Joel Schiffman is best known to the public as the financier who shared almost nine years of his life with former Today co-anchor Hoda Kotb. He never sought fame, yet his story is followed widely. It covers a chance meeting, a beach proposal, two adopted daughters, a quiet breakup, and a co-parenting bond that still works. Here is a clear look at who Joel Schiffman is and where things stand today.
Biography Table
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Joel Schiffman |
| Age | Mid-60s (reported as 66) |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession/Occupation | Financier, investment sales and business development executive |
| Genre/Field | Finance and investment management |
| Known Employer | Schroder Investment Management |
| Residence | New York area |
| Dating/Relationship Status | Not publicly known; formerly engaged to Hoda Kotb (2019–2022) |
| Children | One adult daughter from a previous marriage; co-parent of Haley Joy and Hope Catherine with Hoda Kotb |
| Net Worth | Estimated around $5 million (not officially disclosed) |
| Notable For | Long-term relationship and engagement with Hoda Kotb |
Who Is Joel Schiffman?
Joel Schiffman is a New York-based financier who has spent decades in the investment world. He built his career on Wall Street in sales and business development. That background explains why so little is known about him beyond his relationship. Finance executives tend to stay out of headlines, and Joel fits that pattern.
He became a public name in 2013, when he began dating Hoda Kotb. Even then, he rarely gave interviews. Most of what fans know comes from Hoda’s own on-air stories, her Instagram posts, and comments from friends. In my experience covering celebrity partners, this kind of low profile usually reflects a deliberate choice rather than a lack of interest.
Joel is described by people close to the couple as warm, steady, and family-focused. Hoda has repeatedly called him a loving insaan, in her words a kind man who shows up for his kids. That reputation has stayed intact even after their engagement ended, which says a lot about how he carries himself.
Career in Finance
Joel’s most widely reported role is Head of US Defined Contribution and Insurance Sales at Schroder Investment Management, a global asset management firm. Reports place his move to that position around March 2018. The job focuses on retirement plan and insurance-related investment business, an area that rewards long relationships with clients.
Before Schroders, he worked across several investment firms in business development roles. His work centered on building partnerships and growing assets rather than trading. This is a specialized corner of finance, and it typically comes with stable, well-paid positions instead of flashy, headline-making deals.
For readers trying to understand his public image, his career helps a lot. Joel’s world runs on trust, discretion, and long-term thinking. Those same traits appear in how he handled the breakup and continues to co-parent, without drama or public statements.
Joel Schiffman Net Worth
Joel Schiffman’s net worth is not officially disclosed. Most estimates place it around $5 million. That figure comes from his long career in senior investment sales roles, which usually include a solid salary plus performance-based bonuses. Treat any exact number with caution, since private financial details are rarely public.
His income sources are straightforward. Senior executives at major asset managers earn through base pay, incentive compensation, and retirement benefits built over decades. Unlike celebrities, he does not earn from endorsements, media deals, or social media. His wealth reflects steady professional work rather than fame.
It is worth separating his finances from Hoda’s. Hoda Kotb’s net worth is much higher because of her long television career. During their relationship, the two lived together, but they were never married. So there was no divorce settlement or shared estate split when they parted ways in 2022.
Joel Schiffman First Wife and Adult Daughter
Joel Schiffman was married before he met Hoda, but his first wife has never been publicly named. He has kept details of that pichli shaadi, his previous marriage, almost entirely private. Searches for “Joel Schiffman first wife” usually turn up little because neither he nor his former spouse sought attention.
From that earlier marriage, Joel has an adult beti, a grown daughter. She has appeared occasionally in family moments shared online, but she lives a private life. When Hoda adopted her daughters, they gained an older half-sister figure through Joel’s side of the family.
This history matters for understanding Joel as a parent. He had already raised a child to adulthood before welcoming Haley and Hope. Hoda has spoken about how natural he was with babies, and his earlier experience as a father likely shaped that calm, hands-on approach.
How Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman Met
Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman met in 2013 at a business event organized by Joanne LaMarca Mathisen, a mutual friend. Hoda was the guest of honor, and Joel attended the event. Their taaruf, or introduction, was brief and casual. Neither expected it to lead anywhere at the time.
Hoda later shared that Joel followed up with an email after the event. She admitted she did not take it seriously at first. She was focused on her career and assumed it was just a polite note. Still, Joel stayed in touch, and the two eventually set up their first date.
