NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

NerdWallet Personal Finance
  • 4.6 (13)
  • Investing
  • Updated Semiweekly

NerdWallet’s trusted finance journalists answer real-world money questions to help you make smarter financial decisions with confidence. Each episode dives deep into topics like budgeting, saving, investing, home buying, and credit cards, cutting through misinformation to bring you clear, actionable advice backed by thorough research. By the end of every episode, you’ll have the latest financial insights and the tools you’ll need to manage your money wisely, build wealth, and plan for life’s milestones. And if you have questions for the Nerds, you can leave them a voicemail at 901-730-6373. Join hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, Elizabeth Ayoola, and other expert Nerds as they answer your biggest money questions and share strategies to help you build wealth and reach your financial goals, including: – Investing: Advanced investment strategies, integrating ETFs and mutual funds into a diversified portfolio, tax-efficient retirement planning, understanding Roth IRA conversions, and navigating robo-advisors. – Credit Cards: Top credit cards for travel rewards and luxury perks, balance transfer strategies, maximizing credit card points, and optimizing credit card usage to boost your credit score. – Personal Finance: Advanced budgeting tips, building generational wealth, creating effective savings plans, managing high-income expenses, and developing a strong money growth mindset. – Home: Smart strategies for homebuying in competitive markets, leveraging home equity loans and HELOCs, refinancing for long-term savings, first-time homebuying tips, and budgeting for major home improvements. If you’re searching for the best personal finance podcasts or want practical knowledge to make smarter money decisions, then follow NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast. You’ll love NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast if you like podcasts like: Planet Money, The Personal Finance Podcast, DIY Money, Afford Anything, How to Money, The Ramsey Show, Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin, NPR’s Life Kit: Money, Popcorn Finance, Money Girl,Money Guy Show, Everyone’s Talkin’ Money, So Money with Farnoosh Tarabi, The Money with Katie Show, All the Hacks with Chris Hutchins, The Stacking Benjamins Show, MoneyWatch with Jill Schlesinger, or Your Money, Your Wealth. NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539 NMLS Consumer Access: http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/

  1. 9 hrs ago

    Stop Worrying About Your Financial Advisor and Start Finding the Right One

    Learn what financial advisor fee structures could mean for your wealth and how to find someone who won't sell you out. What new threats are emerging for identity crime victims? Host Sean Pyles, CFP®, and news colleague Rick VanderKnyff are joined by Mona Terry, chief operating and programs officer of the Identity Theft Resource Center, to walk through the ITRC's 2026 Trends in Identity Report. They explore why more than 1 in 4 victims now face two or more simultaneous identity incidents, how device compromise differs from the scams most people think to watch for, and whether AI is already making identity crimes harder to detect and resolve. Do financial advisors have a built-in conflict of interest that could be costing you money? Sean is joined by co-host Elizabeth Ayoola and NerdWallet Wealth Partners CEO Ryan Sterling to tackle a listener’s question about whether they should hire a financial advisor. They dig into how different advisor fee structures — from AUM (assets under management) percentages to flat-fee plans, hourly rates, and commissions — create different kinds of conflicts, what the fiduciary standard actually guarantees (and what it doesn't), and what red flags could signal that an advisor's priorities aren't aligned with yours. Learn more about working with a financial advisor at NerdWallet Wealth Partners: https://nerdwalletwealthpartners.com/smart  How to Prevent Identity Theft: Warning Signs, Protection Services and More https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/how-to-prevent-identity-theft  Read the ITRC's 2026 Trends in Identity Report: https://www.idtheftcenter.org/post/2026-trends-in-identity-report-hacked-devices-overtake-scams Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min

  2. 9 hrs ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Also Like: The Oprah Podcast

    Introducing Domestic Violence Crisis Now Impacts 1 in 2 Women, with Oprah and author Rachel Louise Snyder from The Oprah Podcast. Follow the show: The Oprah Podcast When Oprah first addressed the topic of domestic violence back in 1986, one out of four women in the United States was impacted by domestic violence. Today, that number has escalated to one out of two women who will experience sexual violence, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. In this episode Oprah talks with journalist, writer and professor Rachel Louise Snyder. She is the author of the award-winning bestseller, No Visible Bruises, where she explores the domestic violence epidemic and how to combat it. She explains why domestic violence is becoming more prevalent, why a better term for it is “intimate partner terrorism,” the signs to look out for and what steps women can take to protect themselves and their families. Oprah and Rachel are joined by Susan, a former Oprah Show guest, who endured 17 years of physical and emotional abuse by her former husband - some of which her husband forced her then 13-year-old son to record on video. Also, in the fatal Ohio home invasion that grabbed headlines, the sister and brother-in-law of married couple Spencer and Monique Tepe join to talk about how Monique had experienced years of threatening behavior and emotional abuse from her surgeon ex-husband before he killed them both in their home in December 2025. BUY THE BOOK! https://www.amazon.com/No-Visible-Bruises-Domestic-Violence/ 00:00:00 - Welcome Rachel Louise Snyder, author of “No Visible Bruises” 00:03:40 - Types of domestic violence 00:06:45 - Domestic violence vs. intimate terrorism 00:12:20 - The question: Why do you stay 00:14:57 - Seeing the signs 00:17:33 - Last act before homicide 00:19:00 - Rachel’s observation of abusive men 00:20:30 - Violence and addiction 00:24:24 - Susan’s story from The Oprah Winfrey Show 00:28:20 - Survivor Susan joins 00:35:20 - Susan’s son Dazmann joins 00:42:00 - Susan’s message to other women 00:43:10 - A DV tragedy rocked couple’s life 00:49:45 - What couple wants others to know 00:51:10 - Rachel’s personal connection to DV NEED HELP? If you or someone you know needs support, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available for anonymous, confidential help 24/7. Call 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) or visit the website below. https://www.thehotline.org/ Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. 3d ago

