How to Invest During a Crisis: Oil, the Dollar, and What to Do Right Now with Lauren Simmons

The price of oil is skyrocketing— and the ripple effects are spreading fast. Today, Nicole sits down with Lauren Simmons, former trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, to break down exactly what's driving market volatility right now and what you should actually be doing with your money. Lauren and Nicole get into why the Petrodollar system is cracking, whether the U.S. dollar is still a safe haven (Lauren's honest answer might surprise you), and where big institutional investors are quietly moving their money. Lauren also opens up about her own portfolio — why she put 10% into gold and silver, why she's steering clear of Bitcoin, and her take on the AI bubble question. This episode was taped on 3.26.26. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Check out Lauren’s personal finance book Make Money Move Here's what Nicole covers with Lauren:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 00:18 Why Oil Prices Are Exploding Right Now  01:24 Why Americans Pay Global Oil Prices No Matter What  02:01 The Petrodollar System Explained  03:25 Is the Dollar's Reign as Safe Haven Over?  06:13 Why Volatile Markets Are Actually Wealth-Building Opportunities  07:35 Brent Crude 101  09:00 How Often Should You Actually Check Your Portfolio?  10:09 How Much Oil Should Be in Your Portfolio?  11:36 Why Lauren Is Skeptical of the Dollar Right Now  13:19 Gold, Silver, and Lauren's Actual Portfolio  15:06 How to Start Investing in Metals ETFs  15:55 Bitcoin: Bullish or Bearish?  17:10 The Crypto Wash Sale Rule Loophole Nicole Is Using  20:07 Could the Dollar Lose Reserve Currency Status?  22:00 International ETFs as a Dollar Hedge (VXUS)  22:12 Defense and Energy Stocks: XLE and Dividend Strategy  26:00 How to Invest With Your Values (ESG and Its Limits)  28:39 What Sectors Lauren Is Bullish On Right Now  29:00 Why Lauren Is Avoiding Pure-Play AI Stocks  31:00 Is There an AI Bubble?  33:00 The Energy Problem Powering (and Threatening) AI  34:53 Lauren Simmons' Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.

Today, Nicole debunks the most viral myths about inheritance and gift taxes, and walks you through exactly how these taxes work, when they actually kick in, and the totally legal strategies wealthy families use to pass on as much as possible to their heirs. Nicole breaks down the difference between gift tax, estate tax, and inheritance tax; explains the $19,000 annual gift exclusion and the $15 million lifetime exemption; and covers the states that will still come after you even when the IRS won't. Then she gets into the tools the ultra-wealthy use, like irrevocable trusts and Family Limited Partnerships, to legally minimize what they owe. Plus, she shares one simple, free move that anyone can make right now to protect their family's inheritance… no lawyer required. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Here's what Nicole covers today:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  00:18 Why TikTok's Inheritance Advice Is Wrong  00:53 Gift Tax 101: The $19,000 Annual Exclusion  02:24 Gift Splitting for Married Couples  02:48 The $15 Million Lifetime Exemption Explained  04:21 Estate Tax vs. Inheritance Tax: What's the Difference?  05:25 Which States Have Inheritance Tax?  05:47 How the Wealthy Minimize Estate Taxes 06:09 Irrevocable Trusts Explained  06:51 Family Limited Partnerships Explained  07:43 The IRS Isn't Out to Get You — But It Won't Help You Either  08:04 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

Warren Buffett just stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and the investing world is holding its breath. Today, Nicole breaks down the frameworks that turned a $1,000 investment in 1965 into over $30 million, and how you can apply them whether you have $100 or $100 million. She walks through the most iconic trades of Buffett's career, from Coca-Cola to Apple to his rare misses, and extracts seven timeless investing principles that have nothing to do with hot tips or market timing. Then Nicole turns to what's next: who is Berkshire’s new CEO Greg Abel, what does he inherit, and what does a nearly $400 billion cash pile signal about Berkshire's future direction? Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Here's what Nicole covers today:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  00:18 The End of an Era: Buffett Retires  01:03 The $30 Million Case for Long-Term Investing  01:27 Buffett's Simple (But Not Easy) Framework  02:00 The Coca-Cola Investment and Brand Loyalty as a Moat  02:53 The McDonald's Play 03:16 The Apple Surprise 04:12 Buffett's Misses 04:59 7 Investing Lessons You Can Use Right Now  06:03 Enter Greg Abel: Berkshire's Next Chapter  06:55 The $400 Billion Question  07:32 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

