Paddy Hirsch is the Senior Producer, Personal Finance at Marketplace. He oversees the production of content related to personal finance for all of the Marketplace shows and for Marketplace.org. He is the author of the book Man vs Markets, Economics Explained, Pure and Simple, and he is the creator and host of Marketplace Whiteboard, a video explainer of financial and economic terms.

Hirsch joined Marketplace in 2007 just as the credit crunch that preceded the 2008 financial crisis began to take hold.  He was an editor of the New York Bureau and the entrepreneurship desk throughout the crisis and he spearheaded Marketplace’s financial markets coverage as the economy slipped into recession. He was awarded a Knight Fellowship at Stanford University in 2010, and he returned to Marketplace in July of 2011. He published his first book, Man vs Markets, in August 2012.

Hirsch got his start in journalism with an internship at the BBC in Glasgow, Scotland. He became a field producer for CNBC in Hong Kong and later was a consultant to the Open Broadcast Network in Bosnia. He has been an editor for Direct Capital Markets, Institutional Investor Newsletters, Standard & Poor’s, and the Vietnam Economic Times.

Hirsch attended Campbell College in Belfast and received a bachelor’s degree in French and International Studies from the University of Warwick. He is a Knight Fellow and was a Webby honoree in 2009.

Hirsch was born in Weymouth, England, raised in Ireland and currently resides in Los Angeles.  During his free time, he is a runner, mountaineer, surfer and consumer of East and Southeast Asian cuisine.

Features By Paddy Hirsch

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What the fiscal cliff could mean for individual taxpayers

We've talked about the possible effects of the fiscal cliff on the economy, but there will be immediate and duplicate consequences for individuals too.
Posted In: Money Matters, fiscal cliff
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What's a floating-rate note and how does it work?

The Treasury Department is planning to roll out a floating-rate note program in about a year. But what is a floating-rate note and why do we need one? Sr. Producer Paddy Hirsch explains with a boat analogy.
Posted In: Treasuries, interest rates, floating-rate, Investing
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Background checks and fishing expeditions

Tess is joined by Paddy Hirsch and David Lazarus to answer listeners questions.
Posted In: class action lawsuits, letters, background check, david lazarus, paddy hirsch
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The drought to affect prices at the supermarket

Expect the prices for meat and dairy goods to rise as the Midwest drought continues.
Posted In: Money Matters, drought
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Letters: An estate planning primer

This week's letter segments tackles questions for the senior set.
Posted In: letters, Estate planning, death, 401(k), Savings
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Eurobond: An explainer

What exactly is a Eurobond and why are so many people interested in having them? Sr. Producer Paddy Hirsch explains with a little help from the three little pigs.
Posted In: eurobond, explainer
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Barclays agrees to $450 million settlement over rate manipulation

Barclays Bank, based in London, is paying $450 million to settle securities investigations in the U.S. and the U.K. Regulators accused the bank of manipulating a critical interest rate -- the so-called "Libor" rate -- to its own advantage.
Posted In: Barclays, banking, securities
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Explaining the Fed's 'Operation Twist' with diamonds

The Federal Reserve's most recent policy move is simply a way of driving down interest rates. But how does it work? Sr. Producer Paddy Hirsch explains Operation Twist with a simple analogy.
Posted In: Fed, treasury, Operation Twist, Federal Reserve, Treasuries, interest rates
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Emergency fund 101

Emergency fund advocate Jill Schlesinger joins host Tess Vigeland and Sr. Producer Paddy Hirsch to discuss the foundation of financial security.
Posted In: emergency fund, letters, paddy hirsch, jill schlesinger

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