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

In today’s episode, Ralph Estep Jr. and Juliet answer a listener with a 704 credit score and nothing in savings, and explain where to start. They also cover paychecks that disappear, Halloween debt, and whether buying equipment for a tax write off makes sense. In This Episode ✓ Denise has a 704 credit score, $6,000 across two cards, and $0 saved, so where does she start? ✓ Andre earns good pay and still waits on the next paycheck ✓ Halloween spending is projected at $13.5 billion, and 24% of