Pete Najarian is an NFL linebacker turned successful options trader and today he joins Money Rehab to break down exactly what's happening in the markets right now, where the big opportunities are hiding, and how to read the signals that the pros don't talk about on TV. Then Pete walks Nicole through a complete options crash course: calls vs. puts, covered calls, naked positions, spreads, and how Warren Buffett secretly uses options to build his biggest positions. He even pulls up Nicole's actual options account live and breaks down what he sees. Then the conversation gets deeper. Pete opens up about losing his dream home, whether he’d run for governor of Minnesota, and the surprisingly simple investing philosophy that's driven all of his success. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Follow Pete and learn more at Market Rebellion Here's what Nicole covers with Pete:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  01:33 Nicole and Pete's History on the Chicago Trading Floor  03:13 Wolf of Wall Street Era  07:20 Where Pete Is Bullish Right Now 09:30 How to Read Unusual Options Activity (UOA)  11:17 Options 101: Calls, Puts, and Plain English Explanations  12:46 How to Use Options as Portfolio Insurance  16:17 How Warren Buffett Actually Uses Options  18:18 Creating Your Own Dividend Stream with Covered Calls 22:17 Pete Reviews Nicole's Options Account  23:40 Insider Trading and Options  26:12 Are Options Just Gambling?  34:18 Pete's Rules for Protecting Yourself  42:48 Secure the Bag 49:00 Pete on Politics and the Future of Investing in Sports  52:23 Pete Najarian's Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Options trading involves additional risks and is not suitable for all investors. This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.

Are we in an AI bubble? It's the trillion-dollar question — and depending on who you ask, you'll get completely opposite answers. Today, Nicole cuts through the noise and takes an honest look at what's actually happening inside the AI market right now. She breaks down why sky-high valuations on AI companies are giving investors serious dot com bubble déjà vu, the circular financing deals that are inflating demand, and why the fact that Nvidia drove roughly a fifth of the S&P 500's gains in 2025 should have every investor paying attention. But she also makes the case for why this moment is fundamentally different from 1999 and what that means for your portfolio. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Here's what Nicole covers today:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  00:24 Both Sides of the AI Bubble Debate  00:44 How Much Money Is Actually Flowing Into AI  01:12 What Sky-High PE Ratios Really Mean  02:14 Dot Com Bubble Déjà Vu  03:32 Circular Financing 03:59 The Warren Buffett Market Indicator 04:19 What's Actually Different This Time  05:10 The Real Risks 05:36 Nicole's Honest Verdict  06:33 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

Over the weekend, the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran, killing the Supreme Leader and triggering a wave of retaliatory missiles across the region. This is the biggest military escalation the Middle East has seen in a generation, and it's already moving markets. Today, Nicole traces the financial chain reaction from the collapse of the 2015 nuclear deal all the way to Monday's market open, and breaks down exactly what this conflict means for your portfolio right now. Oil is surging, gold is spiking, defense stocks are climbing — and travel stocks are getting crushed. Nicole explains why markets recovered faster than expected, what the historical pattern tells us about what comes next, and the one scenario that should actually worry you. She also breaks down the specific assets that go up and the ones that go down when the US is in conflict in the Middle East and makes the case for why you don't have to play offense, but you absolutely need to know how to play defense. Here's what Nicole covers today:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  00:16 How We Got Here  02:32 The Ceasefire That Didn't Hold  03:02 The Strait of Hormuz: The World's Most Critical Choke Point  03:46 Will This Be a Long War?  04:36 How This Hits Your Wallet:  08:09 Why Travel and Tourism Stocks Get Hit 09:26 The Historical Pattern Every Investor Should Know  10:20 The Risks That Could Change Everything  10:50 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

