The Next Step: Leaping to Adulthood

On this episode Nikki and LInda debunk the myth that earning overtime, bonuses, or raises can reduce take-home pay by “bumping you into a higher tax bracket,” explaining that the U.S. uses graduated marginal rates where only the additional income is taxed at the higher rate, with a noted exception for some Social Security recipients. They discuss deductions: business expenses for the self-employed...

In this first of a two-part series, Nikki and Dr. Linda DeBarthe discuss how taxes affect budgeting and common misconceptions about take-home pay. Linda clarifies the key difference between employees and independent contractors, a really important fact for students who are interested in doing side-gigs! Linda also summarizes filing requirements, what it means to be claimed, and dependency rules th...

In the final episode of the series on health insurance, Brennan explains key insurance terms: deductible, copay, coinsurance, out of pocket maximum, open enrollment, and qualifying events.  He also explains all of these terms and how they would impact the cost of a dental crown.  The examples showcases negotiated in-network fees, coverage, annual dental benefit maximums, and higher costs plus bala...

On the Next Step podcast, host Nikki interviews Brennan Floss of Delta Dental about health, dental, vision, and medical insurance. They discuss why dental and vision are separate from medical, emphasizing preventive care and disease detection. Brennan explains common plan types—HMO, PPO, and high deductible health plans paired with an HSA.

In this final of a two-part series you get to hear more from Megan Schofield about the four key types of insurance for people graduating college: life, property, auto, and commercial.  Key terms for life insurance are discussed and differentiated. When it comes to renters and homeowners policy, Megan explains the difference between liability, structural, and property. For auto insurance, Nikki and...

On the Next Step podcast, former student Megan Schofield (UNI ’08) describes her career path from communications/public relations to collegiate athletics, marketing leadership, to entrepreneur!  In this episode, Megan explains how to choose an insurer carrier and emphasizes agents’ role in guiding clients through claims, policy understanding, and switching agents or carriers when needed

In the final of a three-part series, Nikki and Steve discuss insurance and credit scores. The conversation emphasizes how inconvenient claims can be and shifts to liability coverage, urging listeners to know about their "three number" liability. Especially because medical costs can quickly exceed low limits. For final advice to young adults, they advise renter's insurance, talking to an agent, und...

The second of a three-part series, the host and Insurance Guy Steve explore why insurance premiums and claim payouts change, noting that people often blame insurers without understanding broader factors. It describes how premiums are regionalized based on local risk and how insurers rely heavily on investment returns to meet solvency requirements. The discussion delves deeper into deductibles. Fin...

Episode 21 of the Next Step podcast begins a three-part series on insurance basics with guest Steve, an “insurance guy” with nearly 20 years in the industry. The discussion explains why insurance feels like a “necessary evil” and traces its origins to ancient merchants spreading cargo risk, defining insurance as transferring risk to a larger pool. Key terms are clarified: premium, term, policy, cl...

Brittany Heard, a financial advisor at Foster Group in Des Moines, shares how a PR degree led her from event planning to PR work and into insurance and finance, which she enjoys for its mix of relationship-building and analytical planning. Nikki and Brittany discuss how digital banking has changed spending habits, the importance of budgeting from net pay, and how pay frequency affects monthly calc...

Episode 19 of the Next Step podcast concludes a conversation with Ben Anderson of empeople Credit Union about maintaining and repairing credit scores, especially for college students. He discusses student loans as a long-term burden, recommending not sacrificing current financial stability to pay them off early. For monitoring, he suggests quarterly score updates from card issuers, reviewing repor...

In Episode 18 of the Next Step podcast, the host welcomes Ben Anderson (“Bad Banker Ben”), with empeople Credit Union, to discuss credit scores. Ben explains why credit scores were created to replace biased lending decisions, tracing history from the origins in the 1950s to today. He explains that what counts as a “good” score shifts with economic conditions and details how credit scores affect ap...

