“I dislike all this money talk. It isn’t refined.” – Meg, to her sisters, in the film Little Women

Registration closes Thursday, Nov 5

Investing and Retirement Planning Workshop: Fall 2026
For Writers, Artists, and Other Creative Professionals

If you identify with any of the following statements, this workshop might be for you:

  • I don’t know if I’m saving enough for retirement, and it’s stressing me out.

  • I ran a retirement calculator and it told me to save an impossible amount of money. Now what?

  • I invested my money in a target date fund, but I don’t really understand what’s in the fund and whether I’m doing it right.

  • I’m nervous about investing in the stock market.

  • I desperately need motivation to get my finances in order.

  • I want to pursue a big passion project/go on a creative sabbatical/pivot to a new career/take time off for caregiving, but I’m worried that the temporary drop in income will throw me off track for retirement savings.

  • My spouse/financial advisor handles all our investment decisions, and I want to understand what they’re doing.

Many writers, artists, and other creative types don’t feel confident in their investing skills and retirement planning projections. Why? No one taught us how to do it, it’s considered impolite to talk about it, and the industry is bound up in silly, unnecessarily complicated jargon.

In this small and supportive workshop, we’ll demystify financial topics in simple language and learn how to avoid the most common investing mistakes. Participants will get a handle on their overall finances, calculate nest egg targets, and make detailed plans to reach those savings goals — while still pursuing the creative work that matters to them.

“Roberta did an incredible job making an overwhelming amount of anxiety-producing information accessible and provided very practical tools to help me make a better, actionable plan.” — Freelance journalist

What we’ll cover

Investing

  • Investing 101: Stocks, bonds, returns, indexes, and mutual funds

  • The “small” fees that can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars (that’s not a typo)

  • Your biggest decisions: Risk tolerance and asset allocation

  • Choosing the target date fund that’s right for you, not just the default

  • Retirement accounts galore, including SEP IRA vs solo 401(k), the secret spousal IRA, and the Roth-ification of everything

  • Nuts and bolts: Brokerages, fund providers, and DIY portfolios

  • Is it possible to invest ethically?

Retirement planning

  • Whether (and how much) to count on Social Security

  • How to calculate your nest egg target: Your two most important numbers

  • There’s no way I can save that much, now what?

  • Pitfalls of retirement calculators

  • How to find a trustworthy financial advisor

You can read a more detailed syllabus here.

“Roberta's workshop accomplished something I genuinely didn't think was possible for me: turning retirement finances from a source of anxiety and shame into a bunch of numbers to play with in a spreadsheet (clearly designed with a massive amount of thoughtfulness) and explore with curiosity. And it did this in community with other curious creative types who mostly felt out of our depth like me. This workshop has already more than paid for itself and it's only been three weeks since it ended. I am so glad I did this.” — Julian Nowogrodzki, science editor

What you’ll leave with

As part of the homework, you’ll come up with:

  • An estimate of your target nest egg and how much to save per year to reach that target

  • A plan for how much you need to increase your income and/or cut expenses to meet those annual savings goals

  • An estimate of your Social Security benefits (accounting for possible benefit cuts)

  • An understanding of your risk tolerance and appropriate asset allocation (% stocks/% bonds)

  • A big-picture view of your overall finances, including assets, debt, income, spending, taxes, and investments

I’ll assign people to small groups to provide accountability and motivation. The homework is for your eyes only; I won’t be reviewing it, and no one is expected to share private data with the class. For people who don’t have a lot of time, I’ll also provide quick back-of-the-envelope shortcuts.

You’ll receive a packet of resources, including “money snapshot” and retirement planning spreadsheet templates, asset allocation guidance, lists of funds, retirement calculator instructions, and further readings.

"This was supremely useful. I came away from this feeling more prepared and less freaked out than I thought I would. It's empowering to have that new knowledge, but beyond that, to know where to look for additional next steps now that I know I have a handle on the basics. I’m blown away by how much time and expertise you put into creating these resources — I know I will be coming back to them in the future!" — Jane Hu, freelance science journalist

When: The workshop will have 4 sessions on Thursdays, each 2 hours long. A recording of each session will be available for 2 weeks after the live class for people who can’t attend the scheduled time.