    $10,000 Lands in a Teen's Account — Here's What to Do First

    Learn what to do when your teen receives a windfall and how to balance saving, investing, and giving. What's the smartest way to help your teenager manage $10,000 to $15,000 in unexpected cash — without turning the conversation into a lecture? Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola sit down with personal finance Nerd Kate Ashford to answer listener Deb's question about her teen recently receiving a large sum as gifts after a life milestone. They dig into the biggest mistakes families make when a windfall hits, how to start the money talk in a way that actually sticks, and which financial tools and accounts could give your kid a head start on building wealth far earlier than most adults ever do. Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min

  4. Jun 18

    Prime Day Tips and Reddit's Brutally Honest Money Confessions

    Learn what to buy and skip on Prime Day 2026 and Reddit’s lessons that reveal how a $250K earner can end up broke. Is Prime Day actually a good deal this summer, and how financially resilient are American consumers right now? Host Elizabeth Ayoola is joined by news colleague Rick VanderKnyff, NerdWallet personal finance writer Tommy Tindall, and NerdWallet Senior Economist Elizabeth Renter to dig into Prime Day deals and the latest on American consumers’ financial resilience. They discuss which product categories could be worth purchasing during Amazon Prime Day and competing retailer sales, how AI-powered price history tools are changing the shopping experience, and what NerdWallet's June Consumer Financial Resilience Index score reveals about how confident Americans feel about their finances as they get ready to shop. Then, host Sean Pyles, CFP®, joins Elizabeth to break down five candid personal finance posts from Reddit. They explore why a Redditor earning $250,000 a year feels broke after lifestyle creep took hold, what the concept of hedonic adaptation could mean for your own spending habits, how “chubby FIRE” factors into the real-world complexities of early retirement and dating, what kinds of decisions led millionaires to lose everything they'd built, and how to break free from the money comparison trap when someone in your circle has $20 to $50 million in AI startup equity. What to Buy (and Skip) on Prime Day 2026: https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/what-to-buy-on-prime-day-2026  Explore the NerdWallet Consumer Financial Resilience Index: https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/studies/financial-resilience-index  Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Reddit posts discussed: 250k a Year and Broke, 4 Years Ago I Made 120k And Was Happier  CPI Just Came in At 3.8  Dating After FIRE  Ex-Millionaires of Reddit, what made you lose all your money?  How to Get Out of Money Comparison  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    43 min

  5. Jun 15

    Umbrella Insurance, Coverage Gaps, and What a $483 Bar Tab Taught Us About Money

    Learn when umbrella insurance is worth buying and what a $483 bar tab can teach you about being an informed consumer. When does umbrella insurance actually make sense for your finances? What happens if a lawsuit leaves you on the hook for more than your home or auto policy could cover? Hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola are joined by insurance nerd Caitlin Constantine to tackle a listener’s question about umbrella coverage: what it actually is, how it layers on top of your existing home, auto, and renters policies, what umbrella insurance won't cover, and how to figure out whether your current assets and policy limits leave you exposed.  Then, Elizabeth shares money lessons she took away after she and a friend accidentally racked up a $483 bar tab, including handling financial mistakes with grace and the secret power of forgiving yourself. Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min

  6. Jun 11

    SpaceX’s Biggest IPO in History and Funding a $117K Life Change

    Learn what the AI IPO boom could do to reshape your index funds and how to fund years of grad school with no income. With SpaceX set to debut as the biggest IPO in history — and OpenAI and Anthropic filing to follow — what does this landmark moment in the markets actually mean for your portfolio? Senior news editor Rick VanderKnyff and investing writer Sam Taub join hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola to break down the latest AI IPO news. They discuss what makes SpaceX's offering the largest public offering ever, what the historical track record of IPOs says about buying in at the opening price, and a quietly consequential change to index fund inclusion rules that could leave passive investors with a far bigger stake in mega-cap AI companies than they anticipated. They also explain what direct indexing is and how it could give you more control over what lands in your portfolio. How do you manage your money when you're leaving a career to spend up to three years in graduate school with no income? Sean and Elizabeth tackle a listener's detailed, multi-part question about funding a $117,000 occupational therapy doctorate. They explore whether a Roth IRA conversion could be a smart way to capitalize on low-tax years before graduation, what the new federal student loan borrowing caps under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act mean for graduate students' funding plans, how deferring an existing $17,000 in student debt could play out over time, and what to weigh before earning money on the side while in school. Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Sign up for MoneyNerd, NerdWallet's free weekly newsletter, for tips on watching the 2026 World Cup for free: https://moneynerd-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  What Is the New Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) for Student Loans? https://www.nerdwallet.com/student-loans/learn/what-is-the-new-repayment-assistance-plan-rap-for-student-loans  Direct Indexing: What It Is, How It Works https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/learn/direct-indexing  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min

