The Forever Paycheck

We’re on the edge of a major transfer of wealth. According to LendingTree, homeowners 65 and older could transfer $17.2 trillion between 2026 and 2045, and 33% of Americans younger than 65 expect to receive an inheritance or financial gift. Today, we’re talking with Stewart Willis, the president of Asset Preservation Wealth and Tax about how that money should factor into financial planning.

Every single month, we are flooded with 2.1 billion robocalls. They’re annoying, sometimes illegal, and a lot of them aren’t supposed to get through. But according to a new report from the Public Interest Research Group, less than half of phone companies have installed technology that’s required to protect consumers. On this episode, we’re talking with consumer watchdog Teresa Murray. What does this report mean? Why aren’t phone companies complying? And what can we do in the meantime to protect ourselves from scams that often start with a ring?

Hosts Susan Campbell and Christine Stanwood share their wedding experiences and love of wedding planning before welcoming guest Bobbi Rebell, chief financial education advisor at Accredited Debt Relief, to discuss the financial realities of weddings for couples and guests. Rebell advises couples to gain clarity early on priorities, rank what matters most, and make deliberate choices, noting many items are negotiable beyond price and that vendors’ underlying costs should be respected. They discuss overlooked expenses like alterations and shipping, creative cost-saving ideas, and how family contributions can affect decisions. For guests, they cover managing travel, hotel rates, childcare solutions, outfit renting or re-wearing, seeking price adjustments, and booking flights early. Rebell explains etiquette for declining unaffordable invitations, suggests flexible approaches to gifts for destination weddings, and encourages avoiding unpayable debt while being proactive if bills become a problem.

The holiday season will be here before you know it. And if you haven’t yet, it’s time to make your travel plans. We’re chatting with Julian Kheel, the founder and CEO of Points Path. We’ll talk about the best time to book flights for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Is there actually a cheaper day to book flights or a cheaper day to fly? Should you pay with cash, or the miles and points you’ve built up all year?

Needohs aren’t in stock. Stores are limiting Squeezies. Dumplings are being recalled. And counterfeits are everywhere! There’s so much parents need to know when our kids are begging for these darn things. We’re tapping into the Toy Insider’s expertise to help us figure out what to buy, what to avoid, and if there’s hope these things will be restocked before the heart of the holiday shopping season.

With a couple taps in an app on your phone, you can wager on just about anything in sports. For some people, that easy access is fueling a gambling addiction. Sites tout guardrails to help problem gamblers, so ProPublica reporter Jake Pearson put them to the test. Today, he is taking us inside his investigation to explain how he gambled like an addict and earned VIP status with DraftKings. We’ll also talk about the consumer protection questions raised by his reporting.

If you’re getting ready to retire… you know you have to have a plan, and it has to include how you’ll spend your savings. Turns out – a lot of retirees struggle with spending. Even if there’s a big balance, they don’t want to see it go down. So, we’re talking with Jean Chatzky about her new book called ‘The Forever Paycheck’ and how to plan to spend the money you worked so hard for. We’ll also talk about one of the biggest mistakes retirees make the day their employment ends – and how retirement planning has actually changed over the years.

How many credit cards do you have in your wallet? Do you get cash back? Maybe you prefer points or rewards. Companies spend a lot of money – marketing credit cards trying to get our business. The benefits may sound exclusive, but a lot of them are actually standard across the industry. Today, we’re talking with Sara Rathner, a credit card expert at NerdWallet, about some of the so-called benefits that you don’t need to worry about and how to compare cards to find out the best option for you.

When the deadly Cyclospora outbreak happened, a lot of people stopped eating lettuce, even if it wasn’t part of a recall. Today, our guest is Melanie Nuce-Hilton, the Senior Vice President of Customer Success at GS1 US, an organization best known for the UPC barcode. We’ll talk about consumers’ changing habits and the future of food safety you may be able to hold in your own hands.

Are you saving for retirement? Are you saving enough? According to a Vanguard report, just 14% of people with a 401k saved the maximum amount allowed. We’re talking with Darcy Bergen from the Bergen Financial Group about the biggest mistakes people make with their 401k plans. We’ll also talk about savings strategies for young workers and workers nearing retirement.