The Clark Howard Podcast

Millions of people are covered by a multi-state agreement that will allow individuals with private student loans to put a pause on payments for 90 days. Google and Apple are helping in a big way with their contact tracing app. Clark discusses what they've done and the potential privacy issues you could encounter. Many businesses are now requiring that customers wear masks in order to shop there. This has created a really strong backlash in some cases. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Costco and some grocery stores are limiting meat purchases as we're experiencing a meat shortage in the country. Humana is waiving copays for members right now. Travel reward credit cards are having a hard time getting customers to renew. So they are having to offer additional benefits to keep customers around. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spending habits have changed during the coronavirus outbreak. But it appears that everyone has cut spending no matter what your state's approach has been to locking things down. Age discrimination could become an even bigger issue post-Covid. Americans are saving a much bigger chunk of their money right now. This is good! How can you keep your car in good running order if you aren't driving it!? Clark discusses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Employers fear liability from as they bring employees back into the office. Virtual volunteering might be a great use of your time right now. Warren Buffet has sold all shares in the major airlines. Their stocks are getting hit hard. Clark talks about the long-term projections for air travel. Micro businesses are helping keep people afloat in difficult financial times. Starting a super-small side hustle might make sense for you. Should you take cash out of your home or out of your retirement account? Neither is best. But if those are your choices be sure to listen to what Clark has to say. Clark mentioned this link to Ticketmaster's blog with their refund terms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark talks about what his life looks like right now and how his family is handling being cooped up together. There have been some positive benefits! People are avoiding doctors or going to the hospital right now. That is not safe! Truck drivers have done a great job keeping the supply chain going but it hasn't been without a lot of hardships and obstacles. Taking money from your 403b is a particularly terrible idea. You could face massive surrender charges in addition to the taxes you'll have to pay. If you enjoyed this episode of the Clark Howard Show please hit the subscribe button. And also consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts - it helps others see the value that this show is providing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should you still go on Summer vacation? That's the question on a lot of people's minds. Clark talks about how you should think about your upcoming Summer travel. Costco is making all customers wear face masks if they want to shop in the store. This is making some customers upset. But we're going to have to get used to more and more safety rules being implemented by private businesses. Some people are trying to time the market right now and are getting burned - in particular by sectors they don't understand very well before they start investing cash. People are starting to hop back on airplanes. Clark discusses what he thinks a resurgence of air travel should look like. If you enjoyed this episode of the Clark Howard Show please hit the subscribe button. And also consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts - it helps others see the value that this show is providing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Florida is doing a terrible job getting unemployment payments to citizens who have applied. California is having a tough time funds to independent contractors, gig workers, and the self employed who are eligible. Consumer spending has fallen off a cliff. Clark talks about some of the numbers that are coming in and where the American economy stands right now. Walmart and Paypal are two of the best places to cash your physical stimulus check in order to avoid exorbitant fees. CVS & Walgreens are ramping up free Covid testing outside stores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beef and pork prices are likely to rise soon because of the shortage due to Covid. Also, paper goods are making a reappearance on store shelves...finally. Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast aren't terminating anyone who can't pay through the month of June. They won't charge late fees either. If you have to take on more debt right now in order to put food on the table, make sure you do it wisely. Clark gives recommendations for where to go to avoid predatory loans that will make your financial situation even worse. Covid is rapidly changing our economy. The virus is accelerating the decline of businesses that were already having a tough time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People are getting ripped off buying physical gold right now. Buy a precious metals ETF instead! The car market has changed rapidly. Clark tells you when the ideal car buying window is. Has Covid-19 killed the FIRE movement? Lots of headlines suggest that it has, but Clark disagrees. If you lose or leave your job, what should you do with that old 401k? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some of the states are handling unemployment claims incredibly poorly. Clark talks about how Florida and Texas are having major issues disbursing those funds to people who have lost their jobs. Google is verifying ad buyers to prevent Covid scams. Credit card issuers are cutting limits on consumer credit cards. This could make getting through this pandemic even more difficult for many people. Banks are being stingy when it comes to forbearance terms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The SBA has issued a press release clarifying that bigger companies should not be filing to receive PPP funds. This is good news for small businesses who desperately need the money. Scam artists have figured out how to steal stimulus checks. Clark tells you how they are doing it and what can be done about it. It's important to be prepared with your financial information now. Make sure your loved ones know how to access necessary financial documents in the case of emergency. The housing market is going through an interesting time. Clark discusses that and the increased requests for mortgage forbearance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congress is on the verge of passing a bill to provide more funding for small businesses. Clark also talks about how many bigger companies took a large chunk of the first round of PPP loans. The big three U.S. Credit reporting agencies help Americans with more frequent access to credit histories for one year. Great news for consumers! Americans are poisoning themselves as they attempt to fight the virus through increased cleaning efforts. Google searches have changed in a big way since a year ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oil prices are cratering. Clark talks about why this is happening and what it means for consumers. Some states are making the decision to re-open parts of the economy. But how quickly things will actually recover will be up to individuals and how safe they feel. Dealerships aren't taking leased cars back. They are flat out refusing. How busy is the grocery store? Google has a way to help you find out when the store has fewer people. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PPP money ran out towards the end of last week. But a deal is close to secure more funding for loans to help small businesses. Ticketmaster will be giving refunds for rescheduled or cancelled shows...finally. College graduates will be entering the toughest job environment since The Great Depression. Clark has some thoughts. Why pro-rated unemployment is something worth considering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People have not altered their approach to 401k investing. This is good news! Also, here's the link for non-filers to submit stimulus payment info. Clark talks about how we are going through this together - you are not alone right now. The headline writers are predicting doom and gloom. But this is unrealistic and it's creating anxiety for no reason. Apple is releasing a new cheaper SE phone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PPP and EIDL are complete failures. Clark talks about why these programs went so horribly wrong. Germany is attempting a soft reopening of its economy. Clark thinks they are approaching it well. A lot more of us are working from home now. But will you get a tax break for it? Clark discusses - and this article is worth reading on the subject. Robots are improving. And some cleaning robots could save lives and prevent humans from having slowly clean. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark discusses the specifics of the airline bailout. Telemedicine is becoming more and more important. Make sure to not forego necessary medical visits right now...just have them remotely! Customer no service is a regular problem in the age of Covid-19. Government agencies and many companies are responding in a much less timely manner. We're all streaming more TV these days. Clark tells you where you can go to stream for FREE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google & Apple are working together on a contact tracing app. This could help as we seek to remain safe as businesses reopen around the country. We will still need to up our abilities to test people for the virus. Grocery store workers find themselves at higher risk right now just by going to work. Clark talks about how these workers are being treated. As they put their health at risk, we should be particularly appreciative of their work. Car buying is undergoing a massive shift as buyers want to avoid face to face negotiations at local dealerships. Lending standards are starting to tighten. We saw this in the aftermath of the Great Recession and we'll see tighter standards implemented by many lending institutions in the coming months. Also, you can apply for a PPP loan with Paypal now via this link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stimulus checks are starting to hit bank accounts. But how should you handle the money you receive? Clark gives his thoughts. Car insurance companies are sending rebates to customers. Clark gives the specifics on which companies are doling out these refunds. Ticketmaster and StubHub are not treating their customers well right now. How should you be investing right now? The market is volatile. Clark discusses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When will people be able to go back to work? Clark talks about a potential timeline and what it will look like as the economy attempts to rebound. The PPP and EIDL loan programs are failing small businesses. And the goalposts keep moving on lending amounts. Also, the big banks need to do a better job at getting this money into the hands of local small business owners. How can you stay safe at the grocery store? Clark discusses what it should look like the next time you go shopping. It's pretty hard to watch scams proliferate right now. But that is exactly what's happening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unemployment numbers are up big today. Clark talks about when the increased unemployment checks will arrive. Also, fintechs are starting to lend to small businesses as part of the PPP program. Online lender Kabbage is taking applications and has a great guide to the PPP for business owners. The Federal Reserve unveiled a program to offer support to mid-size businesses just this morning. Exercising during quarantine is so important. It's good for your mental and physical health. Working from home is standard for many people now. Clark tells you how to do it well - and where to buy new equipment that might help you work better from home for the long-term. