Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin

Everybody wants to be a millionaire… but how do you actually get there? That’s what today’s listener, award-winning journalist and entrepreneur Suzanne Kianpour, wants to know. Today, Nicole shares a candid conversation she had with Suzanne at the end of 2024, where they unpacked how to set meaningful money goals—and, more importantly, how to build a realistic roadmap to reach them. Plus, at the time, Suzanne was also in full-on wedding planning mode, so naturally, she wanted all the tips on how to (legally) deduct wedding expenses. And Nicole delivered. Find Suzanne's work here 00:00 Why Nicole DIYs Financial Reviews 02:06 Suzanne's Financial Story and Future Goals 05:00 The Cost of Wedding Planning 07:35 How to Set Actionable Financial Goals 15:56 Strategies and Tips for Investing 22:45 Legit Tax Deductions for Weddings 27:39 Millionaire Game Plan

When Taylor Swift announced she had officially bought back the masters to her music catalog, it wasn’t just a win for Swifties—it was a seismic moment for the entertainment business. Today, Nicole unpacks the multimillion-dollar money trail behind the scenes, from record labels to private equity firms, and explains how Swift outmaneuvered the industry to reclaim her life’s work. It’s a story about ownership, leverage, and beating the system—plus, Nicole shares how listeners can invest in music royalties themselves. Because when it comes to showbiz… the business part matters most.

Elon Musk called it “a disgusting abomination.” Trump calls it “The Big, Beautiful Bill.” Either way, Washington is on fire with debate over the latest federal budget proposal—clocking in at over 1,000 pages, with a July 4th deadline and trillions of dollars on the line. Today, Nicole breaks down what’s actually in the bill, what it would mean for your money, and why it’s facing backlash from both sides of the aisle. From deep cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, to the expansion of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, to that new “Trump Account” baby savings plan—this episode is your primer on the bill that could reshape the economy.

In the U.S., the cost of cybercrime in 2025 is estimated to hit $639.2 billion— up from $452.3 billion in 2024—an alarming surge fueled in large part by advancements in AI. Today, Nicole sits down with tech journalist Laurie Segall to uncover one of the darkest AI-driven scams: a disturbing scheme where scammers generate fake nude images to extort their victims. In this conversation, Laurie breaks down the most common deepfake crimes and scams, how to spot them, and how to protect yourself. She also shares the jaw-dropping story of her investigation into a shadowy figure known as “Mr. Deepfakes,” a man she describes as one of the most dangerous people on the internet, and what happened when she tracked him down and confronted him face-to-face. Nicole and Laurie zoom out to ask even bigger questions: What does this mean for women, for democracy, and for the future of AI? Spoiler alert: we are still very much in the Wild West. Follow Laurie’s work, and her investigation into Mr. Deepfakes here.

eaky. Problems don't always arise from big juicy secrets. Sometimes they arise when a couple is super compatible and in love— but just has different expectations on money and work. Nicole answers a question from a listener struggling with that exact problem, and gives three solutions. Here is the episode on calculating your target retirement nest egg Nicole mentioned: https://link.chtbl.com/vRoxmrAe Here is the episode on asking for a raise: https://link.chtbl.com/2d-VX_FY

This is the crossover episode we’ve been waiting for! Today Nicole is joined by the trailblazers behind the financial literacy empire Earn Your Leisure, Troy Millings and Rashad Bilal. This conversation was just as deep and far-reaching as we knew it would be. They talk about the U.S.-China trade war, the insider trading mess in Washington and whether finance can really be democratized. And they get personal; they cover financial trauma, money dysmorphia, and the push-pull of relationships and money. You don't want to miss this one! Get Troy and Rashad’s awesome book You Deserve To Be Rich here!

Lowering your tax bill can change your life (true story!). Nicole breaks down which states have the best tax codes, and how the rich use those tax perks to keep more money in their pockets - and how you can too!

After some really messy economic headlines for the last few months, we may actually have some good news. To break it down, Nicole is joined by Ryan Detrick, the Chief Market Strategist at Carson Group. Today, Ryan shares some signs he’s seeing in the market that nearly always indicate good news ahead… and whether this time could be different.

In part two of Nicole’s conversation with Ray Dalio (founder of Bridgewater Associates and architect of the All Weather Portfolio), they move beyond the markets and into the personal. While part one tackled the economy, inflation, and portfolio strategy, this episode is all about legacy, happiness, and the limits of what money can buy. Ray opens up about the worst moment of his life, how he defines success, and what he hopes the next generation takes from his journey. It’s a rare side of one of the world’s most influential investors—and a conversation that will stick with you long after the episode ends. Pre-order Ray's latest book How Countries Go Broke ⁠here⁠. Find all of Ray's books ⁠here⁠.

If you started investing any time within the last five years, it’s probably felt like a steady stream of firsts—between a global pandemic, changing interest rates, inflation, war, and recession fears, it’s been one plot twist after another. But it’s not a new story—it’s the same economic movie on repeat. And if you understand the principles behind it, you can learn to master the markets. That’s where today's guest Ray Dalio comes in. He’s the founder of Bridgewater Associates—the world’s largest hedge fund with over $150 billion under management—and the author of New York Times bestsellers like Principles, that’s become required reading from Wall Street to Silicon Valley. Ray literally wrote the book on how to invest through any cycle—and today, he’s here to teach you how. Pre-order Ray's latest book How Countries Go Broke here. Find all of Ray's books here.

