With more and more employers offering a Roth option, we’ve been getting a lot of questions about which makes more sense, the Roth or pre-tax option?

Are we in good shape for retirement? That’s another very popular question this year. In this particular case, the couple is eager to call it quits and do some traveling.

We also mixed in another call and some emails to wrap up the first hour.

In hour two we’re once again joined by Brent Weiss, co-founder and Head of Planning at Facet Wealth, and the 2021 sponsor of Jill on Money.

This time around we’re talking about all things insurance, including term life insurance, long term care policies, and disability coverage, especially for all the freelancers out there.

Have a money question? Email me here.

"Jill on Money" theme music is by Joel Goodman, www.joelgoodman.com.

What better way to celebrate Financial Planning Week than to have special guest Kevin Keller, the CEO of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards join the show! Kevin discussed why working with a CFP professional is so important and noted that while there are over 200 financial designations out there, very few are as rigorous as the gold standard CFP -- only 18 percent of current financial advice-givers have passed the test and completed the necessary requirements -- and the CFP Board is one of the few bodies that actually enforces its standards.

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The CFP Board recently conducted a survey to determine how parents are coping with college education. Two-thirds haven’t saved anything – maybe that’s because one-third of respondents are still repaying their own student loans! In the category of magical thinking, 13 percent think their kids will nab athletic scholarships!

In addition to Kevin’s great guest spot, your questions were awesome this week. Wayne from KY has done a great job of saving for retirement, but now has to be careful that long-term care doesn’t undo all of his great work! Here’s more on LTC: Is 90 the new 70?

Because Aaron: asked about it, here’s a Life Insurance Primer and for Dale, here the post “Drowning in Documents: What to Shred, What to Keep”.

Finally, thanks to Julie from Edina, MN, who wrote eloquently about her struggles to survive the recession and her ability to maintain her savings and dignity in the process!

Here's last week's segment from CBS This Morning, where I discussed how to beat rising bank fees.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. Check out Mark's first-producing credit for this CBS Evening News segment that aired recently. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet us: @jillonmoney and @MTalercio

The Summer Solstice occurs on Saturday June 21st at 6:51am EDT. The start of summer often means that people disconnect from their money issues -- not so fast! We have a great guest who discusses the current mortgage market and also field lots of great retirement questions.

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Michael Raimi, VP of PMAC Lending, has been in the mortgage business for a long time, so when he says that there are some positive developments in the market, we should listen! There's good news for jumbo borrowers, but Mike cautions that anyone starting the mortgage process will need to do three things: (1) check your credit to make sure that there are no errors on your record (2) Understand the real cost of owning, including property taxes and homeowners' insurance (3) Bring your patience and perseverance to the process!

Retirement planning was on the minds of Lenny and Pat, both of whom are wising considering how they will manage their assets after retirement. Joe is wondering whether he can tap some of his retirement funds to purchase a beach condo.

Jesse has extra money to invest and wants to know where to direct it; Robert is seeking higher returns for his emergency reserve funds; and Rick wondered about a charge in his retirement account.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. Check out Mark's first-producing credit for this CBS Evening News segment that aired recently. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet us: @jillonmoney and @MTalercio

This is my first Father's Day without Big Al. Last year, Dad joined the show to impart some of his unique wisdom. This year, I have just his memory and all of the great advice that he imparted. You can read Big Al's Financial Advice on this blog and also see a picture of my father in action on the floor of the American Stock Exchange.

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Hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th, so we thought it would be a good idea to invite Stephen Testa, President of Testa Brothers Insurance as our guest. Stephen provided great advice on how to prepare for any kind of disaster and what you need to know about your policy before and after the storm.