Episode 17, the final installment in the Career Services series of the Next Step podcast, features a conversation with Matt and Sarah about career fairs and how students—especially those outside business majors—can prepare and benefit from them. They explain the purpose of career fairs and how to best utilize them. They note students often struggle to present, interview, and “sell” their skills, s...

The third of a four part series with University of Northern Iowa Career Services professionals Sarah and Matt, explaining how academic advising and career services collaborate to help students choose majors and connect them to realistic job opportunities. They emphasize that careers are often non-linear, students should focus on transferable skills. 94% of UNI students complete at least one intern...

On the Next Step podcast, the host continues a conversation with Matt and Sarah from the University of Northern Iowa Career Services Office about post-graduation support, cover letters, and interviewing. They explain that UNI typically provides services for one year after graduation, but their expertise is mainly for internships and first entry-level jobs. On cover letters, they note conflicting r...

On the Next Step podcast, the host welcomes University of Northern Iowa Career Services staff Sarah Goblirsch and Matt Nuese to discuss how career services offices are named and structured across campuses, including centralized, decentralized, and hybrid models. They emphasize that career services are generally free for students and outline key resume support, from helping students build a first r...

In Episode 13 of the Next Step podcast, the host encourages soon-to-be graduates to initiate “breaking up with your parents” conversations to align expectations after graduation, especially around finances, taxes, insurance, vehicles, cell phones, legal documents, and medical needs.  A printable cheat sheet is provided, and the next episode features career services professionals.   Conversation Gu...

In Episode 12 of the Next Step podcast, Nikki finishes a conversation with Tim Bakula, a university director of financial aid, about preparing to repay student loans after graduation. They emphasize that loan repayment and financial systems can be confusing even for educated adults, so graduates should take time to learn, ask questions, and use trusted sources such as their bank and loan servicer....

In Episode 11 of the Next Step podcast, the host continues a conversation with Tim Bakula, Director of Financial Aid, about what graduating seniors should do regarding student loans. Tim advises students to identify their loan servicer, review how much they have borrowed, and develop a realistic repayment plan and budget based on expected job, earnings, and living costs. He explains that financial...

Episode 10 of the Next Step podcast is an extended bonus conversation with four UNI May 2026 graduates—Mae, Alli, Estelle, and Grant—who discuss career goals and the stress of job searching. After introducing their majors and childhood dream jobs, they describe what they’ve learned: tailoring resumes and cover letters with job-description keywords, focusing on job duties over titles, and using net...

On episode nine of the Next Step podcast, host Nikki interviews Tim Bakula, a financial aid director at a Midwestern comprehensive university, about preparing for adulthood and managing student loans after college. Using the idea “find out before freaking out” (FOBFO) they define key terms: loan servicers, forbearance, grace period, and consolidation/payment structure. This is the first in a three...

Episode eight concludes the conversation with recruiter David Leto of the Palmer Group, focusing on negotiating after receiving an offer, navigating a tough new-grad job market, and how to succeed in the first six months of a new job. He invites candidates to contact Palmer Group via thepalmergroup.com, email DLETO@thepalmergroup.com, or phone 515-225-7000. The next episode will feature soon-to-gr...

This bonus episode of the Next Step podcast continues a conversation with David Leto of the Palmer Group about social media and LinkedIn, application materials, and interviewing. Leto explains that employers often search candidates online and warns students that private settings are not truly private; he recommends avoiding questionable posts and maintaining a professional LinkedIn presence throug...

Episode six of the Next Step podcast features host and guest David Leto of the Palmer Group discussing career paths and what employers seek in new hires, especially recent graduates. Leto shares his journey from an organizational communication major to become the CEO of the Palmer Group. The conversation emphasizes the value of being teachable, adaptable, and willing to learn as industries and job...

In Episode five of the Next Step podcast, the host provides detailed guidance on navigating job interviews, starting from the pre-screening stage to post-interview follow-up.  The host advises on the dos and don'ts of interview behavior, provides tips for virtual interviews, and discusses the significance of a handwritten thank you note post-interview. The episode ends with a teaser for the next e...