Money Well Studio

How much should parents actually save for college? Is a 529 always the smartest place to put the money? And in a world being reshaped by artificial intelligence, how should families think about what a degree is actually worth? In this episode of  Money Well Studio , Jennifer Lowry and Julie Black are joined by  Javid Jamae , entrepreneur, software engineer, growth engineering leader, and father of...

You already have a prenup. The question is whether you chose the terms. This episode is Part 2 of our conversation on prenuptial agreements. In our original episode, we explored the basics of prenups and why they can matter. This time, Jennifer and Julie go deeper with special guest, family law attorney and mediator Kayvon Rashidi . Kayvon explains who should consider a prenup, what a prenup can a...

Dolly Parton, dirty martinis, and the Federal Reserve? Yes, really. In this week’s episode, we break down why Dolly was more than a country icon. She was a force for women, generosity, and ambition. Then we gossip our way through Jackson Hole, the Fed, and what it all means for money. And because no Dolly tribute is complete without a cocktail, here’s the Dirt Road Martini recipe we talked about:...

Your kid loves the campus. The acceptance letter comes in. Everyone gets excited. Now look at the numbers. In this episode of Money Well Studio, we take an analytical approach to one of the biggest financial decisions families make: choosing and paying for college. The question isn’t simply, “Is this a good school?” It's "is this school worth this price for this student?" We break down how to comp...

Can you trust your spouse completely and still protect yourself financially? Inspired by Belle Burden’s memoir Strangers, Jennifer and Julie explore how women can gradually become disconnected from their own financial lives through decisions that look like trust, teamwork and marriage. They discuss why having a prenup does not always mean being protected, the hidden financial cost of caregiving an...

Why would the Federal Reserve intentionally want prices to rise? In this episode, Jennifer and Julie unpack why the Fed targets roughly 2% inflation, why zero inflation is not necessarily the goal, and what can happen when prices rise too quickly—or begin falling. They travel from Revolutionary War currency to 18% mortgages in the 1970s and the post-pandemic inflation surge, exploring what these m...

In this episode of Money Well Studio, Jennifer and Julie celebrate America’s semiquincentennial the only way a personal finance podcast should: by talking about taxes. From the Stamp Act and the Tea Act to today’s newest tax-advantaged account for children, this episode connects America’s original money complaint, taxation without representation, to the modern tax code and the new Trump Accounts,...

In the final installment of our AI and work series, we are bringing the conversation home to the kitchen table, the college tour, and the carpool line. Parents have always worried about whether they are preparing their kids for the future. But now, with AI reshaping school, work, hiring, and entire industries, the old career advice many of us grew up with is starting to feel a little expired. Get...

Getting your first real job has always been stressful. But for today’s new graduates, the pressure feels different. The job market is tighter. Entry-level roles often ask for experience that new workers do not yet have. And now AI is changing many of the starter tasks that young employees used to rely on to learn the ropes: first drafts, research, meeting summaries, basic analysis, emails, decks,...

AI may not take your whole job. But it might take the parts of your job that used to make you look busy. In this episode of  Money Well Studio , Julie and Jennifer continue their AI and work series with a conversation for everyone in the middle of their career: not new, not done, and wondering how to stay valuable when AI can draft the email, summarize the meeting, build the outline, and pull toge...

AI may feel brand new, but the fear, disruption, and uncertainty around it are anything but. In this first episode of our four-part AI series, we go back in time to look at the Industrial Revolutions and what they can teach us about the future of work today. We explore how major technological shifts have always changed jobs, industries, and entire communities — from the power loom to automated flo...

Show Notes What if one of the most powerful investing strategies didn’t require timing the market, picking the next hot stock, or even selling anything? In this episode of Money Well Studio, we’re diving into dividends—a strategy that generated trillions of dollars for investors last year alone and continues to grow. And yes, it all started with people getting paid in spices. We trace dividends ba...

Retirement wasn’t always part of the plan—and today, it’s definitely not automatic. In this episode, we unpack how retirement evolved from Roman pensions to corporate guarantees… and how it quietly became your responsibility. Along the way, we break down the essential tools—401(k)s, IRAs, Roth strategies, and HSAs—and show you how to actually use them without getting overwhelmed. We also highlight...

