So Money with Farnoosh Torabi

This week on Ask Farnoosh, we're talking about the financial conversations that can save families years of stress—and why it's never too early to start having them.
First, a story from my daughter's lemonade stand that sparked an unexpected lesson about entrepreneurship, generosity, and teaching kids the value of earning (and giving) money.

Then, in the mailbag:

How do you talk to your parents about retirement and estate planning without making them feel like you're taking away their independence? I share the key questions to ask—from healthcare and long-term care plans to wills, powers of attorney, debt, and retirement income.
Should you superfund your children's 529 plans or contribute gradually over time? We break down the pros and cons of front-loading college savings, the power of compound growth, gift tax rules, and why a hybrid approach may be the smartest strategy.

Plus, in the headlines:

Why more homeowners associations are moving toward foreclosure over unpaid dues.
Relief for more than 170,000 student loan borrowers—and who qualifies.

Learn more about Farnoosh's upcoming literary workshop Book to Brand. Early bird registration is now open!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk a big game about taxes, until the bill actually shows up in our inbox. This week I'm digging into a question that's been nagging at me ever since Montclair, one of the most progressive towns in New Jersey, split down the middle over a special election to cover a $20 million school budget deficit. It wasn't that people stopped believing in public schools. It was more like, prove to me this actually fixes anything.

That flinch, the gap between what we say we believe and what we're willing to pay for, is exactly what financial planner Georgia Lee Hussey has been sitting with. Georgia is the founder of Modernist Financial, and she's noticed something uncomfortable happening even in deeply progressive circles: a growing resistance to taxes, alongside language that sounds a lot like the anti-government scripts used by anti-democratic movements.

We get into:

The Portland preschool tax story that started Georgia down this rabbit hole
Why there's such a gap between "I support this policy" and "I resent paying for it"
Whether this is really about money, or about trust, especially with trust in government sitting at a historic low
What "paying" can look like beyond a check: time, civic skills, citizen journalism, showing up
The line between healthy skepticism of government spending and something more corrosive
What Georgia saw in Vienna, where a huge share of residents live in subsidized housing, and what (if anything) that model could teach an American system built on individual tradeoffs
Her advice for a median-income family when no amount of smart financial planning can solve housing, elder care, or college costs on its own

Learn more about Farnoosh's upcoming literary workshop Book to Brand. Early bird registration is now open!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesse Mecham, founder of YNAB (You Need A Budget), returns to So Money to discuss his new book, Never Worry About Money Again, a thoughtful guide to reducing financial stress by changing the way we think about money. Rather than focusing on budgeting tactics or investment strategies, Jesse argues that lasting financial confidence begins with answering one powerful question: What is your money for?

We also discuss how to raise financially curious kids, why earning more doesn't automatically eliminate money worries, and how learning to embrace trade-offs can transform the way we spend, save, and live.

In this episode, we learn:

Why making more money often doesn't solve financial anxiety.
The one question Jesse believes everyone should ask before creating a budget.
How to build a spending plan that reflects your values—not just your bills.
The surprising expense most people happily cut once they become more intentional.
Why it's okay—and healthy—to change your financial priorities over time.
How to talk to children about money without passing down fear or shame.
What Jesse learned from writing (and completely rewriting) this book.
Why even the founder of YNAB occasionally worries about money—and the exercise he uses to regain perspective.
Jesse's thoughts on AI, financial advice, and where money management is headed next.
Learn more about Farnoosh's upcoming literary workshop Book to Brand. Early bird registration is now open!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Farnoosh recaps a webinar on navigating money conversations with loved ones, then dives into the week's financial news: the Fed holding rates steady, what Apple and Microsoft earnings mean for your index funds, and a landlord's "work from home fee." Then, she tackles two big listener questions: how to find and pay for a financial planner (flat fee vs. retainer vs. AUM, and what "fee-only" really means), and why a perfect credit score doesn't guarantee you the lowest mortgage rate.
Learn more about Farnoosh's upcoming literary workshop Book to Brand. Early bird registration is now open!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to us by Back Market, the world's largest pure-play premium refurbished tech marketplace. Back Market's mission is to make refurbished tech the mainstream choice, by extending the life of devices, fighting electronic waste, and challenging today's throwaway culture.

On today's show we sat down with Lauren Benton, General Manager of Back Market in the US, to talk about the real cost of family tech - and how to bring it down. To learn more, visit BackMarket.com

Apple just raised prices on several products (up to $300 more on certain MacBooks and iPads), and analysts expect the iPhone to see a hike this fall too. So the timing couldn't be better to rethink how we're spending on tech.

Here's what we learn:

Why "refurbished" doesn't mean what most people think it means, and how devices are quality-checked before they're ever resold.
Where the real savings are: specific numbers on phones, laptops, tablets, and watches.
The hidden costs in your tech budget that have nothing to do with the device itself.
How to know when it's worth trading in an old device instead of letting it collect dust in a drawer.
What to prioritize (and skip) when Back-to-School shopping collides with these new Apple prices.
Learn more about Farnoosh's upcoming literary workshop Book to Brand. Early bird registration is now open!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.