The Pete the Planner® Show

Hosted by IBJ Media

BusinessInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

528

Latest episode

Jul 2026

Language

About the show

Discussing money can be emotionally charged, but not here on the Pete the Planner® Show where Personal Finance Expert, former comedian, and author Peter Dunn breaks down personal finance with humor, practical advice, and real-life scenarios to help you make smarter money moves. Pete and his co-hosts Kristen and Damian lead a guilt-free discussion of budgeting, investing, retirement planning, and any number of other topics meant to help you thrive in the present and future. Part of the IBJ Media Podcast Network.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

July 24, 20261 hr 2 min

Financial marketing, translated

Every financial company wants your attention. To get it, they rely on polished language, compelling statistics, and phrases that sound reassuring—but often leave out the context that actually matters. In Financial Marketing, Translated, we decode the ads, websites, brochures, and sales pitches that shape financial decisions every day. We explain what the jargon really means, what assumptions are hiding beneath the claims, and the questions every consumer should ask before saying yes. This isn't about calling financial marketing dishonest. It's about making sure you understand the language well enough to separate meaningful information from persuasive messaging. Because once you can translate the marketing, you can make better financial decisions with confidence.

July 17, 20261 hr 3 min

You Need HOW Much to Live Comfortably in Indiana?! The $220,000 Headline Everyone Is Getting Wrong

A listener clicked on one of those irresistible CNBC headlines claiming a family of four in Indiana needs more than $220,000 a year to live comfortably. Is that actually true... or is it another example of statistics being stretched beyond recognition? This week, we unpack the difference between a living wage, a comfortable lifestyle, and wealth. We'll explain why national headlines often create more anxiety than clarity, why "comfortable" means something different to everyone, and how to determine whether your income is enough—without comparing yourself to an internet calculator.

July 10, 20261 hr 0 min

The $50,000 Mistake Hiding Inside Your House

Your house is probably the biggest purchase you'll ever make—but for most people, it's the least managed asset they own. This week, Pete and NeighborServe CEO Dan Hanrahan break down what every homeowner should know: what your home needs, when it needs it, what it should cost, and who you should call before a small problem becomes a financial disaster. You'll learn why experts recommend budgeting 1–4% of your home's value every year for maintenance, why deferred maintenance behaves like high-interest debt, and how America's aging housing stock is quietly creating expensive surprises for millions of homeowners. Plus, we'll share practical advice on building your own home maintenance playbook so you're never caught off guard. Whether you've owned your home for six months or 30 years, this episode could save you thousands.

July 3, 202633 min

The best financial metric you've never heard of

Most people measure their financial lives by the wrong numbers. Income. Net worth. Debt. Credit score. Those numbers tell you where you are—but they don't tell you whether you're actually moving toward financial freedom. In this solo episode of Worth with Pete the Planner, Pete revisits one of his favorite financial concepts: Power Percentage. Created years ago to answer the question, "Am I doing okay?", Power Percentage measures something far more important than wealth—it measures behavior. Pete explains why two people with identical incomes can have completely different financial futures, why net worth can be misleading, and why the habits behind your money matter more than the money itself. If you've ever wondered whether you're really making progress, this episode will give you a different scoreboard—and maybe a better way to think about your financial life. Because the goal isn't to look wealthy. It's to build freedom.

June 26, 20261 hr 5 min

When Doing the Right Thing Feels Like Financial Failure

You spend years making smart financial decisions. You save aggressively, live below your means, and watch your retirement accounts grow. Then life happens. The family grows, the starter home no longer works, and suddenly your mortgage payment triples. Even when you can afford it, why does it feel like you've made a terrible mistake? This week, we answer an email from a listener who isn't really asking whether he should pay down his mortgage or save for retirement. He's asking a much deeper question: How do you adjust your financial plan when your entire financial reality changes?

