In today’s episode, Ralph Estep Jr. and Juliet answer whether you should borrow from your 401(k) to pay off credit cards, and what happens to that loan if you lose your job. In This Episode ✓ Jobless claims fall to 189,000, a 57-year low ✓ Gas drops to $4.10, still $1+ above last year ✓ Check washing and how to protect your checks ✓ Should you borrow from your 401(k) to pay off credit cards? ✓ Why a job loss can turn a 401(k) loan into a tax bill ✓ Ralph’s story of becoming “man of the hou

In today's episode, Ralph Estep Jr. and Juliet explain why adults now drive 55% of U.S. toy sales and how a job scam uses fake checks to take your money. In This Episode ✓ Kidults and why adults drive 55% of U.S. toy sales ✓ Job scams that send fake checks ✓ Services sector growth hits a 28th straight month ✓ How to budget on irregular income, starting with your slowest month ✓ Beneficiary forms, transfer-on-death accounts, and healthcare proxies ✓ Money move: sell $75 of stuff toward a $2

In today's episode, Ralph Estep Jr. and Juliet focus on selling your unused stuff without getting scammed or surprised at tax time, plus an Election Day money check and a listener question about negotiating a job offer. In This Episode ✓ Cost of living is the top voter concern on Election Day ✓ 72% of Gen Z investors changed course before the midterms, versus 17% of baby boomers ✓ Stocks have risen in the 12 months after all 19 midterms since 1950 ✓ Job openings rise to 7.5 million in Septem

In today's episode, Ralph Estep Jr. and Juliet focus on what an LLC actually changes for a growing freelancer, along with a new marketplace repayment rule, holiday pay-later plans, and credit applications. In This Episode ✓ Marketplace open enrollment and the end of the repayment cap on excess premium credits ✓ Nearly 2 in 5 holiday spenders plan to use buy now, pay later ✓ Employers think workers have enough saved, and workers say otherwise ✓ What a hard credit pull really costs, and how ra

Big takeaway: don't yank hundreds of thousands from your retirement without talking to an advisor — the tax hit and IRMAA penalties can wreck a cash house deal. I reflect on the week’s wins and hard stuff, like a couple who thought they did great buying a house with cash but got nailed by an IRA distribution. I also canceled my iPhone pre-order after seeing foldy phones crack, and I shared a cringe Hummer trade-in story where I had to “stop the bleeding.” I got nostalgic about my grandpa and rem

In today's episode, Ralph Estep Jr. and Juliet look back at the week's biggest money moments, from Ralph canceling his iPhone pre-order to what happens when Social Security's retirement fund runs short in 2032. In This Episode ✓ Ralph picks needs over wants and skips his iPhone upgrade ✓ What $200 a month can grow to by age 67 ✓ Social Security's 2032 shortfall and a $2,000 check that could become $1,560 ✓ Fake Medicare ads and the one address to type yourself ✓ A $350 wedding Venmo bill an