Listeners Dave and Kathleen needed help thinking about a traditional retirement vehicles vs. Roth IRAs; Vivek wants to save for college, but doesn't want to use a 529 plan; and John wants to know whether he is in a good position to retire.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. Check out Mark's first-producing credit for this CBS Evening News segment that aired recently. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet us: @jillonmoney and @MTalercio

As California Chrome attempts racing's ultimate trifecta at Belmont this weekend, the triple crown of your financial life is easier to achieve: (1) Pay down consumer debt (2) Establish emergency reserve fund (3) Maximize retirement contributions.

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In honor of the Belmont Stakes, Queens-born financial whiz Michael Goodman, President of Wealthstream Advisors was our guest. Michael provided great advice on how to approach the client-advisor relationship; ways to kick-start your financial life for the second half of the year; and discussed the difference between passive and active investing.

Listener questions included a great discussion about long term care with Kathy; buying versus renting (and reverse mortgages) with Sandy; and education saving for Rick and Aaron.

Marie wondered about contesting a will, while Eileen wants to start Roth IRAs for her favorite 18 year-olds and Carol followed up with more details so we could advise her about investing the proceeds of her house sale.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. Check out Mark's first-producing credit for this CBS Evening News segment that aired recently. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet us: @jillonmoney and @MTalercio

In honor of Mother's Day, I have to thank my tireless mother, who showed up at every soccer and basketball game, not to mention put up with all of my shenanigans throughout the years...Mom, you are the best and I love you!

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The Mother's Day show was filled with great questions, starting with Bob, who is faced with an interesting choice about his pension: should he take a larger annual amount based on his life only or a reduced amount that would pay for his and his wife's lifetimes.

Cliff is close to retirement and is considering a moving money out of CDs. The only problem is that he does not like the idea of risk. Casey has a similar problem, but in his situation, it might be advisable to contact a fee only advisor to walk him through the investment process. JD, who seems to be in great shape, should also consult an advisor to help with decisions about when to take Social Security and how to invest $1.5 million to generate adequate income during retirement.

Warren is ready to invest income from a rental property -- luckily, the best vehicle was right under his nose!

Joan wants to know the best way to finance a house, while an anonymous e-mailer inquired about borrowing against an estate to finance a house.

Bobby the accounting student asked about life insurance as an investment vehicle (boo-hiss!) while Sally asked about long term care insurance.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet us: @jillonmoney and @MTalercio

There is no doubt that the multi-year bull market in bonds has drawn to a close. But as interest rates begin to rise, what's a bond investor to do? We discuss how to manage your bond investments amid a rising interest rate environment.

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In addition to bonds, there other good sources of income for those in or near retirement. Rick will be relying on his pension and rental income and Rose may want to consider a reverse mortgage.

Although this has been a horrible winter, spring -- and the upcoming wedding season -- is just around the corner. We help Joe and Rachel prepare for their financial union and also guide Bob through his daughter's big day.

Bruce and Tim asked about Roth IRAs, which may provide great advantages beyond retirement.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. Let me know if you think we should provide Mark with a little space to vent his various grievances with you...we're considering calling it "Mark's Musings". If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney

Gobble, gobble! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and are enjoying a relaxing weekend!

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Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney

Dow 16,000, S&P 1800...are these new levels signs of more gains ahead or a giant bear trap? Luckily, our listeners know that round numbers are nice, but they have little to do with real financial matters.

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Nolan started the show with a question we often field: is it better to contribute to retirement or pay down debt? The answer depends on a number of variables, including the interest on the debt. In this case, it's tough to make the case for paying down cheap student loans.

At age 57, Bill is wondering whether or not he still needs life insurance. I suggested that he consult one of my favorite financial calculators, from the folks at lifehappens.

Michael purchased a variable life insurance policy 15 years ago and wants to know what to do with it now.

Does Eunice need long term care? She is a 69 year-old widow in good health, but wants to preserve her nest egg for her kids and grandkids.

We fielded Social Security questions from Ralph, Mark and Blanche. As a reminder, the Social Security web site is a treasure trove of valuable information.

