The Art of Allowance Podcast | Parenting | Families | Money Smarts | Financial Literacy

Do you feel overwhelmed by the financial burden that comes with sending your kids to college? Ann Garcia has helped thousands of families -- including her own -- save millions of dollars on college. Ann is the managing partner of Independent Progressive Advisors, a fee-only financial advisor, and the author of How to Pay for College. She's a mom to twins who just graduated debt-free from their top-choice colleges.

How can you and your kids overcome emotional ties to learn to use money as a tool? Self-proclaimed “financial cheerleader” Veronica Dangerfield provides you with a pep talk on this episode of The Art of Allowance Podcast. In addition to being an international speaker, a published poet and a professional comedienne, Veronica is an award-winning Financial Educator for Patelco Credit Union. Most notably, she was honored with the 2017 Credit Union Rock Star Award and twice received the national Desjardins Award for her contributions to adult financial literacy. A graduate of Sacramento State University, Veronica has also taught financial literacy for 18 years at the college level as well as at dozens of high schools and nonprofit organizations throughout California. And as a philanthropist, she has supported the Bay Area Crisis Nursery for six years as a producer of and performer in the annual Mother’s Day Comedy Show fundraiser.

How can parents ensure the money conversations they have with their kids actually matter? Guest Tom Henske offers several strategies during his second appearance on The Art of Allowance Podcast. A leader in the financial industry for nearly three decades, Tom began his career in financial planning in 1994 with Cowan Financial Group. Shortly thereafter, he started his own company, Henske Advisors. They were acquired in 2003 by National Financial Partners (merging them into Lenox Advisors), which went public shortly thereafter. Tom remained an equity partner until 2020, when he retired to focus solely on matters of life insurance and building the Total Cents platform.

How do you patiently leverage an allowance system to communicate family values to a young child? As my sister, Kelly Mindell, is learning on her family's money-smart journey, the key is patience. Lots and lots of patience! The tables are turned during this special episode of The Art of Allowance Podcast, as Kelly peppers me with questions regarding her own program. But so this installment doesn't turn into a family reunion (or, more likely, digress to the level of a lively Lanza board game night), my former guest and fellow money-smart movement co-conspirator Robin Taub joins in as co-host. Kelly is the founder and visionary behind Studio DIY, a colorful lifestyle brand that inspires over 700K followers throughout the social media landscape with DIY projects, bold home decor ideas and memorable holiday celebrations. Her projects have been featured in HGTV Magazine, Real Simple and Domino as well as on NBC's Parks & Recreation, Miley Cyrus's Milk tour, NPR, BuzzFeed and The Today Show. Kelly lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff, and son, Arlo. Robin is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA), keynote speaker and bestselling author. Her latest award-winning book, The Wisest Investment: Teaching Your Kids to Be Responsible, Independent and Money-Smart for Life, gives parents the information, strategies and inspiration they need to teach their kids about money. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (with High Distinction) from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Robin puts her money where her mouth is and has two (mostly) money-smart young adults, a son and a daughter.

Just what does the phrase "The Art of Allowance" really mean? Welcome to another Art of Allowance Podcast short! I've been seeing and hearing a lot of opinions about why an allowance is good or bad out there on the interwebs. So I recorded this brief episode to give you a broader perspective about what an allowance is and why I believe the art of it matters. Please reach out to let me know what you think of these audio nuggets. I hope you enjoy this format, as I plan to produce more shorts that I’ll intersperse amongst the conversations to which you already listen. And as a heads up, I include access to our social accounts and weekly newsletter, “3 Ideas to Share & Save,” in the “Links” section below.

Just what is the metaverse? And how can parents and financial institutions take advantage of it? Brett Wooden joins The Art of Allowance Podcast to answer these all-important questions from the tech realm. Brett is currently the SVP of Innovation at FTSI and previously the Chief Operations Officer at a credit union in the Northwest. He was named the Northwest Credit Union Association’s Young Credit Union Professional of the Year in 2011, Credit Union Times’ 40 and Under Trailblazer and Credit Union Magazine’s 2020 Rock Star. Brett thrives on helping others embrace and utilize new business strategies in today’s changing world. The driving force behind his organization's app development, advancement, digital and market penetration, Brett brings concepts to life by building and advancing software solutions. And while serving in multiple leadership roles at credit unions across the US, he has set a national trend for using mobile applications and digital technology to advance financial institutions.

How can developing an investor mindset in your children prepare them for financial success? Jedidiah Collins, my latest Art of Allowance Podcast guest, gives us a play-by-play description of how we can help our kids learn to act like investors. Jedidiah is a former NFL player who became a Certified Financial Planner®️ (CFP). He is also the author of the book, Your Money Vehicle, the founder of a financial literacy program of the same name and an adjunct professor of personal finance. Jedidiah holds an Accounting Degree from Carson College of Business, Washington State University. He has been featured on Scout.com and ESPN.com. Jedidiah is a seasoned speaker who has delivered keynotes to and facilitated workshops for Amazon, Microsoft, Sotheby’s, GlaskoSmithKline, the NFL, the MLB and numerous universities. It's easy to see why he's often referred to as "the hardest-working man in personal finance."

How can you help your kids' wealth grow not only monetarily but also practically? James Robert Lay offers a framework through his concept of "non-monetary deposits." James Robert is one of the world’s leading digital marketing authors, speakers and advisors for financial brands. Based in Houston, James Robert is the author of Banking on Digital Growth: The Strategic Marketing Manifesto to Transform Financial Brands. He is also the founder and CEO of the Digital Growth Institute, where he has guided more than 520 financial brands on a mission to simplify digital marketing and sales strategies that empower banks and credit unions to generate 10X more loans and deposits. James Robert has been named one of The Financial Brand's "Top Global Financial Services Influencers to Follow," a CUNA "Credit Union Rock Star" and a CU Times "Under 40 Trailblazer." His insights have been featured in outlets including US News and World Report, Quartz, The Financial Brand, American Banker, CU Times and CU Journal, among many others.

Are you worried about the quality of your family's money-smart journey? My latest Art of Allowance Podcast guest, Jessica Willis, is here to push you past your perfectionism paralysis! Jessica founded and currently serves as the CEO of Pocketnest, a financial wellness platform designed by and for Gen Xers and Millennials. A self-proclaimed finance wizard, Jessica has spent 20 years in the investment and finance industries. She is both a Certified Financial Planner (CFPⓇ) and a Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWAⓇ) with lots of client experience, having co-managed portfolios of all shapes and sizes. Jessica also received an MBA from Loyola University Chicago's Quinlan School of Business and an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.

How do you ensure your kids are "ready for launch" and have some financial "skin in the game?" Let this episode of The Art of Allowance Podcast, featuring financial literacy advocate Bobbi Rebell, serve as your playbook! Bobbi is the author of a new book, Launching Financial Grownups: Live Your Richest Life by Helping Your (Almost) Adult Kids Become Everyday Money Smart. She is also the host of the Money Tips for Financial Grownups Podcast and the founder of GrownupGear.com. Earlier in her career, Bobbi was a global business news anchor and personal finance columnist at Reuters and held various journalist positions at top news outlets including CNBC, CNN, and PBS. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and received her Certificate in Financial Planning from New York University. A mother and stepmother of three (almost) adult kids, Bobbi calls New York City home.