Janet Bodnar

Washington, D.C.

Editor At Large of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine; columnist, speaker and author of Money Smart Women and Raising Money Smart Kids; Steelers fan

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Articles

How to Get Your Finances Back on Track After a Divorce

1 month ago | kiplinger.com | Janet Bodnar

Last month, I wrote about a survey in which the Employee Benefit Research Institute interviewed retirees on how satisfied they are with their financial situation in retirement. Among the respondents, those who were separated or divorced were least satisfied with their financial well-being. That’s not surprising when you consider that after divorce, “income drops for the vast majority of people,” says Stacy Francis, CEO of Francis Financial, in New York City.
How to Get Your Finances Back on Track After a Divorce

1 month ago | flipboard.com | Janet Bodnar

'AITA for having a secret savings account in case of divorce?'"AITA for having a secret savings account in case of divorce?"My husband (32M) and I (28F) have a unique marriage in some ways. We have been together …
The 'Concerning Trends' in Retirement Now

2 months ago | kiplinger.com | Janet Bodnar

Recently, we wrote about the results of the Retirement Confidence Survey, conducted annually by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. EBRI followed up with a deeper dive into spending trends among retirees with its 2024 Spending in Retirement Survey. I spoke with Bridget Bearden, research and development strategist with EBRI and author of the study, about its conclusions. Your survey uncovered several 'concerning trends.' What were they?
Grandparents: How Do You Handle Gifts for the Grandkids?

Feb 15, 2025 | kiplinger.com | Janet Bodnar

Right before Christmas, I came across a study by The Senior List reporting how much grandparents spend on their grandchildren nowadays. The final tally: nearly $4,000 annually, on average. Yikes! The bulk of that went toward big-ticket expenses, such as school tuition or helping to buy a car. But the list also included gifts for special occasions ($400), clothing or shoes ($300), dining out ($300) and entertainment ($200). Of course, every family’s circumstances and finances are different.
Test Your Financial Literacy

Dec 11, 2024 | msn.com | Janet Bodnar

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Quiz: Test Your Financial Literacy

Dec 10, 2024 | kiplinger.com | Janet Bodnar

In my September 2024 “Money Smart Women” column, I referred to the “Big Three,” a trio of multiple-choice questions designed more than 20 years ago to measure respondents’ knowledge of the ABCs of personal finance: compound interest, inflation and risk diversification. Since then, that quiz has become the gold standard in measuring financial literacy in the United States and in countries around the world.
The Investing Strategies I Teach Young Mothers

Nov 14, 2024 | kiplinger.com | Janet Bodnar

As part of a life-skills program for young, single mothers, I was asked to teach a class on how to get on top of your finances. I distilled my advice into a series of tips, tricks and hacks that would help all young people take control of their spending and saving. This month, I’d like to close the loop with my best strategies for novice investors. First, some caveats. Before you even think about investing in the stock market, take stock of your overall finances.
Why Financial Literacy Starts at Home and School

Sep 29, 2024 | msn.com | Janet Bodnar

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Why Financial Literacy Starts at Home and School

Sep 29, 2024 | msn.com | Janet Bodnar

Microsoft Cares About Your PrivacyMicrosoft and our third-party vendors use cookies to store and access information such as unique IDs to deliver, maintain and improve our services and ads. If you agree, MSN and Microsoft Bing will personalise the content and ads that you see. You can select ‘I Accept’ to consent to these uses or click on ‘Manage preferences’ to review your options and exercise your right to object to Legitimate Interest where used.
Why Financial Literacy Starts at Home and School

Sep 29, 2024 | msn.com | Janet Bodnar

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