NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

• Thanksgiving Savings You’ll Actually Notice and Tax Filing Tips for Common Law Couples

  Learn how to save on Thanksgiving dinner and decide if filing taxes jointly makes sense for common law couples. How can you trim your Thanksgiving costs without skimping on the feast? Should common law spouses file taxes jointly or separately? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola dig into tax choices for couples to help you understand which filing status may fit your situation and what to weigh before you commit. But first, Anna Helhoski joins Elizabeth to unpack why the cost of a classic Thanksgiving dinner is down this year and how to shop smart for the expanded table. They cover where prices fell and rose across the holiday menu, what turkey deals and meal bundles at places like Aldi, Walmart and Target could mean for your budget, and why recently reduced food tariffs may take time to show up on store shelves. Then, tax Nerd Bella Avila joins Sean and Elizabeth to answer a listener’s question about common law marriage and taxes. They discuss when married filing jointly versus separately can lower your bill, how IRS rules treat common law marriages (and what to consider if you move states), and practical to-dos like updating your W-4 within 10 days, timing a name change, and reviewing credit and student loan implications. They also touch on cohabitation agreements (a “prenup” for common law couples) and why clear money conversations matter before you file. 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 In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: common law marriage, file taxes jointly common law, married filing jointly vs separately, Thanksgiving dinner cost 2025, turkey prices 2025, food inflation CPI, Aldi Thanksgiving meal, Walmart Thanksgiving meal, Target Thanksgiving bundle, Whole Foods Thanksgiving dinner price, Harry and David Thanksgiving meal, save money on Thanksgiving, store brand vs name brand, frozen vegetables price, sweet potato shortage North Carolina, avian flu turkey prices, food tariffs 2025, Trump food tariff rollback, grocery prices outlook, head of household vs single, surviving spouse filing status, education credits married filing separately, child tax credit MFS rules, medical expense deduction 7.5% AGI, W-4 update after marriage, add domestic partner to health insurance, dependent eligibility common law spouse, IRS rules common law marriage, cohabitation agreement, prenup cost and timeline, name change and taxes, tax brackets married vs single, standard deduction married filing jointly, and credit and deductions phaseouts joint filers. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Generational Wealth Built from Scratch and an Emergency Fund on a Deadline

  Learn how first-generation earners build wealth and how to grow an emergency fund before a possible job loss. How do first-generation earners start and protect generational wealth? How can you bulk up an emergency fund fast if layoffs are looming? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss first-generation wealth building and how to build an emergency fund. Elizabeth first welcomes Grace Vandecruze, founder and managing director at Grace Global Capital LLC, to discuss being the first in her family to accumulate wealth with the goal of passing it down to future generations. Vandecruze shares tips and tricks on shifting a scarcity money mindset, setting firm boundaries with relatives who ask for financial help, and laying a 100-year legacy with insurance, wills, and family money conversations. Then, personal finance Nerd Kim Palmer joins Sean and Elizabeth to discuss fast-tracking an emergency fund before a potential job loss. They discuss smart places to cut variable spending, how to route side-gig income to savings while setting aside money for taxes. They also go over ways to adjust retirement contributions while using frameworks such as the 50/30/20 budget, bare-bones budgeting, and high-yield savings to manage irregular income and avoid slipping back into credit card debt. How to Make Money Online and Offline in 2025: https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/how-to-make-money  Homeless to Millionaire : 6 Keys to UPLIFT your Financial Abundance 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 In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: budgeting with irregular income, side hustles to make money, no spend challenge, meal planning savings, grocery loyalty programs, variable vs fixed expenses, bare bones budget, high yield savings account, side gig taxes, estimated tax payments, consulting side income, adjunct professor income, nonprofit layoffs, student loan payoff strategy, save bonus vs salary, 403b match, pause retirement contributions, estate planning basics, will and power of attorney, life insurance for families, family money boundaries, saying no to money requests, financial literacy, legacy planning, intergenerational wealth transfer, talking about money with family, and underinsured households. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• IRA Conversion Strategies and Reading Economic Signals During a Shutdown

  Discover how current economic data affect you and decide if a Roth or Traditional IRA is the most appropriate option for your retirement savings. What’s happening with layoffs and the economy right now? How should you be thinking about the data used to determine the economy's health, and what does it mean for your personal finances? Hosts Elizabeth Ayoola and Sean Pyles discuss non-traditional financial indicators and Roth IRAs versus Traditional IRAs to help you understand the current economic landscape and make smarter retirement contribution choices. First, Elizabeth shares her conversation with NerdWallet senior economist Elizabeth Renter about how we can gauge the health of the U.S. economy based on private sector data in the midst of the government shutdown. They talk about labor market nuances, layoff announcements, and how we can use consumer sentiment  figures when hardly any other federal economic data are available. Then, investing Nerd June Sham joins Sean and Elizabeth to discuss retirement funding options. They weigh prioritizing retirement accounts for contributions, when to choose Roth vs. Traditional contributions, and the benefits and trade-offs of Roth conversions. The discussion covers the tax differences between Roth and traditional accounts, guidelines for deciding which to use based on your current and projected future tax bracket, and reasons why someone might convert a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA, such as avoiding Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs), and strategies for timing conversions. 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 In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: 401k, retirement savings, retirement account, investing, financial freedom, tax-free withdrawals, tax planning, high income, contribution limits, Roth conversion ladder, self-employed retirement, employer match, investment options, Solo 401k, simple IRA, taxable events, Medicare premiums, ADP employment report, Chicago Fed Nowcast, stock market, corrugated box indicator, champagne indicator, men's underwear index, capital gains, estate planning, price growth, economic cooling, market stability, inflation, household finances, unemployment, and job cuts. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• First-Generation Wealth Building and the Truth About Stablecoin Yields

