APRIL IS FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH! What do you get when two late starters hand the mic to two twenty-somethings and let the money questions fly? In this unusually fun follow-up to the University of Tennessee classroom visit, we bring Dr. Karen DeLong and two of her students, Emilie and Britton, onto the podcast to tackle the real questions young adults ask when money stops being theoretical and starts getting personal.

Emilie – Majoring in Finance and International Business with a minor in Agricultural Business and will be pursuing a career in Wealth Management.

Britton – Interning with Wells Fargo in their Investment Banking - Commercial Real Estate division and will be pursuing a career in that post grad.

This episode covers

The real money questions college students are asking before graduation
Why Roth IRAs are such a powerful early-start tool
How to think about saving for retirement versus nearer-term goals
What happens to your 401(k) when you switch jobs
Why savings rate matters more than most young adults realize
The balance between being responsible and being too frugal
How parents, professors, and mentors shape money mindset
Why financial literacy needs to be practical, not just theoretical
What late starters can teach young adults before they make the same mistakes

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RESOURCES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW

🌐 Dr. Karen DeLong

Farm Credit Mid-America

📘 If You Can: How Millennials Can Get Rich Slowly (Bill Bernstein)

📕 The Simple Path to Wealth- Updated 2025 (JL Collins)

📗 Your Money or Your Life (Vicki Robin & Joe Dominguez)

📙F.I.R.E. For Dummies (Jackie Cummings Koski)

📘Money Letters 2 My Daughter (Jackie Cummings Koski)

⏰ Related Episodes

I Have a PhD in Business but Never Had a Personal Finance Class | Dr. Karen DeLong | 206

Financial Literacy 101: Live Inside the Classroom at University of Tennessee | Bill & Jackie | 207

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📌Disclaimer: Our content is for general education and information purposes only. We are not providing financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult a professional before making important decisions.