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark tells you how to handle a scenario in which you can't pay rent. The key is communication. The SBA lending progress is still tied up. Clark talks about what is happening on the ground and the changes he would like to see implemented. The housing market is experiencing a bit of turmoil right now. Many buyers are putting off their search right now. But Clark doesn't think that the housing market will experience a prolonged downturn. Some private student loan lenders are extending forbearance to borrowers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark interviews Ashley Bell from the SBA in order to find out more on the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans. The DOL has issued guidelines to states on unemployment relief. States will now have to write new code on their sites in order to handle the requests There are great free resources out there for people suffering mental health consequences due to Covid-19. Clark discusses how to reach out for mortgage relief. If you have a loan with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and have lost your job or faced reduced income because of Covid-19 you qualify for loan forbearance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The PPP is off to a really slow start. Clark discusses. We've got more information on stimulus checks. Clark discusses what we know now. Some companies are doing great work right now helping their customers. Clark highlights a few. Creating a will is a great idea right now. Clark tells you how to proceed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark talks about the important updates on how PPP is being implemented and what the latest is with unemployment insurance claims. Sheltering in places works to keep us safer...and it's better for the future of our economy. Zoom has gotten some flack for their lack of proper privacy protections for users. Clark mentions some alternatives you should consider. Robo advisors are seeing people sign up in droves. They do a good job helping people allocate their investments properly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clarifications have been made about who will receive stimulus money from the government and when that money will come. State unemployment agencies are still trying to figure out how they process all of the new unemployment claims. Some people are touting Covid-19 remedies that don't work. Watch out for this. Stores are stepping up deliveries. Clark talks about how Walgreens is expanding its delivery services right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The details of the PPP and EIDL programs are a little murky. Clark brings as much clarity as possible to a situation that is rapidly moving trying to help small businesses stay afloat during these difficult times. This article from the Wall Street Journal gives some important details on Paycheck Protection. You can also learn more on the SBA website about PPP here. And if you qualify for an EIDL, this is where you can apply for that relief loan. What happens if you can't pay rent? Clark tells you how to talk to your landlord and what rights you have right now. This USA Today article offers some important details on your rights as a renter right now. The three major health insurers are waiving individual health costs incurred due to Covid-19. Some welcome news in these troubled times. AirBnb is helping hosts cover their costs right now. It's a very different stance from the one VRBO is taking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBA.gov is the place to apply for economic injury disaster loans. And $10k in funds can be received in the form of a grant if spent on paid leave, maintaining payroll, increased business costs due to Coronavirus disruption, and mortgage or lease obligations that can't currently be met. Amazon, Whole Foods, and Instacart employees are not happy about current working conditions. Some are walking out on the job. Amazon employees are saying that they aren't being given proper safety aids like masks, gloves, and antiseptics. Clark talks about how you handle your money until the Stimulus bill funds get into our hands. Scams are on the rise as Coronavirus worries abound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Funds will soon be flowing to the states for Americans filing for unemployment. Clark discusses more of the details we now know. The stock market continues to be volatile. Clark tells you what this means for your investments. Gas prices are down although Americans are driving far less these days. And the Real ID law implementation has been delayed for a year. Thanks to the stimulus bill, you can take money out of your 401k without penalty. But should you? Probably not. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Small businesses and non-profits are seeing real financial relief in the recent stimulus bill. Clark talks about some of the details. Some of the travel refunds being offered by the airlines aren't that great. Clark tells you how to approach the conversation to get the refund you deserve. The supply chain is still in working order. It's consumer pre-buying that has led to barren grocery store shelves. But that is a temporary problem that will soon be remedied. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stimulus checks are coming. Clark details the Senate bill and what these stimulus payments will look like and who will receive them. The stimulus bill also includes provisions for everyone who has a federal student loan. Clark details the benefit for those people too. You don't have to file your taxes until July 15 now. But what about the contribution deadline for an IRA? The IRS has clarified some of the specifics about filing taxes this year and Clark discusses. It's so important to take care of those closest to you right now. Clark has thoughts on how to do that and how to do it well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark discusses the stimulus bill deal that finally came together on Wednesday morning. It has not yet become law but some of the details of what this bill looks like have become clear. If you need relief from credit card bills right now Clark has advice for having that conversation with your credit card company. Healthcare exchanges might reopen in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic. Job losses are mounting. But some employers have stepped up their hiring right now. Clark gives you the information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark talks about the Senate relief bill that is still being negotiated. It looks like American families will be receiving direct payments from the government. But how long until we get them in our bank accounts? That is still up in the air. Automakers are stepping up their efforts to help by making respirators instead of cars. Clark talks about how to approach your student loans right now. There's help for people with federal student loans but you might have to press to get any help from a private lender. Volunteer efforts will likely start mobilizing in April to help victims of Coronavirus. Clark discusses what he thinks those efforts will entail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a tsunami of economic turmoil, Clark talks about the companies that are hiring and where to turn if you are in need of work. The Fed announced this morning that they will be supporting the markets with massive amounts of quantitative easing. Work from home scams are popping up in a big way right now. What to watch out for. Working from home with kids is hard - especially since you are likely having to help them with their schoolwork too. Clark talks about finding a family rhythm during this time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark talks about how Taiwan is handling Covid 19. There's a lot of uncertainty right now and economic difficulties are increasing in light of the stricter quarantine situations. Clark talks about how the mortgage market has changed in recent days. Rates have actually swung UP a good bit - but they won't stay up for long. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The market is still experiencing a lot of volatility. Clark discusses how you should approach your retirement account in light of the current turmoil. Clark discusses what the Coronavirus relief bill means for the American public. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark discusses how the grocery stores are doing and the unique way human beings come together in crisis. Some travel companies are doing a good job of responding to their customers. Others, not so much. Clark talks about how to approach the travel bookings you already have. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clark continues to talk about the fallout from the Coronavirus pandemic. There won't be a way of avoiding a recession, and many American jobs and small businesses are at risk right now. The government is working on ways to prop up the economy during the pandemic. But they seem to be more focused on big business than individual Americans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The stock market had a rough day. But the impacts of the Coronavirus extend far beyond that. Clark discusses stock market reaction, small business difficulties, and how to handle your personal finances in these uncertain times. Clark also discusses the Fed injecting cash into the economy, mortgage refinancing, and the current travel situation as well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Savings bonds are great place to put money these days. They could be a better option for you instead of a savings account or CD. Ikea is recalling more dressers. Clark tells you what to watch out for and how to keep your kids safe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mortgage rates have sunk to historic lows. But there's a LOT you need to know before you pull the trigger on a refinance. Fifth Third Bank is being sued by the CFPB stating that the bank opened up fraudulent accounts in customers names without their knowledge. Sounds like Fifth Third took a page out of the Wells Fargo playbook! We officially hit bear market territory yesterday. Clark tells you what to do with your investments and how to think about Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the WHO has called coronavirus a pandemic, there are many ways this impacts individual Americans. Clark says that our politicians are failing us and should be putting a higher priority on public health. He also talks about how we should approach our personal finances in light of the current scary health conditions. Travel companies are having a difficult time and the travel cancellation policies are being changed as coronavirus facts come in. Clark tells you what you need to know. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's hard to know how your financial advisor is being paid. And it recently became even more difficult to figure it out. The CFP board is no longer noting how planners are paid on the site LetsMakeAPlan.org. Since the CFP board isn't going to help consumers out, you'll need to help yourself and ask your advisor specific questions before you enter into a relationship. And make sure that any planner you choose to work with is a fee-only planner who has a fiduciary responsibility to his or her clients. ‘Limit 5 per member’ – seen at Costco regarding sanitation wipes as people were trying to buy entire palette quantities. In times of uncertainty, people tend to hoard. There’s been a run on hand sanitizers and toilet paper as well. Think through what you actually need. We need to make sure there’s enough for all. Hoarders create false shortages. Manufacturers catch up and supplies are restored so