Michael Makes Sense cuts through the noise of personal finance with clear, practical conversations designed to help you make more confident decisions about your financial future.
Hosted by Michael Widlake, Founder of Commonwealth Guardians, the show tackles the real questions people have
How do you know which retirement income and investment options make sense for you?In Episode 06 of Michael Makes Sense, Michael Widlake, Founder of Commonwealth Guardians, answers real listener questions about retirement accounts, income strategies, and the many financial products available to investors today.With pensions, annuities, 401(k)s, TSPs, Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, mutual funds, ETFs, life insurance, and long-term care products all competing for your attention, understanding when and why each option may be appropriate can feel overwhelming.Michael helps break down the choices in…
You may know how much you’ve saved for retirement, but do you know how much of it you’ll actually get to keep?In Episode 05 of Michael Makes Sense, Michael takes a closer look at one of the most overlooked parts of retirement planning: taxes.From 401(k)s and Traditional IRAs to Roth accounts, pensions, Social Security, and other retirement income sources, different types of money can be taxed in very different ways. Without a thoughtful strategy, taxes could create a shortfall between the retirement income you expected and the income you actually have available to spend.Michael breaks down…
Is Social Security really running out of money, and should you be worried about what that means for your retirement? In Episode 03 of Michael Makes Sense, Michael Widlake, Founder of Commonwealth Guardians, takes on one of the biggest concerns facing Americans planning for retirement: the future of Social Security. Headlines can make it sound like Social Security is simply going to disappear. But the reality is more complicated, and understanding how Social Security fits into your overall retirement strategy can help you make better decisions about when to claim benefits and how much you…
Can you really pay off debt faster without simply throwing more money at it? On Episode 04 of Michael Makes Sense, Michael Widlake sits down with Don Daniel, founder and creator of The P.I.L.L. Method®, to talk about a different way of looking at debt, mortgages, interest, and financial freedom. Don explains why focusing only on your interest rate may not tell the whole story. The real question is: how much interest are you actually paying over the life of your loan? In this episode, Michael and Don discuss: • How the P.I.L.L. Method works• Why understanding amortization matters• How…
In Episode 02 of Michael Makes Sense, Michael Widlake, Founder of Commonwealth Guardians, discusses some of the biggest questions people face as they approach retirement: • How do I know when I can afford to retire? • What happens if I live longer than I planned? • How can I reduce the risk of running out of money? • Will I ever actually feel ready to retire? • What should I be looking at before making the decision? Michael Makes Sense Common Sense Answers in Uncommon Financial Times. Schedule Your Financial Telehealth™ Check-Up Financial Telehealth™:…
Do you really need a financial planner if you’re already doing a good job managing your money? In the premiere episode of Michael Makes Sense, Michael Widlake, Founder of Commonwealth Guardians, breaks down the role of a financial planner and explains what a good advisor should actually bring to your financial life. Michael takes complicated financial concepts and puts them into plain English, including what it means to work with an independent fiduciary advisor and why choosing the right advisor involves much more than simply finding someone to manage investments. In this episode, Michael…
About Michael Makes Sense
Michael Makes Sense cuts through the noise of personal finance with clear, practical conversations designed to help you make more confident decisions about your financial future.
Hosted by Michael Widlake, Founder of Commonwealth Guardians, the show tackles the real questions people have
Michael Makes Sense is a English business podcast from Commonwealth Guardians. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
