Why Retirement Research Matters More Than Ever

In this episode, Lisa Wenstrup, PhD., an audiologist with UC Health (University of Cincinnati), shares how hearing changes as we age—often starting with difficulty hearing high frequencies and understanding speech in background noise. You’ll learn why hearing loss isn’t always “just an older-person” issue, how earbuds and modern listening environments can contribute, and what early signals like muffled sounds may mean for your day-to-day life.

Dallas Salisbury of the Consumer Policy Center breaks down why unbiased retirement research matters—and what it looks like in practice. In this episode, Dallas explains how retirement policy and benefit decisions often get made with incomplete information, and why relying on objective, evidence-first analysis is so critical when the stakes affect millions of workers and retirees.

Gen Z debt is rising, credit counseling demand is at a 10-year high, and many people are discovering that debt consolidation loans don’t always stop the cycle. In this episode, Ted Rossman, Money Management International breaks down what’s driving the surge in debt management plan enrollments and counseling sessions—and what you can do to regain control of your finances before balances climb back up.

Professor Jason Kotter (BYU Marriott School of Business) breaks down what sports betting looks like in the real world—why it feels “winnable,” how commonly misunderstood odds and wager structures (like parlays) can quietly stack the deck, and the financial tradeoffs heavy bettors often make (including pulling funds from long-term savings). You’ll also hear the data-driven reasons many bettors end up losing over time—and what education and smart policy changes could do to reduce harm.

In this episode of Broadcast Retirement Network, we bring together leading voices on retirement income strategy and fiduciary considerations. Guests include John Schembari, Kutak Rock, Ed McIlveen, CFA, Francis, LLC, and Robert Scherzer, AIF of World Investment Advisors. We discuss what employers and fiduciaries should weigh when introducing (or evaluating) guaranteed lifetime income features within defined contribution plans—balancing participant needs, plan design, and real-world implementation realities.

Thomas Adam, PhD., from the University of Arkansas, joins us to explore how philanthropic foundations are shaped by donor intent—and what happens when the world changes faster than the mission. We unpack why “forever” can be both inspiring and limiting, and how legal, historical, and practical factors affect who benefits and how.

Betsy Mayotte, Founder of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, joins Broadcast Retirement Network to discuss the sharp rise in federal student loan defaults and what it means for borrowers today. We break down the key timeline—when delinquency starts affecting credit, and when a loan officially reaches default—plus the real-world consequences like wage and tax refund garnishment, reduced borrowing options, and impacts that can ripple into housing and employment decisions.

In this video, we break down the data-driven approach to forecasting retail beef prices, highlighting how time-series and machine-learning methods can capture seasonality, demand shifts, and lagged effects. We also explore why prices often change around key consumer moments—like the weeks following July 4th—and what those patterns imply about the balance between supply and demand in the grocery market. We’re joined by David Anderson, PhD., from Texas A&M University, who explains the motivation behind the research and the practical goal of building more accurate predictions for everyday food costs. From the role of protein substitution and value cuts to the way broader economic signals can indirectly influence grocery choices, this discussion connects the modeling techniques to real shopper behavior—making the forecasting feel both understandable and actionable.

In this episode of the Broadcast Retirement Network, Phillip Snyder, CLU from The Warner Companies shares a focused, practical approach to retirement planning—centered on building reliable retirement income, protecting your financial plan from risk, and making smart decisions that can last for the long term. If you’re looking for clarity on what matters most (and what to stop overlooking), this conversation is built for you.

Chris Tobe, CFA, CAIA of the Hackett Group breaks down a critical question for retirement plan sponsors and advisors: how should “performance” really be measured and compared—especially when investment options move beyond standard mutual funds? In this episode, Chris explains why the underlying standards, reporting conventions, and incentives can materially change what the numbers mean in practice.