The Pete the Planner® Show

Hosted by IBJ Media

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Episodes

544

Latest episode

Nov 2026

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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.

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60 recent

November 6, 202657 min

What number makes you feel wealthy?

Affluent Americans just raised their retirement target 26% in one year, to $2.6 million - and most actual millionaires still don't feel wealthy. Pete and Damian dig into what Americans say they need, why the goalpost keeps moving, and what people say actually makes them feel rich (hint: it isn't just money). Plus the $185,500 health bill nobody budgets for, what Social Security's 2034 deadline really means, and the results of our LinkedIn poll.

October 30, 202659 min

Buy, Borrow, Die: The Rich Person's Cheat Code?

What if you could spend your stock-market gains without selling your stocks? This week, Pete and Damian unpack the "buy, borrow, die" strategy: how wealthy investors turn portfolios into spending money, why banks love the arrangement, and what happens when the market stops cooperating. Is it smart planning, a rich person's cheat code, or a very expensive way to discover that debt is still debt?

October 23, 20261 hr 7 min

You Can Buy the Right to Transfer Investment Risk

What if the purpose of some of your money is to buy fewer financial worries? This week, Pete, Dame, and Kristen explore annuities through one central idea: you can pay an insurance company to take on certain risks. We’ll explain the basics, compare the types and costs, and weigh the tradeoffs of exchanging flexibility and growth potential for greater certainty.

October 16, 20261 hr 6 min

Wait a second. What in the world is a home equity investment?

Your house has gone up in value. Your checking account hasn’t. Now a company is offering you cash from your home equity—with no monthly payments. Home Equity Investments promise access to housing wealth without another monthly bill. But what do you surrender in exchange, and where will the money come from when it’s time to settle up? Pete, Dame, and Kristen examine how these agreements work, what the numbers can look like, and whether turning home equity into spending money solves a financial problem or delays it.

October 9, 202657 min

Does Retirement Require a More Aggressive Asset Allocation in Today's World?

Traditional retirement advice has encouraged investors to gradually reduce risk as they approach retirement. But with retirements potentially lasting 30 years or longer, inflation threatening purchasing power, and retirees increasingly responsible for generating their own income, is that advice still appropriate?

October 8, 20261 hr 1 min

You promised to pay for college. Did you promise to go broke?

“We’ll pay for college” is easy to say when your kid is wearing diapers. What happens when they pick a private school, change majors, or need a fifth year? This week, we tackle three listener questions about how much to save, where parents can draw the line, and what to do when a college promise threatens retirement.

September 25, 202655 min

He Makes $168,000—and Still Can’t Afford to Retire

A 53-year-old newly divorced man earns $168,000, kept the family home, and believes his best earning years are ahead of him. From the outside, he appears financially secure. But he has only $315,000 left for retirement, spends more than his monthly paycheck, carries 22% credit-card debt, and depends on an annual bonus that hasn’t arrived yet. His plan is to maintain his lifestyle, keep the oversized house, and catch up later. Is this merely a four-year financial squeeze—or has a high income disguised a retirement emergency? We examine the difference between earning a lot and needing a lot, whether home equity counts as a retirement plan, and what it would actually take for him to retire at 65.

September 18, 20261 hr 2 min

51 and starting over

After 26 years of marriage, a 51-year-old listener is learning how to manage money on her own. She has a solid income, retirement savings, home-equity proceeds, temporary spousal support—and a persistent fear that one wrong decision could ruin everything. Should she buy another house? Pay off her car? Invest the divorce settlement? Keep helping her adult children? And is retiring at 65 still realistic? In this episode, we separate the financial damage of divorce from the emotional disruption of divorce, establish the correct order of operations, and build a practical 12-month plan for starting over without starting from zero.

September 11, 20261 hr 10 min

Is the great generational wealth transfer real?

Millennials are expected to inherit approximately $46 trillion over the next 25 years, making them the largest beneficiaries of the so-called Great Wealth Transfer. But that enormous number hides an uncomfortable reality: much of the money belongs to a very small number of families, many inheritances won’t arrive until recipients are nearing retirement, and millions of millennials will receive little or nothing. Pete explains where the trillions are actually going, why inheritance may widen America’s economic divide and how families should plan for money that may—or may not—eventually arrive.

September 4, 20261 hr 6 min

The case for outsourcing all your chores

We’ve all heard “it takes a village," but what if you have to pay for yours? From house cleaners and lawn care to childcare and grocery delivery, outsourcing can give us back time and capacity. But when is it a smart financial choice, and when is “buying back your time” just a fancy way to justify lifestyle creep? We’re talking about what your time is actually worth, what’s worth outsourcing, and when convenience deserves a place in your budget.