Nov 12, Nov 19, Dec 3, Dec 10 (no class on Nov 26)
4-6pm PT / 7-9pm ET

The first three sessions will typically have about 1.5 hours of instruction and about 30 minutes of small group discussion, in-class exercises, and/or virtual coworking on homework. The fourth session will have less instruction and more time for Q&A/office hours.

Where: Zoom. I ask participants to keep their cameras on so I can get to know the students (and they can get to know each other).

Who: For all creative professionals, including freelancers and staff members. People of any knowledge level are welcome. The class is meant for people who are saving for (or want to save for) retirement, not for people who are already near retirement or retired.

Testimonials

“This was the perfect workshop for this personal finance-illiterate and number-phobic self-employed journalist. I would never have taken the time to educate myself on all the ins and outs of retirement planning, and now I actually understand the basics.” — Anonymous

"This was so amazing! I loved your dynamic, genuine, and funny delivery, and your approach was very reassuring too. I feel much less nervous about digging deeper into the morass of retirement planning now!" — Deirdre Lockwood, poet, fiction writer, and journalist

“Roberta's workshop was a fantastic overview of the many important financial topics we freelancers need to stay on top of. This is not someone reading from a script about basic finances; this is insightful and compassionate nerdery about how those of us with variable incomes can assess whether we're on track with our financial goals — and if we're not, how we can get there in a thoughtful and workable manner.” — Alexandra Witze, freelance science journalist

“Roberta's vast research and science writing background make her uniquely positioned to translate technical material to a layperson with humor and warmth. She is never condescending or confusing, and her only agenda is to support her clients in financial literacy and mindful retirement planning.” — Megan Savage, multi-genre writer and educator

“I am so glad I took Roberta's workshop. I feel much more knowledgeable and empowered to tackle everything financial that I have been putting off… Roberta does a great job breaking down the mountain of financial information into smaller, more actionable steps.” — Jennifer Tsang, freelance science writer

Read more testimonials

Instructor bio: Roberta Kwok is a freelance writer who regularly covers finance, economics, and business for publications at the Yale School of Management and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She has written stories about topics such as margin trading, meme stocks, Federal Reserve policy, ESG investing, financial crises, market volatility, debt relief, antitrust rules, bankruptcy systems, municipal bonds, private equity, and corporate loans. Roberta is also a science journalist and former MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellow who has contributed to The New York Times, NewYorker.com, The Southern Review, The Wall Street Journal, Audubon, U.S. News & World Report, and many other publications. Her nonfiction book LOST IN CURIOSITY: Field Notes From Scientists’ Adventures into the Unknown, funded partly by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, was chosen by indie booksellers as an Indie Next pick. Roberta has taught freelance business planning and strategy at the Courage Camp and Level Up workshops for science writers. Before becoming a journalist, she wrote fiction and earned an M.F.A. in creative writing from Indiana University Bloomington. She is currently teaching her 12-year-old daughter how to invest.

Why I teach: Although I'm a writer, I’ve always liked math and am by nature a type A planner with a deep love of spreadsheets. After many years of covering finance, I’ve become the type of person who enjoys spending my evenings learning about topics like exchange-traded funds and Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities. At some point I realized that although this knowledge was readily available to anyone who wanted to read about it, most people probably didn’t, and I could help my fellow creatives — that’s you.

Cost and registration

Early bird rate (until Oct 8): $325
Regular rate (Oct 9 to Nov 5): $350
Registration closes end of Nov 5

Fill out this form to register. Before registering, please read the class policies on cancellations, refunds, and recordings. Payment plans (splitting the fee into 3 monthly installments) are available if needed. I also offer a limited number of scholarship slots, which you can request by filling out this form. (Note to Washington state residents: As a Washington business, I’m required to charge state and local sales tax to customers who live in the state.)

What we won’t cover: I can’t give legal advice, tax advice, or financial advice about your individual situation; I can only teach general principles. Many other personal finance issues will be outside the scope of the workshop — for example, paying off debt, buying a home, credit scores, taxes, insurance, saving for college, supporting aging parents, and estate planning. Also, the workshop will cover saving for retirement, but we generally won’t cover what to do during retirement, which can involve some very complex decisions.

