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

Nov 30, 2011
Don’t pay off student loan
We have a student loan for our daughter of about $120,000. Should we use our retirement funds to pay it off? Our house will be paid off in 5 years and we have about $20,000 in revolving debt. Please advise. Thanks. James, Houston, TX
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Nov 29, 2011
Who’s saving more for retirement?
Women are participating in retirement plans more than it appears at first.
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Nov 29, 2011
A better option than a prepaid card
I have a lousy credit score and am taking steps to improve it. In the meantime, I need to get a prepaid credit or debit card so I can pay for things like airfares, rental cars, hotel reservations, etc. Can you suggest the best prepaid card to go with? My initial Internet search for said cards resulted in a headache trying to figure out if these companies were a good deal or just a consumer nightmare. Any help is greatly appreciated. Mark, Duluth, MN
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Nov 28, 2011
What is an asset really worth?
I keep hearing talk about "mark-to-market" asset valuation. What does mark-to-market really mean? Steve, Las Vegas, NV
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Nov 24, 2011
Getting Personal: Money and your parents
iStockphoto
Tess Vigeland and Marketplace's economics editor Chris Farrell answer listeners' personal finance questions.
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Nov 23, 2011
Steps toward year-end tax planning
The clock is ticking on any last minute savvy tax moves for 2011.
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Nov 23, 2011
Waiting on Social Security
My husband switched 7 years ago to a job for which he does not contribute to Social Security. … Does the age at which he retires affect the amount of Social Security he will receive? He no longer contributes to it and cannot build it up any longer. Thank you! DeDe, Cincinnati, OH
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Nov 22, 2011
Working toward financial flexibility
I max out contributions to my workplace 401K and a traditional IRA (I no longer qualify for a Roth). Should I be doing more to save for retirement? Are there other retirement vehicles available to me or should I continue investing in non-retirement accounts (e.g., direct purchase of mutual funds and/or stocks through my brokerage account)? Sandra, Silver Spring, MD
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Nov 21, 2011
Stick with low risk
Our primary aim is to have a deposit for a house in 3 years. We have saved a reasonable sum of money but did not want it to linger in a current or savings account for 0.75%. We are deciding either investing at low risk or paying off mortgage. We have to sell our current house to buy a new house. My mortgage rate is 4.99%, so after tax rebate it is about 3.99%. Most investing opportunities are giving us about 2% at low risk and 3-5% at medium risk. After tax one would have to take another 1.25% off the return. We would like some advice. Thanks, Tom and Anne, Boston, MA
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Nov 21, 2011
Transaction "infraction"
Be careful with your debit card this holiday season. Of course, that holds for the rest of the year. Still, it's all too easy during the hectic holiday season to overdraw your account online and at the mall. You could end up paying steep fees.
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