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Chris Farrell

Chris Farrell is economics editor of Marketplace Money, a nationally syndicated one-hour weekly personal finance show produced by American Public Media. Chris is also economics correspondent for Marketplace, the largest business program in broadcasting and chief economics correspondent for American RadioWorks, the largest producer of long-form documentaries in public radio. He is also contributing economics editor at Business Week magazine. He was host and executive editor of public television’s Right on the Money. He is the author of two books: Right on the Money: Taking Control of Your Personal Finances, and Deflation: What Happens When Prices Fall. Chris is a graduate of Stanford and the London School of Economics.

Latest from Chris Farrell

  • Apr 25, 2012

    It’s all about you — really

    I'm putting the max allowed in my retirement accounts, and it's invested fairly conservatively in index funds. I lost a bunch of money in the tech stock crash in the early 2000s, which makes me hesitant to dump more money in the stock market. I own an apartment and don't really want more exposure to real estate, either. I'm starting to build up enough cash that I don't want to just leave it in my savings account. The only debt I have is my mortgage, and while I have decreased the balance on it, the interest rate is so low that it seems like there must be something better I can do with the cash. Any suggestions? Kira, Washington DC

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  • Apr 25, 2012

    More elderly Americans living poor

    The poverty rate among older Americans is up, with the highest rate among the "oldest old."

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  • Apr 24, 2012

    Advice on getting a credit card

    My friend is 24 and a young mother. She has never had a credit card and she wants to build her credit. Her income is somewhat limited at the moment because she has a new baby and only works part-time, but she wants to be able to pay for small daily expenses with a card that she can pay off in full every month. She is not seeking a large credit line. Even $100 would be sufficient. Can you provide some advice on what kind of card and where to start for someone looking to build good credit? Should she try prepaid credit cards? Any advice would be most sincerely appreciated. Esmeralda, Marlborough, MA

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  • Apr 24, 2012

    Putting Social Security’s deteriorating finances in context

    Social Security's shortfall is manageable, but it's also real.

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  • Apr 23, 2012

    Guides for a personal finance novice

    I am 50 years old, and unfortunately, a bit of a financial novice. I have never invested, never budgeted and never really had my money work for me. I am a professional, in my own private practice and earn close to or more than $100,000 a year. I am looking for some good source(s) that may, by reading or watching videos, make me a more informed steward of my money. Ed, Cardiff, CA

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  • Apr 20, 2012

    Financial literacy: No time like the present

    Commentator Chris Farrell thinks there's no time like the present to get smart about your finances.

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  • Apr 20, 2012

    Why the middleweight cities matter

    Forget those mega-cities like Los Angeles and New York — a new study shows the economic dynamism of middleweight cities like Pittsburgh and the Twin Cities.

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  • Apr 20, 2012

    Ours, yours, and mine

    I don't have a question, just a comment on how our finances work. My wife and I agreed a long time ago we each need an allowance. We decided to take a percentage of our gross income as an allowance deposited to our personal checking account. The balance goes to the Joint account for all household bills and expenses. … This has worked well for us as we agree that most household expenses are joint. Gary, Milwaukee, WI

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  • Apr 19, 2012

    Too much going into retirement accounts?

    Outside of my 403(b) Base Program, which my employer matches 10% to my 5%, how much should I sock away in a 403(b) Supplemental? Currently, I contribute 5% to a 403(b) Supplemental, for a total of 20% of 110% of my paycheck. I fully fund a ROTH IRA every year, so I am wondering if I should be saving more of my paycheck to a more liquid asset. Michael, Haslett, MI

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  • Apr 18, 2012

    The tragic return of debtors’ prison

    Far too many poor people are living in the modern-day equivalent of debtors' prison without a chance of a fresh start. It's wrong — a terrible state of affairs.

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