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

Mar 28, 2012
Retirement and working longer
"A steadily growing portion of the workforce will continue to work at least part-time well beyond the 'normal' retirement age of 65," says a senior research fellow at the New America Foundation.
Read More
Mar 27, 2012
Finding ongoing debt management advice
Is it possible to find free/sliding scale ongoing debt counseling? A friend in Louisiana is in her 60s and facing the consequences of years of terrible financial decisions. I think she's beyond the point where one session of debt counseling could help her. I've seen patterns in her that I've seen in others who grew up poor: When they were young, they learned there was no way to ever catch up financially and be in control. So she has no sense that it is possible to be in control of her money. Thank you, Robin, Boston, MA
Read More
Mar 26, 2012
Emergency savings: Expenses or aftertax salary?
I'm a 36-year-old single professional in the DFW metroplex that tries to think long-term in my financial planning. I put 12 percent of my around $100,000 salary into my 401(k) with company match. Currently, the retirement fund is valued at about $100,000. I owe about $12,000 on my student loans (4.25 percent fixed interest, originally $80,000) and I have about 27 percent equity in my $180,000 town home. I recently refinanced my home at 4.125 percent for 15 years. My credit card debt is maybe $1,000. After surviving a layoff well (due to a generous severance in the Great Recession), I was scared straight once I started working again. I now have about $15,000 in an emergency fund and next year's bonus will go to this, too. So I have three questions: 1) Do I need 6 months of bills or 6 months of salary after tax? 2) Should I park this in savings? Or is there a better financial instrument? 3) Is the emergency fund a higher priority than nuking the graduate school debt? I appreciate your guidance. Keith, Plano, TX
Read More
Mar 26, 2012
The Supremes and the health overhaul
However the Supreme Court decides its ruling will push health-care reform to the top of the campaign debate. Health reform won't go away. The costs of the system are too high. The fiscal, economic and household pressures remain too great. Back to the future won't work.
Read More
Mar 26, 2012
Home renovation and retirement
Middle-aged homeowners should think about adding features that make it easy to age in place with any home remodeling project.
Read More
Mar 23, 2012
Bats goes bats: The worst IPO ever
This is a Marketplace.org Reader
Read More
Mar 23, 2012
Why tax reform still hasn’t come to America
While you're trying to determine what happens when you subtract line 35 from line 43 on your tax form, you might ask: Why is this so complicated?
Read More
Mar 23, 2012
Preserving the value of an inheritance
What would you do if you came into a family inheritance after years of accruing debt and working minimum-wage Jobs?
Read More
Mar 22, 2012
A rush to hedge against inflation
This is a Marketplace.org Reader
Read More
Mar 22, 2012
What goes up must come down
"What goes up must come down" was true with dot-com stocks and the residential housing market. Investors should understand that the same fate lies ahead for corporate profits, argues James Montier of the investment management firm GMO.
Read More