Investments / Wealth Building
Should You Ever Invest in a Business a Friend Is Starting — or Does Money Always Find a Way to End the Relationship?PAGE EXCERPT A friend has a business idea and needs investors — and they're asking you. Rachael O'Meara, Mark Kohler, and Tiffany Aliche debate whether investing in a friend's startup is a meaningful act of support or the fastest way to quietly destroy both the money and the relationship.
Credit & Personal Finance
Is Holding Cash Right Now a Smart Defensive Move — or Are You Just Losing to Inflation While Waiting for Certainty That Never Comes?Inflation is eating away at every dollar sitting idle — but markets feel shaky enough that "stay liquid" still sounds reasonable. Michael Kitces, Samantha Sharf, and David Stein debate whether holding cash right now is smart defense or just a slow bleed while you wait for certainty that may never come.
Global Business / Economy
A Clash of Financial Titans: Credit Unions vs. BanksLower fees, better rates, a not-for-profit model focused on members instead of shareholders — credit unions sound like the obvious win. But banks counter with better tech, bigger ATM networks, and no membership hoops to jump through. Elizabeth Warren, David McGarry, and Jack R. Womack make the case for each side.
Global Business / Economy
Is Embedded Finance Quietly Replacing Traditional Banks — or Just Putting a New Face on the Same Old Fees?Buy now, pay later at checkout. Credit offers baked right into the app. Embedded finance is everywhere now — but is it really replacing the bank, or just hiding the same old fees behind a friendlier interface? Brett King, Liz Pacheco, and Chris Skinner break it down.
Investments / Wealth Building
Is Peer-to-Peer Lending a Legitimate Way to Earn Yield — or a High-Risk Bet Dressed Up as Passive Income?With savings accounts paying next to nothing, peer-to-peer lending promises something rare: real yield, with you playing the role of the bank. Ryan Caldbeck, Elizabeth Warren, and David Reiss debate whether P2P lending is a legitimate alternative investment or a high-risk bet wearing the costume of passive income.
Financial Technology (FinTech)
Should You Trust a Robo-Advisor With Your Retirement Money — or Does Algorithmic Investing Break Down Exactly When You Need It Most?Only 54% of Americans feel prepared for retirement — and robo-advisors promise a low-cost, emotion-free way to invest. Rob Smith, Angela Financial, and Dr. Mark Thompson debate whether algorithmic investing is the smarter long-term play, or whether it breaks down exactly when human judgment matters most: during a crisis.