don’t take on more than you need. Think before you buy too much. Cable monopolies are fighting new regulation to restrict their spying on consumer internet activity for sale. Receiving free Google services in return for data sales is one thing. But most of us are prisoners of a monopoly internet provider. We’re paying huge money for access while they’re spying on all we do and selling it off. Google at least now allows you to see and delete their collected info on you and set up auto deletion. Maine passed a law requiring privacy and the state is being sued by the cable monopolies, alleging Maine is discriminating against them. Firefox to the rescue with a new, free encrypted service to cut off almost all spying from the cable monopolies. Defeat their lobbying power in a now corrupted Congress by using the Firefox encrypted browser and surf in relative privacy. Those who said the only way to preserve privacy is to carry no tech and separate from the grid have turned out to be right. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The market is now past a 52 week low and global markets are in panic mode. Global markets are related to an undeclared war between Putin and the U.S. The U.S. has become the world’s most important energy market - natural gas and oil combined. Putin is exploiting the outbreak to undermine the U.S. economy in an attempt to destroy the U.S. hydraulic fracking industry by flooding the world market with oil Russian can produce at a cheaper price per barrel. Putin has engineered a collapse in the price of oil by making it clear he’ll flood the market beyond demand to starve the U.S. oil industry for revenue. This has led markets to expect recession. Oil prices collapsed by unprecedented amounts today. Unless this corrects in the next several days, we’ll see a 30 to 50 cent per gallon drop in gas prices over the next few weeks. But Putin’s long game is to destabilize the U.S. using the backdrop of depressed demand for fuel due to the outbreak, as a way to drive a dagger through the U.S. economy. The SEC has released several warnings about phony emails circulating claiming treatments and cures for coronavirus. These ‘pumps and dumps’ are occurring heavily in social media and elsewhere, claiming biomedical breakthroughs. In reality, crooks buy stock in a failed enterprise and try to bid up the price by lying to people. As soon as they run the price up, they sell their shares and investors are left with nothing. Be wary of ‘incredible opportunities’ to score money. State and federal authorities are also warning against fake charities soliciting to provide relief to coronavirus victims. Only give to organizations you know are real to avoid the scams. AT&T TV is being heavily marketed at $49.99 – but after clicking to sign up, the junk fees kick in. There are massive penalties to cancel a 2 year contract. No other streaming service asks that. Sleazy, underhanded, deceptive and wrong. Driven by fear and desperation, they impose a 2 year contract and only tell you the price for the first year, but you can’t get out of the second year at double price + junk fees – without paying a massive termination fee. Ridiculous. DirecTV and AT&T internet customers will get the pitch. Know it’s garbage and there are much better alternatives. Hopefully AT&T will come to its senses and compete with integrity. Rebuttal welcome. This is a lousy way to treat brand loyal customers and others. Their other streaming service, AT&T TV NOW gives you the ability to cancel with no penalty. Confusing much? See our streaming guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pitches to get into private real estate ventures are prevalent now. Investors own percentages of several properties from dozens to thousands. With little disclosure required in private placements vs. publically traded ventures, the big pitch promises boosted returns. When you put your money in, you're relying on their promises and you can not get your money out of these illiquid investments. Often there are huge commission fees involved. If you don't care to own and manage individual properties, buy public investments from low cost Vanguard, Schwab or Fidelity. They all offer REITs you can buy in and out of at will, no commissions. Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life insurance agents are only there to pitch policies with some kind of add-on - the equivalent of a savings or investment account, or something they claim can be used for retirement, will ultimately pay for itself, etc. They have to push ultra-complicated policies to gain more commissions. A straight up policy isn't worth their time. Complicated policies have very high commissions and high costs for consumers. Think whole life, variable life, universal variable life, index universal life etc. When the name gets long, it gets bad for your wallet. For those of use who earn less than $400k, level term life insurance makes sense - derisively referred to by agents as 'just death insurance'. The purpose of life insurance is to provide for the living after you're gone - replacement of income for family. And nothing does that more efficiently or cheaper than level term insurance. In general, buy 10 times what you earn per year. Level term offers coverage for 10 to 30 years that pays only if you die during the term. If you outlive it, it pays out nothing. But premiums are hyper cheap and won't impact your living standard. See our buying guide to insure and protect your family. For investors, fears of market losses are common. The market bottomed in 2009, essentially tripled by 2016 and has risen since. Many believe we're on borrowed time. Investing goes through cycles, and some investors are compelled to move their money into safe, stable choices, like CDs. But even if the market fell off a cliff next week and stayed that way for a few years, for anyone in their 40s or younger, this would have no long term effect. It might actually make you more money to just stay the course