The official disclaimer: This workshop is for educational purposes only. It doesn’t create an advisory, fiduciary, or professional services relationship, and it’s not a replacement for getting personalized advice from a certified financial planner, certified public accountant, or lawyer.

Questions? Email me at robertakwok (at) gmail (dot) com.

FAQs

Should I join the workshop if I’m not a freelancer?

Yes, the workshop is intended for both freelancers and staff members at organizations. We’ll spend some time covering retirement accounts that are specific to freelancers, but most of the material will be applicable to both groups.

I do creative work on the side, not as my day job. Can I still join?

Yes, anyone who does creative work is welcome.

What if I can’t make it to all the live sessions?

You can attend a subset of the live sessions (or none at all) and watch the recordings.

How much time will the homework take? What if I don’t have time to finish it?

There will be three assignments, and each will likely take a couple of hours, though people with complicated finances may require more time. The amount of effort that you put into the homework is entirely up to you. You’ll get the most out of the class if you do the assignments, but you don’t have to finish all of them within the timeframe of the workshop. I’ll also give people shortcuts they can use to get quick back-of-the-envelope estimates.

If I already know something about investing, does it still make sense for me to take the class?

We cover a lot of ground; you can read a detailed list of topics here to see if you’re likely to learn something new. Some people also use the class to motivate themselves to get their finances in order, even if they already have a working knowledge of investing.

Do you have any formal certifications?

No, I’m not a certified financial planner (CFP), certified public accountant (CPA), or registered investment advisor (RIA). I’m just a massive personal finance nerd who likes helping other creatives understand money.

Do you earn commissions?

I don’t sell investing or insurance products, and I don’t earn any commissions. I’m not affiliated with any banks, brokerages, or other financial institutions. I also don’t actively manage investments.

How are your services different from a certified financial planner (CFP)’s services?

I see myself as an educator who acts as a bridge to a CFP. If you're looking for help with the following areas, I would recommend hiring a CFP and/or CPA:

  • A thorough, personalized assessment of your entire financial situation, including areas such as paying off debt, buying a home, credit scores, taxes, life/disability/umbrella insurance, saving for college, supporting aging parents, and estate planning

  • Help with tax planning issues such as tax loss harvesting, Roth conversions, and managing taxable vs tax-deferred vs tax-free accounts

  • Advice on more complex retirement decisions, such as when to claim Social Security, whether to purchase an annuity (and what type), how to plan for long-term care, how to navigate Medicare, whether to consider a reverse mortgage, and flexible withdrawal strategies to mitigate sequence of returns risk while optimizing your standard of living

What is your teaching based on? Where do you get your information?

I’ve interviewed many economists and finance researchers as part of my writing for Yale and Northwestern, but the world of personal finance goes far beyond academia. I also read books by a wide variety of experts from different fields and synthesize their knowledge to land on reasonable, middle-ground strategies. These include books by:

Couldn't I learn all this stuff on my own then?

Yes, you absolutely can! I’d suggest reading books by the authors listed above, most of which should be available from public libraries. I also like the podcasts Money Moves and Jill on Money with CFPs Jill Schlesinger and Mark Talercio.

What’s your personal investment strategy?

I prefer a portfolio of low-cost index funds that is simple to understand and maintain. I don’t buy stock in individual companies, I don’t try to time the market, and I hold investments for the long term. During market downturns, I continue buying stocks in line with my planned asset allocation, ignore the news, and wait for the recovery.

I make a moderate effort to be smart about tax efficiency (that is, placing assets that are likely to be taxed more heavily in tax-advantaged rather than taxable accounts). However, I don’t tie myself in knots to minimize taxes because I find that this leads to situations where, for instance, I’m spending precious free time on a weekend poring over bond fund yields instead of living my real life. It’s at moments like these that I go back to my mantra for investment: simple to understand, simple to maintain.

Writing

Here are examples of articles I’ve written for the Yale School of Management and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Investing

Economics

Labor


Image credit: Shay Isaacs