Rephonic
Artwork for Michael Makes Sense

Michael Makes Sense

Commonwealth Guardians
Retirement Planning
Social Security
Taxes
Income Planning In Retirement
PILL Method
Debt Payoff
Market Volatility
Survivor Benefits
Contingency Planning
Interest Cost
Amortization
IRS
Commonwealth Guardians
Financial Telehealth
Banking System
Medicare

Michael Makes Sense cuts through the noise of personal finance with clear, practical conversations designed to help you make more confident decisions about your financial future. Hosted by Michael Widlake, Founder of Commonwealth Guardians, the show tackles the real questions people have about money, retirement, investing, financial planning, risk, and the decisions that can shape the years ahead.... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes5Founded2 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
InvestingBusiness

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Michael Makes Sense

Latest Episodes

You may know how much you’ve saved for retirement, but do you know how much of it you’ll actually get to keep?In Episode 05 of Michael Makes Sense, Michael takes a closer look at one of the most overlooked parts of retirement planning: taxes.From 401... more

Is Social Security really running out of money, and should you be worried about what that means for your retirement?

In Episode 03 of Michael Makes Sense, Michael Widlake, Founder of Commonwealth Guardians, takes on one of the biggest concerns facing... more

Can you really pay off debt faster without simply throwing more money at it?

On Episode 04 of Michael Makes Sense, Michael Widlake sits down with Don Daniel, founder and creator of The P.I.L.L. Method®, to talk about a different way of looking at de... more

In Episode 02 of Michael Makes Sense, Michael Widlake, Founder of Commonwealth Guardians, discusses some of the biggest questions people face as they approach retirement:

• How do I know when I can afford to retire?

• What happens if I live longer t... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Investing Insights
Investing InsightsMorningstar, Ivanna Hampton, Sarah Hansen
Makes Sense - with Dr. JC Doornick
Makes Sense - with Dr. JC DoornickDr. JC Doornick "The Dragon"
NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast
NerdWallet's Smart Money PodcastNerdWallet Personal Finance

Recent Guests

Don Daniel
Creator of The PILL Method, an approach to debt and amortization
PILL Method
Episode: The PILL Method: How to Pay Off Debt Faster | Don Daniel | Michael Makes Sense Ep. 04

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Are Taxes the Hidden Shortfall in Your Retirement Plan? | Michael Makes Sense Ep. 05
Q: What is one thing I should be doing today to avoid tax surprises later?
Begin planning now to understand how different income sources will be taxed in retirement, map out all potential income streams, and adjust strategies as needed to minimize tax burdens over the long term.
Are Taxes the Hidden Shortfall in Your Retirement Plan? | Michael Makes Sense Ep. 05
Q: Is Social Security taxed and could taking money from an IRA increase Medicare premiums?
Yes, up to 85% of Social Security can be taxed due to historical rule changes, and withdrawals can influence Medicare premiums if income crosses certain thresholds, making careful planning important.
When will I actually be able to retire? | Michael Makes Sense Ep. 02
Q: When can I actually retire given my savings and income needs?
The host explains that retirement is about converting assets into a steady income stream that replaces the paycheck, with a focus on sustainable withdrawals and a plan that accounts for longevity and emotional readiness.
Should I Be Worried About Social Security Running Out? | Michael Makes Sense Ep. 03
Q: Hi Michael, I'm Denise from Columbus, Ohio. What's the biggest Social Security mistake people make?
The biggest mistake is making the Social Security decision in isolation. Social Security affects taxes, income, Medicare, withdrawals, survivor benefits, and estate planning, so a holistic approach yields better long-term income and less stress.
Should I Be Worried About Social Security Running Out? | Michael Makes Sense Ep. 03
Q: Hi Michael. I'm Carlos from San Antonio, Texas. Every time I turn on the news, someone says Social Security is running out of money. Should I be worried? How can I plan if benefits might be reduced someday?
Headlines are designed to grab attention and don't necessarily reflect how to plan. Social Security is funded by payroll taxes for now, and significant changes would require legislation. Build flexibility into your retirement plan and model several contingency scenarios based on current law so you stay in control.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Michael Makes Sense

Where can I find podcast stats for Michael Makes Sense?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Michael Makes Sense. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Michael Makes Sense and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Michael Makes Sense get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Michael Makes Sense, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Michael Makes Sense?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Michael Makes Sense, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Michael Makes Sense have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Michael Makes Sense has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Michael Makes Sense?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Michael Makes Sense:

1. Your Next Dollar: Money Management for High Earners
2. Investing Insights
3. Makes Sense - with Dr. JC Doornick
4. NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast
5. The Clark Howard Podcast

How many episodes of Michael Makes Sense are there?

Michael Makes Sense launched 2 months ago and published 5 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Michael Makes Sense?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Michael Makes Sense?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Michael Makes Sense from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Michael Makes Sense?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Michael Makes Sense. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Michael Makes Sense?

Recent guests on Michael Makes Sense include:

1. Don Daniel

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days