rated providers, with coverage starting at $13 a month. |
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Must love puffins: A conservation charity in Wales is looking for volunteers to live rent–free on a stunning island off the coast. The catch? You’ll be counting puffins every day. Think of it as the ultimate "work from paradise" gig…with wings. |
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If you’re ready to move beyond just tracking where your money went and start planning where it’s actually going, Monarch is built for exactly that — it can bring your budget, accounts, investments, net worth, and future plans into one simple dashboard so you can actually see your progress and adjust in real time. (It’s the kind of tool that helps turn "I should really get on top of this" into a genuine plan!) Visit Monarch and use code HERMONEYFAM at checkout for 50% off your first year! |
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| Money + Mindset = More Choices, Less Stress |
When we talk about financial independence, retirement is usually the end goal we picture – traveling more, pursuing passions and finally having the freedom to spend our time exactly how we want. But financial independence isn’t just about the decades down the road — it’s about the choices we make today.
At its core, financial independence is a lot of things: the freedom to walk away from a job that no longer serves you, to step back from an unhealthy relationship, or simply say no to opportunities that don’t align with your values — all while knowing you’ll be okay financially.
Writer and speaker Paulette Perhach, whose essay about building a "F*ck Off Fund" has resonated with women for nearly a decade, joined Jean Chatzky on the HerMoney Podcast to explore this kind of freedom.
"I think it starts with mindset. [Financial independence allows you to be] in situations that feel very empowering, not just acceptable, but empowering," Perhach shares. "One of the greatest joys of my life has been not just experiencing acceptable behavior at work, but truly being impressed by and admiring the people I work with. Creating an environment where this admiration is possible allows you to move up a kind of hierarchy of needs, both professionally and personally." |
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| Ask Jean |
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| Q: |
I like the idea of annuities, but I'm worried about inflation and a standard annuity offers no protection from that. Are there annuities that are indexed for inflation? |
| A: |
Many annuities start out steady…but over time, inflation can quietly shrink your spending power. The good news is that you can buy annuities designed to grow with inflation. The catch, however, is that your starting payout will be lower and future increases usually have caps.
Here’s a quick breakdown of your options: |
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COLA riders: This optional feature can be added to your annuity to help it keep pace with inflation (they aren’t tied to inflation directly, but to a specific increase each year). Your payments start smaller, but grow predictably. |
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Inflation-Protected Annuities (IPAs): With IPAs, payments are indexed to the rate of inflation. There are often caps that limit how much they can rise and they tend to provide lower initial payments than other types of annuities. |
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Variable annuities: With these annuities, you invest in market-linked funds. There’s potential for growth, which can help keep pace with inflation, though they’re not guaranteed to beat inflation and there’s the risk of loss if markets fall. |
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Social Security: Finally, don’t forget the importance of a smart Social Security claiming strategy — which for many people means delaying as long as possible. Social Security, which is essentially an annuity, has an actual built-in inflation adjustment. It’s hugely valuable. |
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| Bottom line? If keeping pace with rising prices matters to you, and you’d like to lock in guaranteed income, you’ll want to look for an annuity with built-in inflation protection and weigh the tradeoffs carefully. |
| Submit your questions to Jean here. |
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