June 18, 202655 min

The 2.75% mortgage trap: When a great interest rate keeps you stuck

This week, we tackle one of the biggest financial dilemmas facing homeowners today: what do you do when your life outgrows your house, but your mortgage rate is too good to give up? A listener and her husband are raising two kids, both working from home, caring for aging parents, and trying to decide whether moving from a $600,000 home into a $750,000 home makes financial sense. The challenge? Their current mortgage rate is an almost mythical 2.75%, with just 14 years remaining until payoff. On paper, the move appears affordable. A larger home would increase their monthly payment from roughly $2,200 to $3,500, but an upcoming increase in income could largely offset the difference. Still, walking away from a low-rate mortgage feels financially painful. In this episode, we break down: Whether their math actually works Why "can we afford it?" and "should we do it?" are different questions The psychological power of a low mortgage rate How to think about future interest rates without trying to predict them The hidden cost of staying in a house that no longer fits your life Why some homeowners have become prisoners of their own great refinancing decisions When remodeling makes sense—and when it's just a way to avoid making a decision Plus, Pete explores the concept of the "mortgage trap": the strange modern reality where millions of Americans have become financially anchored to homes they may have otherwise outgrown. Is giving up a 2.75% mortgage rate a financial mistake—or is it simply the price of moving into the next stage of life? This week's episode is about the tension between optimizing money and optimizing your life. Sometimes those two things aren't the same.

June 11, 20261 hr 9 min

The strange reality of the brand new Trump accounts

The government wants to give newborns a $1,000 investment account. Depending on who you ask, it's either a bold step toward building generational wealth or a cleverly branded headline with limited real-world impact. This week, we're breaking down the new Trump Accounts: who qualifies, how they work, and whether they're actually a game changer for American families. We'll run the numbers to see what a single $1,000 investment at birth can become over a lifetime, examine whether the accounts help close the wealth gap or widen it, and compare them to existing options like 529 plans and Roth IRAs. Most importantly, we'll ask a bigger question: Is the real value of this program the money itself, or the idea that every child should begin life as an investor? Politics aside, this episode is about ownership, opportunity, and the power of time. Because when it comes to building wealth, a head start may be worth more than a handout. Plus: If someone gave your child $1,000 to invest tomorrow, would it actually change your financial behavior? We think the answer reveals a lot more than the account itself.

June 4, 20261 hr 2 min

The most overrated financial goals

Everyone has financial goals. Pay off your mortgage.Retire early.Get an 850 credit score.Pay cash for everything. But what if some of the most celebrated financial goals in America are actually overrated? This week, Pete, Dame, and Kristen debate the financial goals people chase that may not deserve the hype. From perfect credit scores to early retirement, they explore whether some money milestones are helping people build better lives—or simply giving them something to obsess over. Because sometimes the smartest financial move isn't reaching a goal. It's choosing a better one.

May 29, 20261 hr 7 min

The Millionaire Math: How to Become a Millionaire in Your 20s, 30s, or 40s

Everybody wants to become a millionaire. Almost nobody wants to hear the actual math required to do it. This week, we break down the old-fashioned path to building a million dollars depending on when you start. What does it actually take if you begin in your 20s? Your 30s? Your 40s? We’re talking real numbers: how much to invest how long it takes what income levels help what lifestyle choices matter most No day trading. No crypto miracles. No “7 passive income streams.” Just the surprisingly boring math behind how ordinary Americans quietly become wealthy.

May 22, 20261 hr 5 min

The role your house should play in retirement

For decades, Americans have treated their homes like both a dream and an investment strategy. But when it comes to retirement planning, your house has a very specific role to play — and it’s probably not what social media tells you. This week, Pete, Kristen, and Dame tackle one of the most misunderstood retirement concepts in personal finance: why entering retirement without a mortgage can dramatically improve financial flexibility, lower stress, and reduce the amount of money you actually need to retire. But there’s an important distinction here: this is not an episode about draining your retirement accounts to aggressively pay off your mortgage tomorrow. In fact, that can sometimes make your situation worse. The crew explores: Why cash flow matters more than net worth in retirement The psychological power of owning your home outright Why a paid-off house lowers retirement pressure When keeping a mortgage into retirement can still make sense Why “I could pay it off” is very different from “I should pay it off” The hidden danger of becoming “house rich and cash poor” How today’s low-rate mortgages complicate the conversation Plus: Pete explains why many people misunderstand what financial advisors mean when they say your home is part of your retirement strategy.