What if your child’s financial future didn’t start with their first job, but at birth? In this episode, Jennifer and Julie break down  530A accounts which is a brand-new, government-backed investment account designed specifically for kids. It’s part retirement account, part public policy experiment, and potentially one of the most powerful tools for long-term wealth building we’ve seen in years. F...

In Part 2 of our pay gap series, we move from history to the policy architecture shaping women’s earnings in America. Joined by  Vasu Reddy of the National Women’s Law Center , we examine what the pay gap actually measures, why it persists, and which structural levers matter most if we want meaningful change. In Part 1, we explored the historical roots of the wage gap and why the well-intentioned...

There are few numbers in American life more quoted and less understood than this one: Eighty-three cents. That is what women, on average, earn for every dollar paid to men. It is cited in headlines. Argued over on cable news. Debated in boardrooms. Dismissed at dinner parties. But the gender pay gap is not a personality flaw, it is not a confidence problem. It is not the result of women failing to...

Buckle-up sweethearts - Valentine's Day is upon us. In this episode, Jennifer and Julie unpack the expensive economics behind Valentine’s Day. From the holiday’s unusual historical roots to the modern phenomenon of “Red Tuesday,” one of the biggest breakup days of the year, they explore how love becomes commercialized and why the holiday so often creates financial stress and relationship tension....

February has a reputation problem—but it also brings one of America’s most fascinating seasonal markets:  Girl Scout Cookie season . In this episode of  Money Well Studio , Jennifer and Julie unwrap the surprisingly rich economics behind Girl Scout cookies—from their humble home-baked origins to a billion-dollar fundraising machine. We dig into how cookie sales teach real-world financial skills li...

We came in with plans. January had intentions. And then… life punched us in the face. In this episode of  Money Well Studio , Jennifer and Julie do a candid, funny, and refreshingly honest check-in on their New Year’s resolutions—from Dry January experiments to decluttering dreams that didn’t quite survive the holidays. We unpack where Dry January actually came from (spoiler: it was never meant to...

What do New Year’s resolutions really have in common with January gym memberships—and why do so many fail by February? In this episode of  Money Well Studio , Julie and Jennifer reframe New Year’s resolutions through the god of  Janus , the Roman god of beginnings, endings, and thresholds. Rather than treating resolutions as rigid goals, they explore them as rituals—moments to pause, reflect, and...

Julie and Jennifer unwrap the holiday classic  National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation  to find some surprisingly timeless financial lessons—most of them learned the hard way, courtesy of Cousin Eddie. With his RV parked in the driveway and his “Jelly of the Month Club” dreams, Eddie is the ultimate cautionary tale for what  not  to do with money during the holidays. Cocktail: The Burnt Toupee 🍫 In...

Jennifer and Julie throw it back to the pastel-soaked, synth-scored world of  Miami Vice , where Crockett and Tubbs fought crime in linen suits and speedboats. In this episode, they unpack how the glossy fantasies of the 1980s shaped our modern obsession with image, luxury, and comparison. They draw a straight line from the flamingo-pink excess of  Miami Vice  to the filtered perfection of Instagr...

In this festive edition of  Money Well Studio , Julie and Jennifer unwrap the surprising relationship between joy and economics, while calling out Santa Claus for being the benevolent dictator that he is.  From the frenzy of Black Friday to the quiet sentiment of a handwritten note, they explore how our seasonal spending both fuels the global economy and tests our personal finances.    Cocktail :...

In this episode, Jennifer and Julie guide listeners through the essential steps and responsibilities that come with homeownership after closing. They discuss the importance of security measures, updating addresses, managing mortgage payments, and understanding home maintenance. The conversation also covers navigating post-closing paperwork, avoiding junk mail scams, and being aware of property tax...

Tick-tock, it’s time to mess with your clocks! In this episode of  Money Well Studio , Jennifer Lowry and Julie Black dive head-first into the wild world of  Daylight Saving Time —that twice-a-year ritual that leaves us all wondering why we’re so tired and late and sometimes early for brunch. From its quirky historical beginnings to its debated economic and social ripple effects, they unpack how w...