Personal Finance Episodes
254
Sept. 12, 2026
BFC Weekly Recap: Mortgage Rates Hit 6.71%, the New $2,000 1099 Rule, and Who Owes Debt After Death
Happy Saturday, everybody! Mortgage rates just climbed to a 13-month high, the IRS changed the 1099 threshold to $2,000, and I finally answered the question I get asked more than almost any other: do you owe a dead relative's credit card debt? We also got into what financial confidence really means, the framework I use with clients to give every dollar a job, and a conversation with a finance coach about money and marriage that hit closer to home than I expected. I'm Ralph Estep Jr., a lic...
250
Sept. 8, 2026
Why 37 Percent of Adults Can't Cover a $400 Emergency and How to Fix It
The Federal Reserve asks Americans the same question every year: if you got hit with an unexpected $400 expense right now, how would you pay for it? The answers say a lot about where people actually stand with money, and it's not what you'd guess. On today's episode, Juliet and I dig into what that $400 question really reveals, then walk through the four stages I've watched people move through on the way to real financial confidence. Before that, three quick things worth knowing about your mone...