  7. Jun 8

    Feel Organized and Less Anxious About Money: The Sinking Fund System Explained

    Learn how to set up a sinking fund system that puts your savings on autopilot and helps you reach your goals. What if the key to hitting your financial goals isn't just saving more, but saving smarter? Hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola dig into the sinking fund system, a strategy of separate, named savings accounts each tied to a specific purpose. They explore the psychology behind why earmarking money for a specific goal feels different from keeping one lump sum, how to choose between high-yield savings accounts, money market accounts, and CDs, and the common pitfalls that can stall your progress before the system even gets off the ground. Best High-Yield Savings Accounts of June 2026: Up to 4.03% https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/high-yield-online-savings-accounts  Subscribe to our podcast’s free email newsletter for bonus content and more from our hosts at https://smartmoney-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    34 min

  8. Jun 4

    The Affordable Home You Overlooked and the Investment Tax Trap You Need to Prepare For

    Learn whether manufactured homes could be your path to homeownership and how to get ahead of a tax bill from your investments. Could a decades-old federal rule be standing between you and an affordable home? Hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, and Elizabeth Ayoola are joined by senior news editor Rick VanderKnyff, along with mortgage writers Abby Badach Doyle and Kate Wood, to explore whether manufactured homes could offer a real path to homeownership for buyers priced out of the traditional market. They dig into how modern manufactured homes have changed, why the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is drawing renewed attention to an obscure chassis rule from 1976, and what you need to know about financing, appreciation, and whether these homes are finally having their rebrand moment. Then, investing and taxes editor Bella Avila helps answer a listener's question about how to handle a growing tax bill from investment income. They discuss how taxable accounts can trigger unexpected tax bills, how to decide between adjusting your W-4 and making estimated tax payments, and why strategies like stashing money in a HYSA or CD might not work out the way you'd hope. During this episode, data cited about manufactured home relocation rates was attributed to the Pew Research Center. The correct attribution is The Pew Charitable Trusts.  Locked Out: 3 Outdated Myths About Manufactured Homes https://www.nerdwallet.com/mortgages/news/locked-out-manufactured-homes-affordable-housing-crisis  Subscribe to MoneyNerd, our podcast’s weekly email newsletter, at https://moneynerd-nerdwallet.beehiiv.com/  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    36 min
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4.6
out of 5
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NerdWallet’s trusted finance journalists answer real-world money questions to help you make smarter financial decisions with confidence. Each episode dives deep into topics like budgeting, saving, investing, home buying, and credit cards, cutting through misinformation to bring you clear, actionable advice backed by thorough research. By the end of every episode, you’ll have the latest financial insights and the tools you’ll need to manage your money wisely, build wealth, and plan for life’s milestones. And if you have questions for the Nerds, you can leave them a voicemail at 901-730-6373. Join hosts Sean Pyles, CFP®, Elizabeth Ayoola, and other expert Nerds as they answer your biggest money questions and share strategies to help you build wealth and reach your financial goals, including: – Investing: Advanced investment strategies, integrating ETFs and mutual funds into a diversified portfolio, tax-efficient retirement planning, understanding Roth IRA conversions, and navigating robo-advisors. – Credit Cards: Top credit cards for travel rewards and luxury perks, balance transfer strategies, maximizing credit card points, and optimizing credit card usage to boost your credit score. – Personal Finance: Advanced budgeting tips, building generational wealth, creating effective savings plans, managing high-income expenses, and developing a strong money growth mindset. – Home: Smart strategies for homebuying in competitive markets, leveraging home equity loans and HELOCs, refinancing for long-term savings, first-time homebuying tips, and budgeting for major home improvements. If you’re searching for the best personal finance podcasts or want practical knowledge to make smarter money decisions, then follow NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast. You’ll love NerdWallet’s Smart Money Podcast if you like podcasts like: Planet Money, The Personal Finance Podcast, DIY Money, Afford Anything, How to Money, The Ramsey Show, Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin, NPR’s Life Kit: Money, Popcorn Finance, Money Girl,Money Guy Show, Everyone’s Talkin’ Money, So Money with Farnoosh Tarabi, The Money with Katie Show, All the Hacks with Chris Hutchins, The Stacking Benjamins Show, MoneyWatch with Jill Schlesinger, or Your Money, Your Wealth. NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539 NMLS Consumer Access: http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/

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