Never before has so much information been so widely available, and free to access. The internet revolutionized financial advice, simply because blogs, podcasts, and social media made it possible for anyone to learn more about money via a few simple Google searches.
The downside to the democratization of money management strategies? The rise of Moneytok and the proliferation of fast content with no fact-checking. That anyone can say anything about personal finance and claim it’s not just true but “what you have to do to grow wealth!” also creates a lot of misinformation about money.
Yes, the info is out there… but it’s not always easy to know what to believe and what to ignore; what advice to follow and what to avoid.
Is Your Favorite Content Creator Qualified? Look For Certified Financial Planners
One way to quickly vet content creators is to check their credentials. There’s no higher standard when it comes to financial advice than the CFP® designation.
CFP® stands for Certified Financial Planner, and the marks are governed by a formal board. Earning a CFP® requires a college degree, sitting for a board exam, and practicing the profession of financial planning for 2 to 3 years.
A CFP® must also engage in continuing education to maintain their marks, and is held accountable for advice and actions through legal and ethical standards enforced by the CFP® Board.
4 Podcasts To Check Out If You Want Professional Financial Advice
If you’re ready to elevate your standards for the financial advice you receive and act on, a great starting point is to look for the CFP® marks behind someone’s name. To help you get started, here’s a roundup of 4 podcasts that offer real expertise to add to your regular rotation:
1. The Money Guy Show By Brian Preston & Bo Hanson
There may be no financial professionals more relatable and enjoyable to listen to than Brian Preston, CPA, CFP®, PFS and his co-host, Bo Hanson CFA, CFP®. Brian and Bo are real, honest, funny, and down-to-earth, providing a huge range of financial advice and money know-how.
There’s truly something for everyone with the Money Guy Show. If you’re into coupon-clipping and travel-hacking, you’ll love their tips to get more from your efforts to save every last penny possible. If you want to optimize your investments or fine-tune your retirement strategy, their ideas and insights will help you avoid mistakes that could dampen returns or maybe even retire early.
And if you just want a really good laugh as these financial pros break down the best of the worst in terrible TikTok money advice, Bo and Brian have you covered there, too.
2. The Long Term Investor By Peter Lazaroff
The Long Term Investor gives you the unique opportunity to get financial advice and perspective on better investing directly from a top RIA’s Chief Investment Officer.
As the CIO of Plancorp, Peter Lazaroff CFA CFA +0.5%, CFP® oversees the management of $6 billion in assets — and his podcast delivers his expertise and investment know-how in relatable, understandable language that anyone can use to improve their investing experience.
Whether it’s a walkthrough on what you need to understand about ESG and sustainable investing or breaking down recommendations on how much money you need to retire, The Long Term Investor is a must-listen for anyone who wants to better understand the financial markets... and perhaps more importantly, wants to know how to better navigate those markets for the sake of their own long-term success.
3. Demystifying Money With Misty Lynch
Misty Lynch is a CFP® and certified money coach, and her podcast, Demystifying Money, focuses on giving listeners bite-sized, actionable steps they can take right now to improve their financial situations.
Whether it’s discussing what it takes to succeed in business with fellow female entrepreneurs or digging deeper into the topics you keep seeing in the headlines (like what in the world is happening with the housing market right now), Misty and her guests seek to shine a light on areas of money management that are often confusing and riddled with misinformation.
Demystifying Money provides a way to get reliable, trustworthy breakdowns of critical money topics that you need to understand to get your money working for you. You’ll also be better equipped with the knowledge you need to avoid costly mistakes and maybe even start making more money, too.
4. Worth Listening Hosted By Lauryn Williams
As a 4-time Olympian and 3-time medalist — as well as the first American woman to medal in both the Summer and Winter Games — Lauryn Williams, CFP®, CFSLA, knows the kind of committment and work it takes to achieve a massive goal over long periods of time.
Lauryn brings her experience as a professional athlete and professional financial planner to the conversations she has with a variety of other experts on her podcast, Worth Listening. Together with her guests, Lauryn showcases how there isn’t just a single path to the ultimate goal of financial success: there are a variety of strategies you can deploy.
By sharing the stories and approaches of how others have made money work for them, Woth Listening provides inspiration, ideas, and insights on the various ways you can work toward what you want and achieve your most audiacious financial goals.
And finally, if you’re looking for one more option to round out this list, you can also try Beyond Finances. In the interest of full disclosure, it’s hosted by me: Eric Roberge, CFP® and founder of Beyond Your Hammock. My co-host is also my wife and financial writer Kali Roberge. On the show, we seek to tackle the “mushy” side of personal finance; our conversations dig into the topics that are hard to define and we wrestle with questions that don’t have straightforward or black-and-white answers.
When it comes to picking up financial tips and tricks, there is no shortage of content creators online who have something to say. To help you sort through what’s verified and true and what’s up for debate, a good place to start is by checking credentials — and there is no higher standard in the financial advice industry than the CFP® marks.
Eric Roberge