One of our favorite guests, nationally-recognized credit expert John Ulzheimer joins the show to help us manage our all-important credit reports and scores and to guard against identity theft.

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John started by issuing a wake-up call: Every retailer's system is vulnerable, so we should assume that our information is out there. He then explained what you should do if you are the victim of identity theft or you think that your information has been compromised, highlighted by a great explanation of the difference between a credit freeze and credit monitoring. If you want to read more of  John's great work, check out his web site or follow him on Twitter.

Thanks to Diana, we were able to talk about less expensive options for investment management (try MarketRiders or Rebalance-IRA.com) and Evan brought up how to select the best funds within his 401K.

Dean works in law enforcement and wants to know whether he can afford to retire, while Don is not sure if he is required to take an RMD, because he is sill working.

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

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

We were so fortunate to have retirement expert Mark Miller join the program to explain Social Security basics (which are always confusing!) and to provide an update about what the Affordable Care Act does for retirees who are pre-Medicare age.

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Mark is the editor and publisher of RetirementRevised.com, but as if that were not enough, he is also a journalist and author who writes for Reuters, Morningstar and anywhere else that a retirement guru is needed -- that means a lot of places!

While he was with us, Mark was able to clarify a couple of Twitter questions that came up after last week's show and provided advice to Gloria, Nancy and Neal.

In addition to Mark's great segments (spoiler alert: they are the first two segments of the second hour), we talked to Mary, who just rolled over all of her retirement money to Vanguard and Kathy, who is ready to put $5,000 to work.

Charles was thinking about refinancing his mortgage, but wondered whether he should skip the fees and just accelerate his pay down of the existing note.

Should Veronica use her new 401K, even though the investment options are lousy? We help her figure it out and then move on to long term care with Hannah and REITS with Mike.

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

In between the Olympics and your binging on "House of Cards," check out this week's show! We move from college saving to retirement review what the new "MyRA" is all about.

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On this week's show, we help Gil and Evan manage their 529 plans and Jennifer to address the dreaded FAFSA form.

We also tackle Social Security questions with Dale and Joan and help Sheryl determine whether or not she needs a commission-based financial advisor.

And of course, 'tis the season...for taxes...we field  an interesting question from Ronnie about claiming her mother as a dependent.

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

Take a break from the Olympics and check out this week's show, where we tackle a bunch of retirement questions and discuss how to boost credit scores.

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I want to admit something: I have deep, pension envy. You will hear it when I talk to Michelle and Mike, both of whom have terrific pensions that make retirement planning pretty darned sweet.

Kim and Kathy have similar concerns about how to boost their credit scores, now that they are in better financial shape. Meanwhile Frank and Mary need strategies to pay down debt.

On the investing front, Tom is ready to enter the world of riskier plays, while Andy is on the other end of the spectrum: he is considering his bond position with CDs.

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

Evidently, there's a football game in New Jersey this weekend. Before you partake in the festivities, check out this week's show, where we are talking about how to select a financial advisor.

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Who better than Janet Stanzak, the president of the board of directors for the Financial Planning Association (FPA), to help guide us in the mission of identifying a financial advisor? Janet joined us to discuss the concept of "full and fair disclosure," which may be more important than comparing fee structures of various advice-givers.  While compensation is important, it is not the only thing people need to consider, according to Janet. She also went through some of the 35 questions to ask tool the FPA recommends people ask prospective financial advisers. If you are looking for an advisor, you can use the FPA Planner Search tool.

We fielded questions from Amanda and Leigh about inherited IRAs; Dennis and Mike, who wanted to know whether they had accumulated enough to consider retirement; and Carol and Tom, who both had questions about rolling over retirement accounts.

Lisa and Dan had education funding questions, which reminded me about FinAid.org, a fabulous college funding resource that super-smart Mark Kantrowitz founded.