  Learn how first-generation wealth builders create financial freedom and what stablecoins could mean for your savings. How do you build wealth when you’re the first in your family to be able to do so? And can stablecoins really out-earn your savings account? Host Elizabeth Ayoola and Sean Pyles explore generational wealth-building and the myths and realities of stablecoins in a rapidly changing cryptocurrency environment. Joined by entrepreneurs and fiancés Ronne Brown and Courtney Hale, Elizabeth kicks off the first segment with a heartfelt look at how first-generation wealth builders are redefining what it means to be “rich.” Ronne and Courtney share their journeys from modest beginnings to financial independence, relaying how childhood lessons shaped their values, how they built multiple income streams through entrepreneurship, and the steps they’re taking to continue building generational wealth together. They discuss the power of investing early, using real estate and the stock market strategically, and protecting assets through estate planning and life insurance. Then, investing writer Sam Taube joins Sean and Elizabeth to break down the difference between Bitcoin and stablecoins — and whether high-yield stablecoins are too good to be true. They explore how the Genius Act changes crypto regulation, how yield-bearing stablecoins compare to high-yield savings accounts, and what risks investors should consider before diving in. They discuss how to find a balance between risk and reward in crypto-based savings options, how stablecoins actually earn yield, and why traditional banking products still offer peace of mind for the risk-averse. Best High-Yield Savings Accounts of November 2025 https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/best/high-yield-online-savings-accounts  The Costs of Being Unbanked (and How to Minimize Them) https://www.nerdwallet.com/banking/studies/data-unbanked  Crypto staking: What it is, how it works, calculator https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/investing/how-crypto-staking-works  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 In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: financial independence, building generational wealth, multigenerational money mindset, family legacy planning, breaking the cycle of poverty, entrepreneurship strategies, business ownership, side hustles, wealth psychology, mindset shifts, money trauma, minority entrepreneurship, real estate investing, stock investing basics, portfolio diversification, passive income streams, estate strategy, life insurance for families, trust and wills, crypto investing, digital currency regulation, crypto yield risks, yield-bearing coins, decentralized finance, DeFi savings, crypto-backed savings accounts, tokenized assets, stablecoin interest rates, inflation hedge, risk management, safe investing, traditional bank safety, asset protection, long-term wealth growth, market volatility, risk versus reward, financial resilience, and balancing traditional and digital assets. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Open Enrollment 2026: How to Choose Dental, Vision, Life and Disability (Plus: When to Refinance a Home)

  Learn how to pick dental, vision, life, and disability coverage with confidence, and when refinancing a home can actually save you money. Is now a good time to refinance your mortgage? Which open enrollment benefits are worth it this year? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola talk to an expert about the ins and outs of open enrollment in 2026. But first, news Nerd Anna Helhoski joins them to share her conversation with NerdWallet mortgage writer Holden Lewis about falling mortgage rates and what they mean for buyers, sellers, and homeowners. They begin with a discussion of refinancing and today’s housing market, with tips and tricks on using a refinance calculator, how much of a rate cut to target, weighing closing costs and the break-even timeline, and other smart reasons to refi. Then, benefits expert April Brasher, knowledge advisor at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), joins Sean and Elizabeth to discuss open enrollment choices beyond health insurance. They discuss what dental and vision plans usually cover and what they don’t, how and when to add to group life insurance provided by some workplaces, and how disability insurance works. They also discuss when accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), hospital indemnity, and critical illness policies can make sense, how to avoid being over-insured, and why taking a quick personal and financial inventory before enrollment deadlines helps you choose only what you need. 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 In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: mortgage rates, refinance mortgage, refinance break-even, FHA mortgage insurance, remove FHA MIP, conventional vs FHA loan, housing market outlook, best time to buy a house, home buying season, mortgage closing costs, homeowners insurance shopping, lower mortgage payment, Fed rate cuts, housing inventory, open enrollment, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance through employer, supplemental life insurance, beneficiary designation, evidence of insurability, AD&D insurance, disability insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, own occupation vs any occupation, hospital indemnity insurance, critical illness insurance, high deductible health plan, and limited purpose FSA. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email [email protected]. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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