NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

Learn about self-employment taxes and avoid common tax mistakes with expert strategies for managing your finances year-round. How do self-employed taxes work?  What are some common tax mistakes self-employed people make?  And can you really write off payments on a luxury vehicle if you use it for work purposes?  Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss the intricacies of self-employment taxes...

Understand news-based stock market trading strategies and risks and discover alternative strategies for smarter investing. Should you trade stocks based on news events? What are alternative investment strategies to news-based trading? Investing Nerd Sam Taube joins hosts Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski to discuss the wisdom—or folly—of news-based trading strategies, after Sean and Anna break down the...

Learn about navigating retirement joyfully and how to defend against identity theft with credit freezing and monitoring. How do you embrace retirement when it’s time to retire? How can you use credit reports and credit monitoring to protect your financial identity? Hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner discuss transitioning into retirement and safeguarding against identity theft to help you understand...

Master your self-employment finances with answers to questions about budgeting, planning, and separating funds. How can you manage your finances effectively after becoming self-employed?  What can you do to plan for unpredictable income and the tax implications that come with being your own boss?  NerdWallet's Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola host a discussion that delves deep into the world of sel...

Get an in-depth look at U.S. minimum wage variations, with budgeting tips and assistance programs for financial security. Are we in a recession? How much inflation has happened in the US recently? Is it too early to file your taxes? Hosts Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski delve into this week’s financial headlines, including positive GDP growth and the implications of inflation on interest rates, befor...

Understand the different ways you can utilize a healthcare savings account and learn tips and tricks for HSA investing. 00:46 This Week in Your Money: Where can you find an unbiased analysis of the best financial products available? What products can help you make the most of your finances? Hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner discuss NerdWallet’s Best-Of Awards, a resource that can serve as a shortc...

Get answers to common questions that will allow you to maximize your credit card rewards points and avoid common point planning pitfalls with our Nerdy expert tips. How can you travel more while spending less? How could changes in airline loyalty programs affect your travel plans? What are the benefits of co-branded airline or hotel credit cards versus flexible rewards cards? NerdWallet’s Sean Pyl...

Uncover 30-year trends in single-parent household finances with insights on growth, challenges and building a safety net. What should you do when stock markets hit record highs? Is now a good time to buy or sell a home now that mortgage rates have dropped again? How can you build a safety net when you’re a single parent? Hosts Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski break down the latest headlines from the w...

Learn how much anti-aging treatments may cost you (and how to budget for them), plus how to understand your net worth. 00:54 This Week in Your Money: How much does it cost to look younger? What can you do for free to maintain your youthful appearance? Hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner discuss the costs associated with various anti-aging treatments like moisturizers, Botox, dermal fillers, and lase...

Understand your options for buying or selling a home in the rapidly evolving 2024 housing market — and how to time it, or not. When will homes become more affordable? Is it a buyer’s market or a seller’s market? How can you figure out how much house you can afford? Homes and Mortgages Writer Kate Wood joins host Sean Pyles with an in-depth analysis of the 2024 housing market, providing strategies...

Understand the implications of Americans’ $1.2 trillion credit card debt, the latest inflation stats, and SAVE plan news. Are you eligible for student loan forgiveness if you’ve been on the SAVE plan? What do the Commerce Department’s latest inflation figures mean for how much things cost? How can you pay off debt, which more Americans faced in 2023 than in the previous year? Hosts Sean Pyles and...

Listen to our webinar on how banking right can help you grow your money, with tips for choosing accounts and changing banks.  What are the benefits of online banks or credit unions over traditional banks? What should you consider before changing banks? How can you passively grow your wealth by putting your money into savings accounts and CDs? NerdWallet’s Kim Palmer moderates a discussion on banki...

Prepare for financial health in 2024 with expert strategies for managing your credit and getting and staying out of debt. What’s the right amount of credit utilization to maintain a high credit score? How can reviewing your credit reports impact your financial health? Credit Nerd Lauren Schwahn joins host Sean Pyles to answer these questions and more as they delve into the intricate world of credi...

Explore FAFSA’s impact on college finances, including changes to the application process and shifts in aid eligibility. How do changes to FAFSA affect your eligibility for federal student loans and need-based grants? What’s the best way to navigate the recent rollout amid technical issues with the website when it launched last month? What information do you need in order to complete your FAFSA app...

How can couples split housing expenses without splitting up? Learn how to keep your finances — and relationship — healthy. 01:30 This Week in Your Money: What part of your life can have an unexpected impact on your finances? Hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner discuss how personal experiences with ADHD and side hustles have had financial implications for them beyond what you might expect. Learn how...

Gain 2024 investment insights and get answers to questions on long-term strategies, stock market volatility, real estate investments trusts and more. Investing writer Alana Benson joins host Sean Pyles to discuss investing in 2024. They discuss the importance of having a long-term investment strategy, the performance of the stock market in 2023, the impact of interest rates on investments, and the...

Take your New Year’s Resolutions to the next level by establishing SMARTR financial goals that you can achieve in 2024. Wondering how to set financial goals you’ll actually follow through on? Have questions about how to avoid end-of-year financial regrets? The Nerds have you covered! Explore strategies for setting realistic goals in 2024 with hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Renter as they discuss “...

Learn pro tips for shopping on social media so you don’t overspend, and smart strategies for investing your spare cash. This Week in Your Money: Get equipped with practical tips to shop smart on social media platforms and stay vigilant against overspending. Personal finance Nerd Kimberly Palmer joins hosts Sean Pyles and Liz Weston for a Nerdy look at how your social media feed may be leading you...

In this episode of NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast, hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner share the best money moves of 2023 as submitted by their fellow colleagues. Some of the highlights include saving aggressively to prepare for future expenses, getting rid of private mortgage insurance, automating finances for budgeting and planning, setting up 529 college savings plans for children, shopping aro...

We recap the financial rollercoaster that was 2023, including interest rates, market movements, travel mishaps and more. Before reviewing this year’s biggest financial news headlines, hosts Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski discuss federal interest rates, dropping mortgage rates, strong holiday spending numbers, and two new record highs — one for the stock market, and the other for a Southwest Airlines...

Learn about practical money management tasks to set yourself up for success in 2024 and tips for choosing a budgeting app. 01:11 This Week in Your Money: Hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner propose three money tasks to tackle this winter. The first is a task to do this week, the next is something to do over the course of a month, and the last is something you can do over the whole winter season. By...

In this episode of NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast, hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner share feedback and constructive criticism from listeners over the past year. They discuss topics such as the need for more representation minority groups in financial discussions, the importance of highlighting issues related to race and gender, the coverage of alternative healthcare in insurance plans, and the...

Learn how to use AI for help with budgeting and saving money, then learn whether credit cards or debit cards are safer. 01:30 This Week in Your Money: NerdWallet banking writer Chanelle Bessette joins hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner to discuss how AI can be used to help with budgeting and saving money. They explore how AI chatbots can assist in creating a budget and setting savings goals, why it...

In this episode of the Smart Money podcast, hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner share the best money moves made by their listeners in 2023. Some of the wins include listeners who moved their Roth IRA account away from a pricey financial advisor, one who paid off their student loans and started a business, and another who successfully managed their money with ADHD.  In their conversation, the Nerds d...

Learn how the Department of Justice is tackling the ticketing industry — and what it could mean for buyers and sellers. Before focusing on Congress’ latest ticketing industry crackdown, hosts Sean Pyles and Anna Helhoski discuss the IRS' delayed online seller rule, a revision to Q3 GDP figures, a new survey on money and happiness, the merger between Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, and self-...