and leave your money well diversified. The easiest answer for most of us is the target retirement fund closest to the year of your retirement. Remember when the market tanks, every contribution buys more shares for the same money. When the market eventually recovers, it boomerangs to give you more money than you would have had in a steady market. Declines are your friend the younger you are. Closer to retirement your portfolio should be more conservative, but you don't stop putting money into the market. Just dial back risk at 60, as you may live another 30 years. Being older doesn't mean you bag investing. You simply reduce risk, done automatically by target retirement funds, while maintaining opportunity for meaningful gain over time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re moving into the home renovation season. The National Association of Realtors and National Association of the Remodeling Industry | NARI conduct value studies and have found that a homeowner will get back 50 cents on the dollar for a kitchen remodel. So a 10k kitchen redo will increase the value of your home $5900 at best. The return on adding a master bedroom suite also yields around half. What does pay? Hardwood flooring, HVAC updates and insulating come close to recovering costs. Clark’s simple rule: The reason you renovate or add on to a home is enjoyment. Don’t con yourself into thinking you’re investing for a positive return in cash. People are stretching their dollars by taking advantage of how much things depreciate from new to used, particularly in the area of high end women’s clothing. Nordstrom is now actively selling used clothes, joining Macy’s and others. Independents include ThredUp, and TheRealReal. Used furniture is another high depreciation category – not so much for upholstered furniture. If relocating, check Freecycle and Craigslist for furniture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The SECURE act has brought changes to how retirement accounts work, how they're taxed and inherited. Pre-taxed money goes into traditional IRAs. Contributions + earnings are all taxable upon withdrawal. With SECURE Act changes and tax rates only expected to rise in the future due to massive budget deficits, there's a big advantage to convert money over time from traditional to Roth IRAs. Once you pay the taxes at today's lower rates, that money becomes tax free for the rest of your life. Also, it's best for beneficiaries to inherit a Roth IRA vs. a traditional. If you have IRA money and can pay the tax, come up with a plan to steadily move the money over years. Exception: those who make more than $350k a year. Everyone else will see benefit from moving money to a Roth. Business owners have the responsibility to treat employees well and let them know their voices are heard. Truth: Most employers aren't very good at truly appreciating the people who work for them. But valuing employees is key to success. You treat employees well, they in turn treat the customers well - everybody wins. Lip service doesn't count. Actions do. How do you let your workers know they're truly valued? Interests have to be aligned. Employees need to understand how they benefit from the success of the business. A paycheck isn't enough. Many workers now need to know that what they're doing benefits society. If you as a worker feel you're not valued and the workplace is unpleasant or the culture is corrosive, search the strong job market and find a place that really does value you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pharmacy business is shifting and market share is moving to a smaller number of players. CVS and Walgreens are taking a huge volume of prescriptions. Many with employer insurance use mail order pharmacies. Others are free agents using supermarkets, warehouse clubs or independent pharmacies. If you don't have pharmacy benefits, check your options. Take Walmart's $4 Rx list with you to doctor appointments for direct prescribing there and save. Know that the cheapest overall place is Costco pharmacy, and Good Rx provides transparency and potential discounts. Some pharmaceutical manufacturers provide help with costly prescriptions. Some PBM - pharmacy benefit managers via employment - will not approve some costly meds. If you have an Rx benefit that turns you down for coverage, many drug companies offer enormous help with a coupon to obtain that med free for a year or at a monthly discount. The more questions you ask and the more you look around, the more you'll save. See our continually updated cell phone plan guide to pay as little as you can for reliable service. Now there's a plan offering unlimited talk and text for free, via ads- from TextNow, with a $10 SIM card. Unlimited data with Wi-Fi, otherwise talk & text only when roaming. TING allows use over multiple networks including Verizon and Sprint, and offers purchase of minutes and text blocks for under $10 a month. You can also buy data, but it's not a deal if you need a lot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently Clark discussed how AT&T issues refunds on stored value cards. These cards are intentionally tricky to spend down – disallowing partial payments by design to keep some of your money through ‘breakage’. Several tax preparation services are now trying to sell customers on accepting their refunds on stored value cards or even Amazon gift cards. These cards have ridiculous junk fees – monthly fees, per transaction fees etc. Putting a tax refund on any kind of spending card is a bad idea. The best use of a tax refund is to pay down debt or contribute to a Roth. Don’t fall for these pitches. They’re all about you spending, paying fees, and giving them the ‘breakage’ money left on the card that you end up forfeiting. It’s your money! Christa reads listener posts about how Clark has missed the mark in his advice this week. If you have a "Clark Stinks" to share you can leave it here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices