ERS Money Talks Podcast

Send us Fan Mail ERS sits down with Kyle Caffey, vice president of the Technology Innovation Lab at Empower, to discuss navigating AI-powered tools in today’s increasingly digital landscape. 

Send us Fan Mail Are you part of the 80%? Statistics show the vast majority of state employees are not taking full advantage of their TexFlex benefits, essentially leaving money on the table every month. In this episode, we sit down with James Handy, TexFlex account executive, to demystify these powerful budgeting tools. We dive into the different types of spending accounts and uncover the surpris...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we reflect on key money tips and insights from past Money Talks conversations. We revisit the lessons that stood the test of time, the moments that shaped the year, and how those takeaways continue to influence today’s financial decisions. Hosted by Crystal Olvera, Angelica Rivera and Erika Perez, we also look ahead, exploring the themes, topics, segments and idea...

Send us Fan Mail Celebrate the holidays with a very special guest. Hosts Suzanne, Crystal and Dani speak to Santa Claus who reveals his secret identity: Texas Department of Transportation employee Gordon Jones. Find out how Santa is sleighing the retirement game and making sure he’s not St. Nickel-less. Helpful contacts:  Contact the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) by calling (877) 275-...

Send us Fan Mail We talked with Treshayla Wilson, an expert from the Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner, to get holiday spending tips on how to spend wisely, avoid scams and plan for the next holiday season!  Mentioned in this episode:  NerdWallet 2025 Holiday Spending Report   Additional resources:  Learn to use a credit card with Empower Learning  ReportFraud.ftc.gov   identitytheft.go...

Send us Fan Mail Feel empowered to save for retirement this National Retirement Security Month. Hosts Suzanne and Crystal speak to Texa$aver Retirement Plan Advisor (RPA) Mike McLellan about investing at any age, consolidating plans, a magic number to double your money and more on Empower Hour. Mentioned in this episode: Texa$aver.com Schedule a meeting with a Texa$aver Retirement Plan Advisor The...

Send us Fan Mail Hosts Dani and Crystal are joined by Jeff, a member of our Specialty Operations Services team, to answer member questions found on a popular forum based social media platform. Helpful contacts: Contact the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) by calling (877) 275-4377 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT. If your question doesn’t need an immediate answe...

Send us Fan Mail ERS' own wellbeing expert, Lacy Wolff, joins the hosts Dani, Angelica and Suzanne to discuss trends in member attitudes towards their finances, their financial stressors and helpful ERS resources. Mentioned in the episode: ERS Buena Vida Podcast Buena Vida   ERS Money Talks newsletter Wellness webinars Money Mindsets & the Marketing Trap with Nick Daugherty From $40K Debt...

Send us Fan Mail The 89th legislative session has ended and health insurance premiums will go up September 1, which is the start of the new plan year. The hosts talk with Blaise Duran, director of group benefits at ERS. They discuss why premiums are increasing, who's affected and the ways ERS works to help keep those costs low. 

Send us Fan Mail Life insurance is important for many families. That's why we want you to know exactly how it can help protect your loved one's financial security. And with Summer Enrollment coming up with the chance to add or change your coverage, it's a good time for us to talk with Securian's Lynn Gordon, who demystifies this complex and important benefit. Covered in this ep...

Send us Fan Mail It's not all cruises and flowers (although those are nice, too!). Beneplace's Tom Murphy talks about how to save an average of $5,000 per year on regular household items and also those big-ticket purchases. Topics include: Popular ways to save with the Discount Purchase Program Deals popular with State of Texas employees How shopping habits change with the economy The be...

Send us Fan Mail Treshayla Wilson of the Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner joins ERS' Crystal and Suzanne to talk about scams, swindles and safety.  Hear about the top scams to avoid now, how to spot one and how to protect your personally identifiable information. Know where to go if you fall victim to a scam.  Covered in this episode:  State of scams today How to protect yourself...

Send us Fan Mail The hosts Suzanne, Dani and Angelica are joined by Texa$aver Retirement Plan Advisor Nik Frye to talk about retirement planning, the value of meeting with a retirement plan advisor and what to expect during a Retirement Readiness Review. So whether your retirement is a few days or a few decades away, there's something for you in this episode. Mentioned in this episode: www.te...

Send us Fan Mail Talking State of Texas Retirement with ERS Benefits Educator Jennifer Thompson We discuss the state pension plan for groups 1, 2 and 3. Learn why your pension is valuable, how it’s calculated, things to consider when life changes and much more.

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to a new way of getting your ERS financial news.