Making Cents of Money

Last year featured some of the largest bank failures in U.S. history. In this episode of Making Cents of Money, Chicago City Comptroller (and former Illinois Director of Banking) Chasse Rehwinkel joins us to break down what went wrong, how regulators respond, and why most consumers should not be worried about ever losing the money in their bank accounts. Show Notes: FDIC & California Regulator Rep...

Cryptocurrency is still new, and with new frontiers come new challenges. David DeCarlo and Jake Hamilton from IDFPR’s Office of Innovation join us on our latest episode of Making Cents of Money to discuss gaps in regulation and what can be done to help protect consumers. Show Notes: • CFPB Publishes New Bulletin Analyzing Rise in Crypto-Asset Complaints: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/ne...

It’s tax season! We break down the common forms you’ll need to complete, where you find help if you need it, and when you can expect that refund (if you qualify!) on our latest episode of Making Cents of Money! Show Notes: IRS (federal) online account: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers IRS Identity Protection PIN: https://www.irs.gov/identity-thef...

It dominates the headlines, but what is cryptocurrency anyway? In this episode of Making Cents of Money, IDFPR’s Jake Hamilton provides an overview of how it works and what the future looks like for this financial technology. Sources of Information Discussed in Today’s Episode: • Office of Innovation in IDFPR: https://idfpr.illinois.gov/about/innovation.html • Previous Related Episodes: o Episode...

Looking to kick off the new year right with some new financial goals? We break down the best strategies for doing that in our latest episode of Making Cents of Money! Show Notes: • “Setting Goals for Your Well-being” (Pellegrini, 2020): https://blogs.illinois.edu/view/7550/404129912 • “An Innovative Way to Face Retirement” (Brandon, 2013): https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/2013/01...

We have a Consumer Alert for you – but it’s good news! Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are allowing access to free, weekly credit reports indefinitely. Check out the latest episode of Making Cents of Money to learn more. Show Notes: You now have permanent access to free weekly credit reports (FTC) - https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/10/you-now-have-permanent-access-free-weekly-credit...

With the return to repayment for federal student loans in October for millions of loan holders, Nikki and Andrea breakdown the “on-ramp” to repayment being made available, along with several other helpful resources! Show Notes: • Federal Student Aid (FSA) Dashboard o So Your Loan was Transferred, What’s Next?: https://studentaid.gov/articles/your-loan-was-transferred-whats-next/ o Get Out of Defau...

Have questions about FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)? Join us as we hear from Beth Groves, Professional Development Specialist from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, as she talks about major changes to the form, why it's delayed this year, and why it's essential that everyone fills one out when considering post secondary education. Show notes: Illinois Student Assistance...

It's World Investor Week! Listen to Alan Sorcher and Anne McKinley from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission discuss the SEC's role in providing education and protection to investors. Resources Discussed in the Show • World Investor Week: https://www.worldinvestorweek.org/ • US Securities & Exchange Commission’s Investor-oriented Website: https://www.investor.gov/ o Office of Investor Educa...

We’ve heard the stories of how compound interest can be your best friend. But did you know it can also be your worst enemy? We break down this financial concept in our latest episode of Making Cents of Money! Show Notes: • Compound Interest Calculator: https://www.investor.gov/financial-tools-calculators/calculators/compound-interest-calculator • The Life-Changing Magic of Compound Interest: https...

This episode, we're talking about something you're bound to love: your paycheck! Show Notes: • Tax Withholding Types (IRS): https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/tax-withholding-types

In today’s society, being digitally literate is a key life skill that we all need. As time goes on, this will only become more important. But did you know that there is a financial impact to you, businesses, and society from lack of digital literacy? Take a listen in our latest episode of Making Cents of Money to find out how. Show notes: ‘Verified’ Twitter accounts share fake image of ‘explosion’...

Credit Reports are an important tool in managing your finances. But what are they exactly? And how do you get them? Take a listen to find out! Show Notes: • AnnualCreditReport.com – get your free credit reports annually from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax • Episode 51: Credit Scores: https://on.soundcloud.com/6aXWi • Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA): https://www.ftc.gov...