Finally, Bill wondered whether he should use cash to purchase rental property.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney

Sometimes fans come from out of the blue…we are grateful that a radio legend discovered Jill on Money!

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Meanwhile, back on the show, our regulars kept us busy. Mike from NY needs advice on how to break up with his current advisor; Kristen from TX asked about hardship withdrawals from retirement accounts; and Wanda from KY and Kathryn from MN are each weighing under what conditions to consider long term care insurance.

We love hearing from our young listeners too! Justin from MA is strategizing about student loan pay downs; Joe from VA has an 18-year-old son, who needs guidance about which kind of accounts to open; and Rainey’s 29-year-old granddaughter is considering a low-minimum investment vehicle for her Roth IRA.

We fielded a variety of investment questions from John, Ed, Mim and Raymond covered a lot of ground in terms of general research and protecting against emotions.

Mark asked about rolling over an old retirement plan and Pat inquired about dollar cost averaging.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world, who was alone while Christina the intern was on vacation. If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney

Despite the heat wave, listeners are keeping cool when it comes to their money. Interesting questions about when to claim Social Security prove once again, that the answer depends on your unique circumstances.

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Steve from MN is in his early 60s and is concerned about preserving his $3 million nest egg. Is he better off in an actively managed fund or a passive index? Similarly, Bill from Maine needed help allocating his assets.

Helen, David and Ed are all trying to balance the risk of reaching for yield and the need to have access to money, while Henry (a 404 fan) has trimmed his risk by using a bond fund and target date fund in his 401 (k) – should he do something else?

When to claim Social Security is a vexing question, because there is no clear-cut response. At least I could reassure “K” that the system will still exist when she reaches 62. Although I don’t usually advocate claiming SS at age 62, in Nancy’s case, it makes sense. However, for Linda, waiting until age 70 may be a better a bet.

Not everyone needs long term care insurance-really! Listen to my conversation with Nikki from WI to find out who should consider coverage and who can skip it.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world and Christina, who is vying for "Intern of the Year". If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney

The question "When can I retire?" pops up frequently. Unfortunately, there's more to the answer than a few calculations. The decision is a big one and varies based on your life circumstances.

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Richard from MN is considering retirement after being laid off. He and his wife are both working part-time, but with a nest egg of $850K, can he continue as is, or should he seek full-time employment?

Dan from CT is in his late 50’s and has a similar question, though his wife will be entitled to a pension, which makes the decision a bit easier.

Mike from IL and his wife have accumulated a $2.3 million nest egg and are looking to downsize for the next three years. Should they buy or rent?

Susan from Texas is a 55 year-old widow, who wants to make a change in her life. With savings and investments of $1.3 million, can she afford to quit her job as a teacher and do something else?

Michael is already retired, but his wife is weighing a lump sum pay out versus a stream of income – which is better for them?

Mark is 66 years old and is thinking about partial or full retirement based on the following facts that I will offer. He will have a pension, Social Security and $500K saved. He has the option of reducing his hours, which may be a perfect way to slide into retirement.

A few insurance questions popped up this week. Joe from OH needed help figuring out which kind and how much life insurance to purchase, while Jacob and Rita are concerned about long-term care. Lynn wrote in asking about purchasing whole life insurance for her 8 month-old daughter – JUST SAY NO!

The youth listenership of the show weighed in with questions about credit scores. Marvin and his wife want to buy a house, but he has a very low credit score and Jeromy is trying to keep a broken lease off his credit record.

Wes is 28 years old and trying to bounce back from some earlier financial mistakes. He is diligently paying down his car loan. His next step should be to establish an emergency reserve fund and then to begin contributing to his employers retirement plan.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world and Christina, who is vying for "Intern of the Year". If you have a financial question, there are lots of ways to contact us:

• Call 855-411-JILL and we'll schedule time to get you on the show LIVE 

• Send an email: askjill@jillonmoney.com 

• Tweet me: @jillonmoney