Bill Gurley is a Wall Street and Silicon Valley legend. He’s the analyst who led the Amazon IPO and went on to become one of the most successful VCs of all time and an early investor in Uber, Zillow, and GrubHub. Today, he joins Nicole to answer the biggest questions on investors' minds right now. Bill doesn't mince words: yes, we're in an AI bubble— and he explains exactly why, from circular spending deals that smell like Enron to the speculative behavior that always follows a real wave of innovation. He breaks down why the IPO system is rigged against retail investors, what tokenization could do to fix it, and what a SpaceX IPO would actually mean for everyday investors. He also shares the one market sector he thinks is quietly becoming a buy, and the specific Chinese battery stock he personally owns. Then the conversation shifts to Bill's new book, Runnin’ Down a Dream, and his surprisingly personal framework for building a career you actually love. He shares the question he asked himself twice that changed the entire course of his life, his research on career regret, and why chasing passion is a competitive advantage. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Get Bill's book Runnin’ Down a Dream  Here's what Nicole covers with Bill:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  01:12 SpaceX + xAI: What Elon's Deal Really Means  03:18 Why Retail Investors Keep Getting Shut Out of the Best Companies  05:55 The IPO System Is Rigged  08:36 Inside the Amazon IPO 10:40 Are We in an AI Bubble?  16:30 AI vs. the Dot-Com Bubble 21:15 Which AI Tools Bill Actually Uses  22:00 Bill's Take on AGI Hype  23:30 Where Bill Sees Opportunity Outside of Tech  27:30 The Chinese Battery Stock Bill Personally Owns  28:45 How to Evaluate Stock Options as an Employee  31:50 The Hidden Value of Joining a Fast-Growing Company  33:15 Buy Side vs. Sell Side Analysts  35:40 The Question That Changed Bill's Career Twice  38:00 Why Following Your Passion Is a Competitive Advantage  42:00 How Tito's Vodka Started with a Blank Sheet of Paper  45:20 Bill's Next Chapter: A Policy Institute  48:00 Nuclear Energy, Healthcare, and the Issues Bill Wants to Fix  51:06 Bill Gurley's Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions.

President Trump wants to cap credit card interest rates at 10%, and if you're one of the millions of Americans drowning in credit card debt, that sounds like a dream. But Nicole breaks down why this proposal might not be the hero story it seems, and what you should actually be doing right now while Washington debates. Nicole explains the real reason a rate cap could backfire, why people with lower credit scores could end up worse off, and the actionable moves you can make today (no legislation required). From the debt avalanche method to balance transfers, personal loans, and a surprisingly simple phone call that could save you thousands, this episode is your full playbook for escaping the high-interest debt trap. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Here's what Nicole covers today:  00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  00:16 Trump's 10% Credit Card Rate Cap, Explained  01:17 Why This Isn't the Win It Sounds Like  02:10 Who Could Lose Access to Credit Entirely  02:52 The Payday Loan Trap Nobody's Talking About  03:12 What You Can Do Right Now  03:53 Know Your APR  04:31 The Debt Avalanche Method  05:09 Balance Transfer Cards and Consolidation Loans  06:27 How to Negotiate Your Interest Rate  07:01 Why Even $25 Extra a Month Matters  07:41 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions.

Behavioral scientist and bestselling author Jon Levy is back to unpack how we can leverage our own psychology to build wealth. He explains why publicly announcing your financial goals can actually sabotage them, how “if-then” plans outperform willpower, and why adopting the identity of “I’m an investor” can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Then Nicole asks Jon what the science says about whether jerks make better CEOs, and he shares research-backed strategies for becoming a stronger leader. He also gets personal: how growing up as the child of immigrants affected his money mindset, the road to becoming debt-free in eight years, and the amount of money he needs in his bank account to feel safe. Nicole and Jon also discuss how financial frameworks like the sunk cost fallacy apply to relationships and whether your partner might be the best investment you’ll ever make. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Get Jon’s latest book Team Intelligence  Here’s what Nicole covers with Jon: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?  01:47 Jon’s Famous Dinners Explained  04:17 Why Money is a Mental Puzzle, Not a Math Problem  06:16 Why Sharing Goals Fails  07:56 From Housing Markets to Dating Markets 09:42 Is Your Partner the Most Important Financial Decision You’ll Make?  15:09 Jon’s Leap From Debt to Social Currency  33:37 Money Values in Marriage  38:01 Should You Quit the Zombie Job? 39:27 The Chicken/Egg Problem with Success  45:25 Do CEOs Need to Be Jerks to be Successful?  49:53 What Makes a Leader  58:12 How Self Deprecation Erodes Trust  01:06:57 Jon Levy’s Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

Four-year college isn’t the default anymore…  but saving for your kid’s future absolutely is. Today, Nicole breaks down the modern playbook for affording college whether your kid is a newborn, or if they’re applying to colleges now. This is your simple guide to 529 plans, custodial accounts, Coverdells, prepaid tuition plans, and the newest government-backed savings option making headlines. If you’ve ever wondered, “What happens to a 529 plan if my kid doesn’t go to college?” Nicole will teach you a smart move there, too. Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School  Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram Here’s what Nicole covers today: 00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 01:11 Where To Start If You Have a Newborn 01:28 Everything You Need to Know About 529s 04:44 Where To Start If Your Kid Is in Grade School 05:42 The Pros and Cons of Custodial Accounts 08:17 Where to Start if Your Kid Is in High School 10:32 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.