Single, Self-Sufficient & Paying More? How to Beat the Singles Tax

HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

Jean Chatzky Her Money

Investing, Business

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 13 February 2026

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

More American women are single than ever before, but our financial system is still built for couples. In this episode, Jean Chatzky sits down with finance journalist and author Renée Sylvestre-Williams to unpack the hidden financial penalties of being single (aka The Singles Tax) and what solo earners can do to protect themselves, build wealth, and plan for retirement on their own terms. We're talking about: What the “Singles Tax” really is—and where it hits hardest Why single women may need larger emergency funds and more downside protection Renting vs. buying: how to decide what’s right for you The most overlooked tax strategies for single women The biggest retirement planning mistake single women make 📚 Resources & Links: Join InvestingFixx, our judgment-free investing community designed to help you build confidence, grow your money, and make smart decisions. The Singles Tax: No-Nonsense Financial Advice for Solo Earners by Renée Sylvestre-Williams The Budgette Newsletter (Renée’s newsletter for single earners) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:00.0	The world moves fast. Your workday? Even faster. Pitching products, drafting reports,
0:07.0	analyzing data. Microsoft 365 copilot is your AI assistant for work, built into Word, Excel,
0:14.0	PowerPoint, and other Microsoft 365 apps you use, helping you quickly write, analyze, create, and summarize. So you can cut through
0:23.1	clutter and clear a path to your best work. Learn more at Microsoft.com slash M365 copilot.
0:30.7	How do the most successful women do it? We ask them on how she does it with Karen Feinerman.
0:36.3	You'll get insights from leaders like today's Jenna Bush Hager.
0:39.7	There's a lot I say no to, and I think it's a really important word for women to use.
0:44.9	Rachel Weber of Paris Hilton's 1111 media.
0:48.1	I'm going to be a much better leader.
0:50.2	I'm going to bring more creativity if I have other things filling my life.
0:55.5	And more.
0:56.3	That's how she does it with me, Karen Feinerman, wherever you get your podcast.
1:05.7	So when you're single, you're doing everything, right?
1:09.0	Logistically, if you can, let the experts take on
1:12.4	some of this responsibility so you can continue doing other things. It's always good to have that
1:17.5	unbiased third party approach that they will look at your financial situation or your assets,
1:24.7	right, figure out what your net worth is, what kind of liability you have going on,
1:28.4	and work with you to create a short, medium, and long-term plan that addresses where you want to
1:34.3	be next year, five years from now, a decade, and then retirement, whether you retire at 60 or 75.
1:42.2	Welcome to Her Money, I'm Gene Chatsky. More American women are single than ever before. And I know
1:49.6	that many of you are part of that growing segment of happy, self-sufficient women showing the
1:57.6	world that it is not only possible to lead a joyful full life on your own,
	...

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