Jane Hodges

Financial advisers say these books can show investors how to navigate volatility and keep a long-term perspective
These are uncertain times for people saving for retirement. Volatile markets, higher healthcare costs and talks about cuts to government entitlements have investors worried as ever about the adequacy of their portfolios.
As if that is not enough, many Americans say they are underprepared for retirement. Some 25% of adults with retirement savings say they have set aside one year or...

An auto repair, sick schoolkid, sudden medical or vet bill, or a home maintenance headache can wreak havoc on many employees’ budgets and stress levels. It’s not that working adults can’t manage the money they earn, but sometimes they can’t access it fast enough. When surprise expenses strike, workers on tight budgets often pay high fees to banks, credit card companies, or “payday” lenders to access quick cash for ordinary emergencies.
Employers have become increasingly cognizant of workers’ ...

Workplace inclusivity is a founding principle at Zillow. So we’re thrilled to share that both the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index and the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index have once again given us high marks for advancing efforts to foster a workplace in which all employees thrive.
The Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI) is widely considered the nation’s most authoritative benchmarking report on corporate policies and practices addressing LGBTQ+ workplace equ...

The Internal Revenue Service audits tax returns every year—striking fear in the hearts of many whose accidental or deliberate errors may have led them to underpay the U.S. Treasury.
While the prospect can be terrifying, very few returns are actually audited and many audits are resolved through correspondence. The volume of IRS audits has declined in recent years to 933,785 in 2017 from 1.56 million in 2011, according to IRS data. Some audits even result in a refund. Many, of course, result in...

As each tax season winds down, many Americans once again ask themselves this age-old question: Why didn’t I hire a professional to prepare my taxes? In this piece, I talk to financial advisors about when it's time to switch to a CPA for tax preparation.

Susan Mello, a 63-year old homeowner in Seattle, didn’t know who’d come knocking when she and her husband listed their 1,100-square foot, one-bedroom basement apartment on home-sharing service Airbnb last year.
But three months in, they were earning about $1500 a month from a wide variety of guests, including families with kids, young adults booking space around hiking trips and rock concerts, and business travelers.
Think Airbnb is just for millennial travelers and homeowners? Think again. T...

More than a decade past launch, Zillow and Redfin continue reinventing their real estate brands.

I contributed 9 executive profiles to Adweek's annual "Brand Stars" feature about Seattle business leaders stewarding strong brands.

Summer reading is a classic American pastime—as is worrying about money. That is why this summer we turned to financial planners for their go-to summer financial reading recommendations.

Project management is a growing field, and professionals employ it interchangeably across many industries. The Project Management Institute (PMI), which certifies project managers, defines projects as both temporary and unique endeavors that require the hire of a temporary team and completion of a series of tasks within a defined timeframe. A project manager is a person who brings all the disparate pieces of a project together, ensuring that the different phases of work are completed efficien...

I contributed to Seattle Met's cover package on real estate, penning a story about multiple types of buyers in the then-current marketplace.

In this piece, I profile how often young adults lean on "The Bank of Mom and Dad" to finance real estate purchases.

The new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act under President Donald Trump placed new curbs and restrictions on many popular real estate tax deductions. I talked to financial planners in early 2018 about how the new rules impact consumer investors and homeowner.

I write financial planning articles detailing advisors recommendations for Guidevine. In this piece, I take a look at the fact that for the self-employed who compose at least 30% of the workforce, there’s typically extra pressure during the holiday season. Decisions made at year-end can impact retirement investment options, tax brackets, and tax liabilities for both the current and coming year.