Podcast

Your job is an important part of your financial picture: it dictates your compensation and benefits like your 401(k). Listen to the premiere episode of “A Better Way to Money” for tips on navigating changes to your job and compensation.

Join host Jennifer Borget live from New York for a special episode of “A Better Way to MoneyTM”. Kat Stickler is a social media phenomenon, a mom and just like you—someone who is looking to make her money work harder for her. From learning about money growing up to what she’s got planned for her daughter, you’ll hear all about Kat’s journey with money so far. You will also get expert insights from Matt Stucky, who is a Chartered Financial Analyst with Northwestern Mutual.

Do you have a passion that could make you some extra money? Maybe your side hustle is growing, and you’re wondering how and when to make the leap and take it full time. In this episode, we explore what you need to know about side hustles. Host Jennifer Borget is joined by Nancy Twine, who transformed her side hustle—clean hair-care brand Briogeo—into a thriving business. You’ll also hear from Erik Zipp, a Certified Financial Planner™, about the financial considerations of starting and growing a side hustle. 

Estate planning might seem like something only for the rich and famous, but it’s a key part of any financial plan. As you grow your assets—and especially as kids enter the picture—estate planning helps to ensure that those assets will go to who you want, when you want. In this episode, Cody Barbo, founder of Trust & Will, explains what an estate plan is and why it’s so important to have one. Then Kelley Daugherty, an advanced planning senior attorney at Northwestern Mutual, shares what can happen if you don’t have an estate plan, how to get started, and more.

Money can be a loaded topic to discuss—especially with your partner. Beyond the dollars and cents, there’s a lot of feeling attached to money, which can make it hard to talk about. In this episode, Certified Financial Therapist™ Nathan Astle talks about why money is so hard to talk about and gives advice on how you and your partner can make room for healthy money conversations in your relationship. Then, Kristin Krause, senior director with Northwestern Mutual’s advisor solutions department, shares how a financial advisor can help you and your partner cover important money topics (and when done well—have fun).

Retirement is changing. As life expectancy continues to rise, it isn’t unusual for people to spend 20 to 30 years in retirement, which is a long time to live iff your savings. In this episode, Maddy Dychtwald, a national best-selling author and co-founder of Age Wave, explains how longer lifespans are changing the way we live in retirement—and how important it is to plan ahead. Andrew Weber, senior director of Planning Philosophy at Northwestern Mutual, also shares tools you can use now to give you financial flexibility in retirement to adapt to unknowns in the future and create income that lasts as long as you do.

Having kids changes many aspects of your life, from how much time you have to yourself to how you handle money. As your kids grow, teaching them how to manage their own money is an important part of helping them become independent adults. In this episode, Tanya Van Court, founder of the financial education app Goal Setter, discusses the importance of talking to kids about finances and explains how parents can teach healthy money habits. Then Morgan Krause, senior director of field growth and engagement at Northwestern Mutual, covers how having kids affects your finances and the importance of financial planning for families. 

Money and stress often go hand in hand: When your finances feel out of control, it’s easy to spiral in other parts of your life, too. In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Scott, the author of “8 Keys to Stress Management,” shares how money intertwines with emotions and offers ways to manage stress through the holidays and beyond. Then Lauren Yoder, vice president of product management at Northwestern Mutual, explains how working with an advisor to create a financial plan can alleviate stress and bring calm to your life.