The friendship around that meeting stayed strong for years. In June 2019, the Mathisens marked the six-year anniversary of the couple meeting with a photo post. It became a sweet reminder that one simple event, set up by a friend who never planned a romance, changed both their lives.
Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman Relationship Timeline
Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman dated for about eight to nine years, from 2013 to early 2022. Their relationship moved slowly and steadily, with family milestones rather than splashy announcements. The table below summarizes the key moments.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Meet at an event hosted by a mutual friend; begin dating |
| Feb 2017 | Hoda adopts daughter Haley Joy |
| April 2019 | Hoda adopts daughter Hope Catherine |
| June 2019 | Friends mark the 6-year anniversary of their meeting |
| November 2019 | Joel proposes during a beach dinner in Mexico |
| 2020–2021 | Wedding plans delayed during the pandemic |
| January 2022 | Couple announces their split on Today |
| 2022–present | Co-parenting and sharing holidays as friends |
Over those years, the couple lived together and built a family routine. Joel was not just a partner in Hoda’s life. He was a full parent figure to both girls from their first days at home. That shared parenting would later become the foundation of their friendship after the breakup.
The pace of their relationship also says something. They did not rush into marriage. Hoda has said she wanted to be sure, and Joel respected that. The engagement came after six years together, when Joel was 61 and Hoda was 55.
The Beach Proposal
Joel proposed to Hoda in November 2019 during a weekend vacation in Mexico. He arranged a quiet beach dinner, and the ring came out as the evening wound down. Hoda later said she was completely surprised, even after so many years together.
She announced the engagement on Today soon after, and fans celebrated it on-air with her. Hoda also talked about the proposal during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where she described how emotional the moment was. She spoke openly about feeling lucky to find love later in life.
The couple talked about getting married soon, but plans kept shifting. The pandemic made a big wedding impossible in 2020. Looking back, many fans now see the long delay as an early sign that the relationship was heading somewhere different than marriage.
Daughters Haley and Hope
Hoda Kotb adopted Haley Joy in 2017 and Hope Catherine in April 2019, and Joel helped raise both girls from the start. Haley is now around nine and Hope around seven. Joel has been a constant presence in their lives as a father figure in every practical sense.
Hoda has described adopting Haley as the biggest step of her life, a true bara qadam. She was in her early fifties and had worried she would never become a mom. Joel supported the decision fully and stepped into fatherhood again, years after raising his own adult daughter.
When Hope arrived in 2019, the family felt complete. Hoda often called her daughters her greatest blessing. She has also said she never felt akelay, or alone, in parenting during those years because Joel shared every late night, school morning, and doctor’s visit with her.
What Happened With Hoda and Joel Schiffman?
Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman ended their engagement in January 2022. Hoda announced the breakup herself on Today, saying they had decided to be better as friends and co-parents. There was no scandal, no third person, and no public fight. It was a mutual decision.
She told viewers they had talked it through over the holidays. Those long conversations, the lambi baatcheet, helped them realize marriage was not the right next step. Hoda stressed that Joel was a great dad and that the girls remained the center of their lives.
The announcement surprised many fans because the couple had looked happy for years. But Hoda’s tone was calm and respectful. She made it clear there was still mohabbat between them, just not the kind that leads to a wedding. That framing shaped how the public saw the split.
Why the Engagement Ended
Hoda later explained that the relationship was not deepening the way it should for an engaged couple. She said they both felt something was off, even though nothing was wrong on the surface. They tried to save it, but the honest feeling remained that it was not right.
She has described the decision as a gradual ehsaas, a realization that built over time rather than one sudden event. After about eight years together, she felt they had grown into close friends and devoted parents rather than partners heading toward marriage.
In later interviews, including comments in 2025, Hoda repeated that ending the engagement was the right faisla. She called it a privilege to have been with Joel and said she has no bitterness. From an expert point of view, this is one of the rare celebrity breakups where both sides genuinely protected each other’s dignity.
Co-Parenting and Spending Holidays Together
Joel Schiffman and Hoda Kotb are still close co-parents, and they regularly spend holidays together with Haley and Hope. Their shared schedule keeps Joel involved in the girls’ daily lives. He is not a weekend-only dad. He shows up for routines, school events, and family dinners.
Holidays are where their bond shows most clearly. Hoda has shared photos from Christmas 2024 and Christmas 2025 with Joel and the girls by the fireplace, stockings hung, and family members in matching green pajamas. These traditions continued without a break after the split.
