The Middle Class

🎙️ Taxes: What Every Middle-Class Family Should Know Most people file taxes every year without really understanding how the system works. What is a 1040? What’s the difference between a W-2 and a 1099? What actually counts as a deduction? Why is a tax credit better than a deduction? In this episode of The Middle Class Podcast, Moshe Alpert, CFP®, sits down with his brother, Betzalel Alpert, to bre...

🎙️ The Real Cost of Building a Business (No Shortcuts, No Hype) Most people think building a business is one big break, one lucky deal, and you're set. It's not. In this episode of The Middle Class Podcast, Moshe Alpert sits down with Alex Edelman, former Mayor of the Village of Lawrence, NY, for a real and unfiltered look at what building a business actually looks like — jewelry sales on...

🎙️ The Truth About Real Estate (Not What You Think) Most people think real estate is about closing one big deal and getting rich. It’s not. In this episode of The Middle Class Podcast , Moshe Alpert sits down with Yosef Katz , founder of Atlas Realty Group, for a real and unfiltered look at what the real estate business actually looks like. From cold calling and deal flow to long sales cycles, inc...

🎙️ Retirement Retirement is something most people think about, but very few actually plan for properly. In this thoughtful and practical episode, host Moshe Alpert, CFP® sits down with Dovid Goldfarb , who shares the real-life financial habits and disciplined mindset that allowed him to retire comfortably after more than 40 years of work. From saving early and avoiding debt to living within your m...

The Little Choice That Is Destroying You Most people don’t lose control all at once. It happens gradually — through small decisions repeated daily. The decision to delay what matters. The decision to avoid discomfort. The decision to choose convenience over discipline. Over time, these choices shape far more than physical health. They affect mental clarity, confidence, financial stability, and ove...

WHAT DOES “MIDDLE CLASS” REALLY MEAN ANYMORE? Is it $250K? $350K? $450K?? In this episode of The Middle Class Podcast , Moshe Alpert, CFP® sits down with Shalom Becker, Vice President of Purchasing at Millennial Healthcare, for a rare, honest look at what it actually takes to build a middle-class life today — from the ground up. This is the real story: Starting at $50,000 a year Living in small ap...

🎙️ Maaser, Debt & Donor Funds When halacha meets household budgets — what you must know Million-dollar halachos for middle-class income. In this clear, direct, and surprisingly empowering episode, host Moshe Alpert, CFP® is joined by Rabbi Tzvi Yaakov Stein (aka The Texting Rabbi ) to break down the financial halachos of Maaser, tzedaka, and Jewish generosity in the real world of credit cards,...

🎙️ Mortgages Million-dollar homes used to sound like luxury real estate—but in many neighborhoods today, that’s just the price of a modest home. So how are middle-class families pulling it off? In this sharp, practical, and surprisingly hopeful episode, host Moshe Alpert, CFP® is joined by Gabe “Mortgage Gabe” Tenenberg of FM Home Loans. Together, they break down the real strategies behind home bu...

What does it actually cost to run one of the largest Yeshivas in the world, and why do only 31% of parents pay full tuition? Joel Kaplan, Executive Director of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, pulls back the curtain on a staggering $50 million annual budget to reveal the complex financial engine behind Jewish education. From a "Gold Standard" policy where widows never receive a bill to the secret...

🎙️ The Truth About "Social Pressure"The Middle Class Podcast Episode 1 Welcome to the premiere episode of The Middle Class Podcast! Hosted by Moshe Alpert (CLU®, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP®, AEP®), CEO of Ceremian Financial, this show explores the real financial reality of the middle class—balancing large households, community expectations, and long-term stability. In this episode, Moshe sits dow...

In this introductory episode, Moshe Alpert—Certified Financial Planner and CEO of Cermenian Financial—shares why he launched The Middle Class podcast. After over a decade of working closely with middle-class families, he’s seen a powerful truth: many people feel financially stuck not because they’re poor, but because they’re disorganized, overwhelmed, or just never taught how to handle money confi...