By the way, here are those Super Bowl factoids that I sprinkled throughout the show:

• Players on the Super Bowl-winning team will make $92,000 each; losers $46,000
• Cost of a 30 second spot:  $4.5 million
• Economic impact on NY-NJ area: $194 million (versus the $500-$600 million that the NFL and politicians  have claimed)
• Who bets? Nearly 1/3 of U.S. adults are likely to wager on the big game, 92 percent of those surveyed said they've actually lost money gambling on the Super Bowl in the past
• The Super Bowl is the second highest day of food consumption in the US after Thanksgiving. (USDA)
• The average fan will consume 1200 calories and 50 grams of fat from snacks, NOT including the meal itself (Calorie Control Council and Snack Food Association)
• Chicken wings: Fans will chow down on 1.23 billion wings or more than 100 million pounds of wings
• Dominos estimates that it will deliver 11 million pieces of pizza to hungry viewers
• Antacids sales are expected to increase 20 percent on the day after Super Bowl

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

No matter where you are in your life, it's important to prioritize your financial goals and objectives. In this episode, we help listeners at different stages, understand how to make those important decisions.

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Mark from MN is trying to figure out the best way to finance his daughters' college educations, without draining too much from his retirement nest egg. David from TX is almost finished paying for his daughter's college and is wondering whether he and his wife can retire early.

After leading a debt-free life and shunning all loans, Brian is having a hard time purchasing a car, while Brad is wondering how to manage a lump sum insurance settlement.

We helped both Kristen and Angel think about how to prioritize debt pay down, establish emergency reserves and contribute to a retirement plan; Bob needed a strategy to redeem his E and EE savings bonds; and David wanted to know how to maximize his various retirement plan options.

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

It is unbelievable that this is our 150th show. When we started this project three years ago, our goal was clear: to create a radio show for smart people, who need help with their financial lives. Mark and I are happy to report that our fan base has been better than we could have ever imagined--thank you all for listening!

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Throughout the program, we highlight the "14 Money Tips for 2014" and of course answer some great questions!

Linda is a retiree with ample income - does she really need a emergency reserve fund? Meanwhile, Jane and her husband wanted a reality check on whether they can afford early retirement, while Kim is wondering if its OK to buy her retirement dream condo a few years early.

Is it reasonable to dump a long-care policy when you are 77? Karen says that it's becoming increasingly difficult to pay the premiums on her fixed income.

Gary and Steven tell the flip sides of market timing: one waiting for stocks to correct last year, while the other was fortunate enough to invest in stocks last year, even through he probably should never have risked the money in the first place.

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

In the post-Polar Vortex show, many of you want to know the answer to a simple question: "When can I retire?" The answer is different for everyone, but the basics are the same: (1) you need to know what your required income will be in retirement, (2) you should tally up what you can expect from pension and Social Security and (3) assume 3 to 3.5 percent annually from your investment accounts.

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I followed those three steps to help listeners Wayne and John figure out whether or not they can retire. In both cases, there was very good news!

Lyle asked about the consolidation and allocation of his retirement accounts, while Gary is trying to start over with a savings plan and Ralph wanted to know about the safety of various mutual fund companies. Neal might take a cue from Roger about rebalancing his various accounts--there are a bunch of companies that can assist investors (MarketRiders, Betterment)  for a reasonable monthly fee. Both Brian and Tracy asked about various types of financial advice. To great resources to find an advisor are: the Financial Planning Association, which has an easy-to-use tool and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA).

Bobby reminded us about the IRS' Saver's Credit and Richard likely needs to see an elder-care attorney to discuss options for his mother.

Dennis wrote to thank me for my two recent articles on estate planning: Estate Planning Basics and Estate Settlement Basics and Maria asked about Social Security Widow benefits.

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

No gloating about those massive stock market gains of 2013...it's time to look ahead and plan for 2014 and beyond!

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Yes, it was the best year for US stocks since the 1990's, but that's cold comfort for diversified investors, who no doubt are feeling a bit of “asset class envy” right about now. Sure, your brain is telling you that the point of being diversified is that you have a mix of different asset classes included in your portfolio, some of which zig when others zag.  But we know how your heart is just pining to own “the right” asset class every year. Sadly, it's just not possible, so why not concentrate on the basics and quit the second-guessing?

This week's show was a perfect example of how core financial issues can be just as important as investment performance. Daryl asked about maintaining an old whole life insurance policy, while Fred is interested in long-term care insurance.