When’s the right time to start building wealth? Spoiler alert: the sooner, the better. But what if you feel like you’re not making enough, or you have too many expenses, or investing just feels too intimidating? Today, Nicole helps a Money Rehabber break through those doubts and put a plan in place to start growing wealth ASAP. Plus, we’ll unpack a new Bank of America survey that shows 95% of Gen Z and Millennials are living within their means—so if you’re worried you’re behind, you might be doing better than you think. Learn more with Bank of America where you can get access to tools and solutions and view your Bank of America banking account online in one place. Get started at bofa.com/FinancialNextSteps

Today, we're sharing the first episode of MNN's newest podcast Social Currency with Sammi Cohen. In her first episode, Sammi sits down with entrepreneur Ty Haney. Ty shares what she wishes she knew as a first-time founder while building the brand Outdoor Voices, the dark side of VC and the most important lesson she’s learned on equity as a founder. She also shares the latest on her new ventures—Joggy, a clean energy brand, and TYB, a platform redefining what community-powered business looks like. If you've ever launched, led, or lost something you built, this one will hit home. Follow Sammi on Instagram here Follow Ty on Instagram here Check out TYB here and Joggy here Here’s what Sammi covers today with Ty: 00:00 How Ty Haney Scaled Outdoor Voices to $100M 02:05 How to Build Community within your Business 06:17 The Curse of the Girlboss Era 08:41 The Trap of Growth Versus Profitability 21:13 The Importance of Equity as a Founder 23:27 Second Acts: TYB and Joggy 29:37 The Value Proposition of Joggy 32:21 The Value Proposition of TYB 46:00 Insights and Reflections 48:52 Social Currency Corner 49:58 Advice for Founders

A raise is cause for celebration, but if you’re not careful, it can also lead to lifestyle creep—a sneaky culprit that keeps you living paycheck to paycheck, even with a bigger paycheck. Today, Nicole helps a Money Rehabber design a game plan to maximize their raise, pay down debt, and hit their financial goals without falling into the lifestyle creep trap. If you’re ready to automate your budget, boost your savings, and stay on track, Bank of America has the tools to help. Learn more at bofa.com/FinancialNextSteps.

When can getting investment hurt your business? Why did the girlboss era crash and burn? These seem like two totally different questions, but they’re both can be answered in the case study that is the rise and fall of the athleisure brand Outdoor Voices. Today, we’re going to understand why Outdoor Voices is a cautionary story for investors and entrepreneurs alike, with the help of creator Sammi Cohen. Sammi’s podcast Social Currency — the newest addition to the MNN fam — is out now. Nicole and Sammi recorded this conversation last year, and they didn’t know it then, but the first guest on Sammi’s pod would be Ty Haney, the Outdoor Voices founder they talk about in this episode of Money Rehab. Your next listen should definitely be Sammi’s episode with Ty on audio HERE and video HERE. And while you’re at it, subscribe to Social Currency wherever you’re listening now!

Today, Nicole is pulling back the curtain on a financial institution you probably didn’t expect to see on this show: Vatican City. In this episode, Nicole dives into the financial story of the Catholic Church under Pope Francis: the scandals, the reforms, the setbacks—and what this means for Pope Leo and the future of the church.

Nicole’s a bit of a romantic— especially when it comes to conversations about financial and family planning. Today, she’s joined by Sharna Burgess (cohost of the Oldish podcast, Dancing with the Stars alum), who is having these conversations now with her fiancé, actor Brian Austin Green. Sharna shares how finances are factoring into their wedding planning, how a business manager played a key role in her love story, and whether she and Brian are considering continuing to grow their family. Plus, Nicole gives her favorite strategies for setting good financial habits as a couple. If you and your spouse decide to open a joint account, you should check out Bank of America. You can even turn it into a date night! Because making smart money decisions together is an investment in your relationship. And honestly, what’s more romantic than that? Nicole’s partner Bank of America is the one stop shop where you can get guidance, tools, solutions, and view your Bank of America banking and manage your Merrill investing accounts online in one place. To learn more, go to: http://bofa.com/FinancialNextSteps⁠.

Hosted by Nicole Lapin the podcast Scams, Money, and Murder dives into the dark side of finance. From cutthroat con artists to billion-dollar scams, and even murder, Nicole will take you through the world’s wildest financial crimes -- or talk to the experts who studied them, and the victims that survived them. Scams, Money, and Murder with Nicole Lapin is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. Follow now wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Thursday. For more content, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @crimehouse.

The portfolios of members of Congress outperform the S&P 500 by 17%. That's not smart investing— that's insider trading. Today, Nicole shares some jaw-dropping examples of insider trading in Washington, and how we can use politicians' investment disclosures to predict the future.

How do you work towards multiple financial goals at once? The answer isn’t some money move that your future self will need to make… the answer lies within the money moves you are making now. Right now. And we’ll show you how to make those money moves, with help from Bank of America, who Nicole partnered with for this episode. Whatever goals you’re working towards, long-term or short-term, Bank of America Corporation has tools to help you get there at http://bofa.com/FinancialNextSteps.

After a wave of not-so-great headlines on tariffs, we finally have some good news: the Trump Administration is signaling cuts to the new tariffs on Chinese goods. But what does that actually mean for your bank account? To follow the money trail, Nicole brings back Fred P. Hochberg—former President of the Export-Import Bank and Acting Administrator of the Small Business Administration—who has spent his career at the intersection of business and public policy. Fred and Nicole break down how tariff policy should work to benefit Americans, what happens if these cuts don’t happen, and how it all could affect prices (yes, including what you’ll pay for Christmas presents this year). Fred's book is an amazing read to understand the current moment! Check it out here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Trade-Is-Not-a-Four-Letter-Word/Fred-P-Hochberg/9781982127374