Hoda also posts warm tributes on special days. On Father’s Day 2024 and Father’s Day 2025, she called Joel “the best dad” on Instagram. These posts, along with backyard barbecues and their weekly “Funday Sunday” family time, show a co-parenting style many families look up to.
Their approach includes a few clear habits:
- Shared holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas with the girls
- Regular family dinners and weekly family days
- Public appreciation for each other’s parenting
- Showing up together for khaas mauqe, the special occasions
What Hoda Says About Joel Now
Hoda speaks about Joel with respect and warmth. On The Jamie Kern Lima Show in 2024, she said she has no pachtawa, no regret, about the breakup. She described the two of them as do achay log, two good people who simply were not meant to be married.
She has also called him a behtareen insan, a wonderful man, and an amazing father. Even when asked directly about the end of the relationship, she avoids blaming him. Her message is consistent: the love changed shape, but it did not disappear.
On her podcast Making Space, Hoda has reflected on how ending a good relationship can still be the healthy choice. That perspective resonates with many listeners. It shows that a rishta, a relationship, can end without failure being part of the story.
Where Is Joel Schiffman Now?
Joel Schiffman still lives in the New York area and stays focused on his career and his daughters. He continues to work in finance and remains out of the public eye. As of late 2026, he has not publicly confirmed any new relationship.
His biggest priority is fatherhood. He spends regular time with Haley and Hope and joins Hoda for family traditions, from holiday dinners to the girls’ celebrations. Hoda’s recent posts, including family moments from November 2025 and Christmas 2025, show him fully part of the family picture.
Joel also attended Hoda’s 60th birthday festivities in 2024, another sign of their strong friendship. For fans searching for updates, the honest answer is simple. He is living a quiet, private life, and that privacy is exactly how he has always preferred it.
Hoda Kotb’s Previous Marriage to Burzis Kanga
Before Joel, Hoda Kotb was married to Burzis Kanga, a tennis coach, from 2005 to 2008. The marriage ended in divorce. Hoda has spoken about that period as one of the hardest of her life, as it came around the same time she was facing a breast cancer diagnosis.
That first marriage helps explain why Hoda moved carefully with Joel. She has said she wanted to be certain before marrying again. Her caution was not about Joel himself but about getting it right the second time.
Comparing the two relationships shows growth. Her first marriage ended painfully. Her engagement to Joel ended with friendship intact and a shared family. Hoda herself has described that difference as proof of how much she has learned about love and endings.
Hoda Leaving the Today Show and Turning 60
Hoda Kotb left the Today show after her final episode on January 10, 2025. She said she wanted more waqt, more time, with her daughters. The decision came partly from reflecting on her life as she approached and passed age 60.
Her 60th birthday on August 9, 2024, was celebrated on-air with a performance by Little Big Town. Around that milestone, she began asking herself how she wanted to spend the next years. Her mom’s influence and her girls’ growing needs shaped the answer.
Her final months included emotional moments, such as the Rockefeller Center tree lighting, with her daughters by her side. Through all of it, one theme stayed clear: Hoda’s daughters always come first. Joel’s steady presence as a co-parent made that new chapter easier for the whole family.
FAQs
Who is Joel Schiffman?
Joel Schiffman is an American financier who works in investment sales and business development. He is best known as Hoda Kotb’s former fiancé. The couple dated from 2013 and were engaged from 2019 until 2022.
What is Joel Schiffman’s net worth?
Joel Schiffman’s net worth is not publicly confirmed, but estimates place it around $5 million. His wealth comes mainly from his long career in senior finance roles. He has no known income from media or endorsements.
Did Hoda Kotb and Joel Schiffman ever get married?
No, they never married. Joel proposed in November 2019, but the wedding was delayed, and they ended the engagement in January 2022. They chose to remain friends and co-parents instead.
Is Joel Schiffman the father of Hoda’s daughters?
Hoda adopted Haley and Hope, and Joel was her partner during both adoptions. He has helped raise both girls since infancy. Hoda openly calls him their dad and praises his parenting.
Is Joel Schiffman dating anyone now?
Joel has not publicly confirmed any new partner. He keeps his personal life private and focuses on work and his daughters. Any reports of a new relationship remain unverified.
Do Hoda and Joel still spend time together?
Yes. They regularly share holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas with their daughters. Hoda often posts family photos that include Joel, showing their friendly co-parenting bond.
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