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

Jan 12, 2012
Thinking about retirement?
Planning for retirement isn't easy. The Society of Actuaries has a retirement series that tries to give you a framework for thinking through the key decisions.
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Jan 11, 2012
Money thoughts for a ‘perfectionist uncle’
I have a wonderful little 4-year old niece for whom I have been setting aside money. Currently, it is just going into a savings account as I have perhaps been letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. It seems like the 529 plans out there vary in performance and fees quite a bit. I'm having trouble finding any good resources to compare them. I want something that is not going to be overly vulnerable to the whims of the stock market while also not hitting me with high fees. Any suggestions? Jason, Grand Forks, ND
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Jan 11, 2012
The best single investment
Parents and their students need to work very hard at avoiding taking on too much debt to earn a college diploma.
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Jan 10, 2012
Should I rent to move?
We'd like to move into a new home, but we aren't confident that we could sell our existing home without taking a large beating on our down payment. I know there's a dollar/cost average play here (i.e., the house we'd buy would be depressed as well), but I just don't like that. So lately I've been considering purchasing a second home and renting our current one as a way to get past the current housing slump. Question is: If I reduce my 401(k) contributions to save for the down payment and eventually fund the new mortgage, (say, down to 6 percent or so to meet the match minimum), is that a good idea, an OK idea, a bad idea or a really bad idea? Thanks! Dean, Atlanta, GA
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Jan 9, 2012
Investment book
On our local NPR station, WFYI, a guest Saturday morning on Marketplace Money recommended an investment advice book to a young caller. We can't recall the title of the book. Know which one we mean? Thanks in advance, Tom, Indianapolis, IN
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Jan 9, 2012
Take Social Security now — or wait?
I will be 66 in June but want to continue working for 3 or 4 more years. (I am a college professor.) I am in the position of being able to take my social security check and put the full amount each month in a pre-tax IRA so I would not have to pay taxes on it. Am I better off doing this or should I delay taking it until I am 69 or 70 and get a larger amount each month? Thanks, Hal, Cullowhee, NC
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Jan 6, 2012
A dream and a credit score
''m curious about safe ways to establish credit. I have ambitions to run my own cafe and coffee roastery one day. Having a good credit history is going to be key. But, I hate the idea of spending money that I don't have and keeping track of interest rates. Are there any cards or plans I should look into, with this in mind? Charlie, Philadelphia, PA
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Jan 5, 2012
Time to lock in mortgage rates?
I bought a condo in Bozeman, Mont., 7 years ago using a 5/1 ARM. When the 5-year period ended, I let it roll over into a 1-year ARM because the rate went down from 4.5 to 3.25. Then, last year, I did the same — only from 3.25 to 3 percent. Come March, the 1-year period will expire again and I wonder if I should let this happen again, since rates will probably be low. Or should I bite the bullet, pay approximately $2,500 in closing costs to lock in a low rate for 15 or 30 years, but make higher payments? (My payments are ridiculously low.) Cindy, West Yellowstone, MT
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Jan 5, 2012
Job insecurity = health insurance insecurity
The pressure for healthcare reform won't go away — far from it.
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Jan 5, 2012
A sliver of good news on retirement
It's underappreciated how well one large cohort of aging boomers should do financially during the traditional retirement years: the college-educated stalwarts of the feminist movement.
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