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

In this episode of The Art of Allowance Podcast, host John Lanza and personal finance expert Laura Adams discuss how to introduce investing to children in a way that fosters agency rather than anxiety. They explore various investment vehicles such as 529 plans, IRAs, custodial accounts and the new Trump accounts, emphasizing the importance of understanding the goals behind investing for kids. Their conversation also covers strategies for engaging young investors, the significance of starting early and common mistakes made by young adults in their financial journeys. Laura also shares insights on how parents can instill good investing habits in their children and the role of financial institutions in promoting financial literacy.
Laura Adams is a money expert, an award-winning author and the host of the top-rated Money Girl Podcast, with more than 40 million downloads. Her mission is simple: to make complex financial topics easy to understand so people can make wise choices and live richer lives.
Laura has completed over 3,000 interviews with top national outlets, including ABC World News, CBS, FOX, NBC News and NPR. In print and online, her practical advice has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Consumer Reports and Forbes.
A recipient of an MBA from the University of Florida, Laura lives in Vero Beach with her husband.

In this Art of Allowance Podcast episode, host John Lanza speaks with guest Karen Holland about her nonprofit, GIFTING SENSE®, and its core component, the DIMS – DOES IT MAKE SENSE?® SCORE Calculator. They discuss the importance of teaching kids mindful spending habits, particularly during middle school–a critical time for developing financial literacy. Karen also shares insights on how the DIMS SCORE® helps children make informed purchasing decisions, reduces family discord over money and encourages reflection on spending choices. Her conversation with John emphasizes the need for experiential learning and the role of parents in guiding their kids towards better money management practices.
Karen Holland is an economist, a mom and the founder of the nonprofit GIFTING SENSE®. Karen holds a master's degree in economic history and an honors bachelor's degree in economics. She has been named a Next Gen Personal Finance Distinguished Educator and believes that early success with thinking before buying primes kids to seek out the financial knowledge they'll need later, building confident, financially literate citizens for life.

Host John Lanza and returning guest Cameron Huddleston discuss the financial challenges faced by recent college graduates and the strategies parents can use to support their children transitioning into adulthood. They cover topics such as drafting a launch contract for monetary support, navigating job searches in a challenging market, establishing a minimum viable money system, understanding credit and obtaining appropriate legal and financial documents. John and Cameron's conversation emphasizes the need for open communication between parents and adult children regarding financial expectations and responsibilities as well as the importance of teaching money smarts and mindfulness.
Cameron Huddleston is the author of Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations with Your Parents About Their Finances. She is also an award-winning journalist with nearly 25 years of experience writing about personal finance. Her work has appeared in AARP, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, the Chicago Tribune, Forbes Advisor, Yahoo Finance and many more print and online publications.

In this Art of Allowance Podcast conversation, guest Barbara Coloroso shares her parenting insights with host John Lanza. Barbara emphasizes the importance of structure, flexibility and encouragement in raising resilient, money-smart kids. She discusses the different family types outlined in her work, the significance of teaching about money from a young age and the value of allowing children to make mistakes as part of the learning process. Barbara also highlights a caregiver's progression from parent to guide to friend and the critical role of reflection in improving parenting strategies.
Barbara Coloroso is an internationally recognized author, educator and parenting consultant with over 50 years of experience. A sought-after speaker on bullying, discipline, parenting and teaching, Barbara has appeared on CNN, NPR and Oprah and been featured in Newsweek, The New York Times and U.S. News & World Report. Barbara's work blends academic training in philosophy, sociology and special education with real-world insights drawn from her experiences as a teacher, volunteer, mother and grandmother. She has authored four bestselling books, including kids are worth it!, which frames her discussion with John.

In this Art of Allowance Podcast episode, host John Lanza speaks with guest Steve Bugg about what it takes to build money-smart families and communities. Steve is the CEO of Great Lakes Credit Union, one of our partners engaging kids and empowering parents through The Money Mammals powered by The Art of Allowance. He and John discuss the role of technology in financial education, the challenges of connecting with schools and the future of credit unions in promoting financial literacy. Steve also shares how his approach to teaching financial responsibility has evolved from parenting to grandparenting, emphasizing the value of starting early and building strong money habits.
Steve Bugg is the President and CEO of Great Lakes Credit Union, which boasts over 100,000 members in Northern Illinois. After working in the banking and telecommunications industries, Steve joined the credit union movement 17 years ago. His dedication to serving underserved markets through financial literacy, housing counseling and community partnerships has led him to collaborate with numerous nonprofit and industry organizations, including the Lake County Community Foundation, Waukegan Public Library, Illinois Credit Union League Legislative Committee and National Credit Union Foundation Fundraising Committee. A University of Evansville graduate, Steve is a passionate advocate for improving the financial well-being of low- and moderate-income households.