The Pete the Planner® Show

Hosted by IBJ Media

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Episodes

534

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Aug 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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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 5 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.

August 28, 202657 min

Americans Would Be Shocked by Canadian Personal Finance

What if you lived just a few hundred miles north—but the rules of your financial life were completely different? This week, we cross the border to examine the surprising realities of personal finance in Canada. From mortgages that regularly reset and government-funded healthcare to tax-free investment accounts Americans might envy, college savings incentives, retirement benefits, housing costs, and household debt, we compare how Canadians build financial lives versus Americans. Which country makes personal finance easier—and what could each side learn from the other?

August 21, 20261 hr 1 min

The Second Best Thing To Do

Personal finance advice has a bad habit of sounding pass/fail. Save 15% for retirement. Have six months of expenses in cash. Put 20% down on a house. Never carry a credit-card balance. Have a will. That advice isn't wrong. In fact, most of it is excellent. The problem is what happens when the "right" answer feels so far away that people do nothing at all. This week, we're not lowering the standards. We're building staircases to them. For some of the biggest financial decisions in your life, we'll identify the best thing to do—and then figure out the next best thing to do when the ideal isn't realistic yet.

August 14, 20261 hr 5 min

The S&P 500 isn't what you think it is

The S&P 500 has become the default investment for millions of Americans, but what exactly are you buying when you buy “the market”? We break down how the index actually works, why a handful of enormous companies increasingly determine its performance, how the S&P 500 has transformed over the decades, and whether owning 500 companies really makes you as diversified as you think.

August 7, 20261 hr 5 min

The financial distractions keeping you broke

Some financial decisions feel productive without actually making much of a difference. We obsess over coffee, credit scores, investment returns, subscriptions, and finding the perfect savings account while much bigger financial levers go untouched. This week, we identify the financial distractions that steal our attention from the decisions that actually determine our trajectory. Because being busy with your money isn't the same as making progress. A financial priority changes the outcome. A financial distraction merely feels like progress.

July 31, 20261 hr 5 min

The $300k 401k Mistake

A 1% contribution increase doesn’t sound life-changing. Neither does a slightly higher investment fee or a small piece of an employer match. But over an entire career, these tiny percentages can become six-figure decisions. This week, Pete reveals the flashy math hiding inside your company-sponsored retirement plan. You’ll discover how an extra 1% could become more than $70,000, how one misunderstanding could cause you to miss thousands in employer money, and how an invisible fee difference could consume over $100,000 of future wealth. Your retirement plan is filled with small levers attached to surprisingly large outcomes. It’s time to find out which ones you should pull.

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.