The Pete the Planner® Show

Did retirement get harder — or did it just change? A listener writes in with a question a lot of people are quietly asking: Is the kind of retirement our parents and grandparents had even possible anymore? They remember a time when retirement felt automatic — pensions, Social Security, paid-off homes, and far less anxiety about markets or running out of money. Today, even people doing “everything...

Jobs are still there. Markets are still standing. Inflation isn’t spiraling. So why does everything feel… off? In this episode, Pete the Planner tackles the growing disconnect between what the economic data says and how people actually feel about their money. This isn’t a recession episode—but it’s definitely not a “everything’s great” episode either. We dig into why households feel financially ex...

Nobody wants debt. But sometimes life forces the issue. In this episode, Pete, Damian, and Kristen tackle a reality most people face at some point: needing cash quickly. This isn’t an endorsement of borrowing and it’s definitely not a how-to. It’s a ranking of consequences—a clear-eyed look at which debt options hurt the least, which ones quietly wreck your future, and which should be avoided almo...

Most Americans believe retirement is just a math problem: invest consistently, ride the market, and everything will work out. The data says otherwise. In this episode, Pete digs into new retirement research that reveals a hard truth—retirement success isn’t being derailed by bad investing, it’s being quietly sabotaged by behavior, debt, and timing . You’ll learn why the vast majority of workers ne...

Pete the Planner's predictions for housing, higher ed, energy and a potential tariff mess We’re in the midst of the holidays—always a good time for reflection. And this week that means holding Pete the Planner accountable for bold predictions he made in January about the economy and U.S. fiscal policy in 2025. Pete hit a bunch of these out of the park—especially those related to Trumponomics—and h...

Pete the Planner on Humor, Habits and the Psychology of Money On this episode of Off the Record, host Nate Feltman sits down with Peter Dunn, better known as Pete the Planner, one of America’s most trusted voices on personal finance. Dunn shares how a sixth-grade stock market contest launched his career, how he blends comedy and financial coaching to help people build better habits, and why the ps...

Let’s be honest: most New Year’s resolutions don’t make it to Valentine’s Day. So instead of pretending this year will be different, we’re drafting financial resolutions that actually survive real life. In this episode, we run The Financial Resolution Draft—fantasy-football style—selecting the smartest, most realistic financial moves for three life stages: your 20s, your 40s with kids, and your 60...

In this week’s episode, Pete breaks down the ten biggest financial mistakes Americans are making right now — from investing too little and too late, to overspending on housing, to making car decisions that haunt their budgets for years. With the economy shifting under everyone’s feet, these missteps are more common (and more costly) than ever. Pete walks through why these mistakes happen, what the...

This week on The Pete the Planner Show, we tackle a classic early-retirement temptation: what happens when you want out of the workforce before 59½, but almost all your money is locked inside qualified retirement accounts? A listener from Dayton writes in with solid savings, a paid-off home, and a serious case of “I can’t do this job anymore.” The problem? He wants $80,000 a year in retirement inc...

Pete and Kristen read a listener email who seems to indicate they greatly regret their recent home purchase

This week on The Pete the Planner Show, Pete, Damian, and Kristen dive into one of the most universal workplace mysteries: why everyone treats HR like a certified financial planner… even though HR can barely tell you which parking pass to choose without checking a binder. Open enrollment, confusing benefits forms, retirement questions—employees fire all of it straight at HR hoping for guidance, cl...

As the calendar barrels toward its final pages, Pete sits down for a solo episode to talk about the strange, sloppy, wonderful chaos of the year’s final weeks. From an economy that can’t decide what mood it’s in, to holiday spending that threatens to turn December joy into January regret, Pete breaks down what Americans are really wrestling with right now — and how to keep your financial head on s...

On this week’s episode of The Pete the Planner Show, Pete tackles what might be the most misguided “solution” to housing affordability ever pitched: the 50-year mortgage. On the surface, it sounds like a clever way to make homes more affordable — smaller payments, easier approval, and a chance for more people to buy. But dig a little deeper, and it’s clear this “innovation” is really a long-term f...