On the investment front, Gary wondered about index vs. managed funds; Peter is concerned about his muni bond fund; Mike is trying to diversify his portfolio in advance of retirement and Roy is attempting to find a financial advisor.

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

With all of the drama out of Washington DC, you probably didn't realize that it was just Financial Planning Week. To celebrate, our guest, fee-only financial planner Gary Schatsky of ObjectiveAdvice.com provides everything you need to know about how to choose a financial advisor.

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For those who are in the process of interviewing financial professionals, here are the 10 Questions you should ask!

We started the show with a great call from Louiseann from MD brought up a vexing question: where can a small investor go? Then we helped Chris from OR, who is managing her own $1 million portfolio and needs to understand how to evaluate her performance. Linda from TX wants to know what type of retirement plan would be best for her husband, who is a doctor earning big bucks!

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

With new reverse mortgage rules set to go into effect on September 30^th, it was a perfect time to have Billy Wright Senior Loan Officer and Branch Manager of Americana Mortgage join us as a guest to explain what’s going on and to answer some of your questions.

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As a reminder: a reverse mortgage is a home loan that allows homeowners 62 and older to convert a portion of the equity in their homes into cash, as long as the home remains their primary residence. Most reverse mortgages are offered through the Department of Housing and Urban Development and are guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) through a program called Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM).

Up until the new rules, pretty much anyone who had equity in a home could qualify for a reverse mortgage, but starting January 13, 2014 there will be new underwriting standards for new applications to ensure that borrowers have the ability to continue paying taxes and insurance on an ongoing basis. Additionally, as of October 1, homeowners will only be able to draw 60 percent of the available principal limit, unless there are mandatory obligations such as mortgage payoffs or liens. (A credit card debt is NOT considered a mandatory obligation.)

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

Just back from a quick trip to Brazil and happy to get right back into the groove with questions from the smartest fans around!

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Kathy from MD started asked a question about re-titling an old stock certificate. We dealt with that quickly, before moving into the thornier topic of how to convince an aging parent to draft a will.

Cheryl from NC, Anne from PA and Barb from OR each asked a question about their respective advisors. If Cheryl’s case, she needs to go back to the advisor/broker to better understand the terms of the new asset management fund. Anne needs to tell her advisor that they want to maintain a separate account with stocks that he will not manage and that the risk of her managed account may need to be adjusted to compensate for that fact. For Barb, it’s time to dump her bank-based advisor and find a fee-only (use NAPFA.org) or a fee-based advisor.

Ron from IL checked in with a question about IRS Rule 72T, which allows access to 401(k) funds before age 59 ½, without the early withdrawal penalty.

Jack from CA and is busy trying to pay down $180K in student loans, while Carl is preparing to assume new debt for college and wants to know appropriate parameters that he should use before starting the process.

Kathryn wrote in to warn against a refinancing scam that is aimed at veterans (ugh!) If any listeners encounter these types of horrible hoaxes, please let me know so we can help spread the word!

We fielded a bunch of Social Security questions from Mark, Janis, Max, Ben, Christopher, Ray, Larry and Lowell. As a reminder, the procedure to calculate benefits involves three steps.

1. A worker’s previous earnings are restated in terms of today’s wages to reflect wage growth.

2. Earnings for the highest 35 years are averaged and divided by 12 to arrive at Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME).

3. The Social Security benefit formula is applied to AIME to produce the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), the benefit payable at the Full Retirement Age (FRA).

If you have less than 35 years of earnings, you may want to work enough additional years so you have a full 35 years of earnings. Otherwise, the Social Security Administration will average in zeros for any years less than 35.

The maximum SS benefit depends on the age you retire. If you retire at your full retirement age in 2013, your maximum benefit would be $2,533.  If you retire at age 62 in 2013, your maximum benefit would be $1,923. If you retire at age 70 in 2013, your maximum benefit would be $3,350.

Tony asked how many months out of the year are required for state residence and Alan from Buffalo needed help with debt pay down options.

Dave in St Paul, MN asked about a bond fund versus a stable value fund and whether to use retirement assets to build a house.

Thanks to everyone who participated and to Mark, the BEST producer in the world and Christina the intern. 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