Too many passwords to remember? There's a solution for that- Password Managers! Check out the latest episode of Making Cents of Money to learn how to make your life just a little bit easier. Additional Resources: • Best password manager in 2023” by CNET (June 30, 2023): https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/best-password-manager/ • Check if your email or phone has been part of a data bre...

Join us for a unique game show: Financial Planner Donovan Sanchez vs. ChatGPT (a popular artificial intelligence tool). What types of answers does this AI give to financial questions? Does it actually give good financial advice? Listen and find out! Additional Resources: Try ChatGPT yourself: https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt ChatGPT and buying a home: https://fortune.com/recommends/mortgages/i-used...

In part two of our housing series, Kari Beyer from IDFPR is back to talk about different types of help that may be available for renters and real estate fraud. Additional Resources: Housing Characteristics in Illinois (e.g., Median Gross Rent) From US Census Bureau: https://data.census.gov/profile/Illinois?g=040XX00US17 The White House Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights (January 2023): https:/...

The costs of home-ownership, from the initial purchase thru long-term maintenance, continue to rise. Kari Beyer, Director of the APLD & Investigations, joins us to talk about programs designed to help those who may be struggling to cover these costs. Additional Resources: - Making Cents of Money episodes: o Episode 36: Buying a Home! https://on.soundcloud.com/tFdA9 o Episode 37: Renting!: https://...

Confused about health insurance? You're not alone. On this episode of Making Cents of Money, Brian Gorman, the Director of Outreach and Engagement for Get Covered Illinois, answers our health care questions. Additional Resource: https://getcovered.illinois.gov/

Struggling with utility costs? You're not alone! Thanks to the Illinois Low income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP), you may qualify for help, but you have to act fast! Applications are due on May 31! Additional Resources: Utilities Assistance in Illinois (LIHEAP & LIHWAP): helpillinoisfamilies.com Phone: 833-711-0374 Champaign County Regional Planning Committee: https://ccrpc.org/ 1776 E....

The return to repayment for federal student loans should be in the next few months. We break down the resources available to help borrowers prepare their budgets in our latest episode of Making Cents of Money! Additional Resources: • COVID-19 Emergency Relief and Federal Student aid updates: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/covid-19 • Login Page for Federal Student Aid (get info about y...

Want to use the power of your wallet to make a difference in the world? Out latest episode of Making Cents of Money explores Conscious Consumers and steps you can take so your money will support what you believe in. Additional Resources: • Get Savvy – How Your Spending Can Change the World webinar (scheduled for 3/29/2023): o Registration: https://go.uillinois.edu/getsavvywebinars o Recording will...

Happy #InternationalWomensDay! The global celebration celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women worldwide. In our special episode of Making Cents of Money, we talk with UIUC’s Ramya Vaidyanthan, an international student from India who’s also a graduate student at the U of I system’s Student Management Center. She shares how she’s helped teach personal finance t...

Ready to invest for your future, but not sure where to start? Our latest episode of Making Cents of Money breaks down what you should do and consider before working to make your money grow! Special thanks to Alan Sorcher and Anne McKinley from the SEC for joining us! Additional Resources: • US Securities & Exchange Commission resources: o SEC Investor Education Website: https://www.investor.gov/ o...

Fintech, cryptocurrency, digital assets… you may have heard these terms in the news, but what are they? We discuss this new era of innovation, challenges, opportunities, and what consumers should know in our latest episode of Making Cents of Money! Special thanks to IDFPR Regulatory Innovation Officer David DeCarlo for joining us! Additional Resources: • JP Morgan Institute, Research on the Dynami...

It’s important to save for the future, but also not miss our on life experiences. We discuss keys to wealth building, while balancing short- and long-term goals, in our latest episode of Making Cents of Money. Special thanks to Donovan Sanchez from UIUC’s College of Agricultural and Consumer Economics for joining us! Additional Resources: Previous Making Cents of Money episodes: • Episode 12 – Pre...