This week, Pete is joined by veteran podcaster and political enthusiast Chris Spangle to wrestle with the myth and the muscle of willpower. Why do we think it’s the key to every success story—money, fitness, food, or habits—when in reality, it often lets us down? Pete and Chris explore how environment, emotion, and even exhaustion can overpower our best intentions. From political discipline to per...

Forget the convertible and the questionable haircut — the real midlife crisis happens when you open your retirement account and realize the math isn’t mathing. In this solo episode, Pete explores the emotional and financial crossroads that hit in your 40s and 50s — when time feels shorter, careers plateau, and money goals start bumping into real life. He unpacks why financial growth slows down, ho...

Most people don’t know how to tell if their financial advisor is great—or just great at sounding confident. In this episode, Pete and Dame unpack the real red flags to watch for when you’re getting financial advice… without turning it into a witch hunt. They’ll break down the difference between a bad actor and a bad fit, decode advisor-speak (“We’ll rebalance with a tactical overlay!”), and show y...

💥 This week, Pete and Damian face off against their newest (and possibly most intimidating) competitor: Artificial Intelligence. Can two seasoned money nerds outthink an algorithm? In each round, Pete or Dame tackles a real financial dilemma — from whether to raid an emergency fund to pay off debt, to deciding between a Roth or traditional 401(k). Then, they read the AI’s answer and debate which...

Ever notice how the smartest people you know sometimes make the worst financial decisions? In this episode, Pete Dame unpack why intelligence doesn’t always translate to good money habits. From overconfidence and analysis paralysis to emotional blind spots and ego-driven decisions, we explore the psychology behind financial self-sabotage. We’ll share real-life examples of “smart” money mistakes —...

This week on The Pete the Planner Show, we’re tackling one of the toughest money dilemmas families face today: when helping your adult children turns into hurting yourself. A listener writes in about her 31-year-old daughter who still lives at home, contributes nothing financially, and has become the center of a tug-of-war between supportive love and enabling behavior. Pete, Kristen, and Damian un...

Young adults are increasingly turning to risky bets — sports gambling, meme stocks, crypto, even leveraged ETFs — not just for the thrill, but because traditional wealth-building feels out of reach. In this episode, Pete, Damian, and Kristen dig into the rise of “financial nihilism,” a mindset fueled by housing costs, student loans, job market uncertainty, and fading confidence in the American Dre...

Claire and Ethan, a newly married couple in their early 30s, are sitting on $450,000 in cash after selling property and combining finances — and instead of feeling secure, they’re feeling anxious. With a baby on the way, strong incomes, no debt, and a net worth north of $2 million, their dilemma is how to balance competing goals: buying a home, investing for the future, keeping travel flexibility,...

Americans are feeling strangely upbeat about retirement — maybe too upbeat. A new survey shows confidence is soaring, with fewer people saying it will take a “miracle” to retire comfortably. But optimism fueled by a hot stock market can be a dangerous thing if it leads to complacency. In this episode, Pete and the team break down the new retirement mood, the hidden worries still keeping people up...

Are all financial red flags truly dealbreakers? Not necessarily. This week, Pete and the team dig into the money habits that look risky on paper—but can actually be fine if managed with discipline. From Buy Now, Pay Later to car leases to living paycheck-to-paycheck, we explore the nuance between a red flag in isolation and a pattern that leads to real trouble. You’ll learn how to spot the differe...

When love and real estate collide, things can get messy. A new listener writes in after moving into their partner’s home—a home that’s been theirs for nearly a decade, kids and all. The couple is serious, even planning to elope, but the money side of the relationship? Totally unplanned. How do you contribute fairly when you don’t technically own the house? How do you protect yourself without seemi...

This week’s listener email comes from a 40-something who admits they’ve fallen behind on retirement savings—and they’re wondering if it’s too late to catch up. Pete and the team tackle the emotional weight of realizing you’re behind, the math of what’s still possible, and the practical moves to make right now. From cutting expenses and boosting savings, to making the most of peak earning years and...