The Heather Kelly Show

Topics include money, science, music and culture. If it affects your life, I'll talk about it.

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I created a fake video of Colin Firth in 6 minutes using AI that I had never used before. Romance scammers are using the same technology right now — and it cost Americans $1.16 BILLION in just 9 months. My full investigation is live with a video. Also, here is link to the full article, including the 3-step script to protect someone you love. Please share this one. 👑

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I Applied to 46 Jobs and Tracked Every Response — Here's How My Numbers Stack Up Against the National Average

by Heather Kelly (Shutterstock Image) After several months ‘in-between opportunities’ with not a lot to show, I am now receiving a windfall of attention (I will post more on that later). But it made me curious how this stacks up against the national average for those who have been job seeking over the last year.

I have been keeping a detailed spreadsheet of each job I applied for, whether I received an interview or was rejected, and if I was hired. I did have a few successes with freelance/contract work, but they were of very short duration.

What the data actually says

Most online applications result in a 0.1%–2% success rate, and job seekers now submit anywhere from 32 to over 200 applications on average before receiving an offer. I sent in a total of 46 applications before landing a permanent full-time job.

Current studies show it takes roughly 42 applications to land a single interview, with only about 2.4% of applicants reaching the interview stage for any given role. I had multiple interview rounds at the full-time job I will be starting next week, plus screening interviews elsewhere. The data shows that’s a better conversion than most.

The Application-to-Interview ratio

CareerPlug analyzed hiring data from more than 60,000 small business owners covering more than 10 million job applications in 2024, and found the applicant-to-interview ratio was 3% — meaning for every 100 applicants, only 3 were invited to interview. EntertainmentCareers.Net.

It isn’t just the interview people should be tracking. It’s their response as well, even if that response is a rejection. Of the 46 applications I sent out, 39% of employers responded with either a rejection notice or a request for interview. I also landed several freelance jobs that lasted anywhere from two days to six weeks.

My numbers vs. the market

Metric Industry Average My Numbers ________________________________________________________________ Response Rate 3%–25% 39% ✅ Well above average ________________________________________________________________ Success Rate 0.1%–2% 9% ✅ Significantly above ________________________________________________________________ Applications sent 32–200+ ~15 ✅ Much lower than

The above graphic shows my response rate was above the national average. This is important because if you aren’t getting responses, you’re resumes probably aren't making it past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). These are AI-powered software tools used by over 98% of Fortune 500 companies to scan, rank, and filter resumes for specific keywords and formatting before a human ever reviews them. I also scored above the national average for getting hired from a cold application — meaning no one I knew referred me to the role (according to the experts, 85 percent of people get hired due to their connections). I was lucky to send out an average of 15 applications before I was hired for freelance positions. What isn’t in these numbers is all the freelance jobs happened in the first two months I was unemployed. I then waited almost two more months before finally getting another interview that led to the full-time offer. During the time I was interviewing for the full-time job, I launched The Heather Kelly Show and was asked to interview for yet another job. So, now I have a lot on my plate when before I was starving.

Landing the job

The median time to a first offer grew from 57 days in Q1 of 2025 to 83 days by Q4 according to Zip Recruiter; meaning most job seekers wait nearly three months just for an offer. I sent out my first application in late November and was hired full-time by mid-March — roughly 3.5 months total, which is slightly below that median.

A 10%–20% application-to-interview ratio is considered average, and 20%–30% is considered good. I learned very quickly I needed to do a lot of tweeking to my resume to get them through the ATS guard that I believe contributed to my higher response rate, including the rejections.

It’s rough out there, but not impossible

Competition is real and increasing — data from Ashby analyzing over 31 million applications found that applications per hire tripled from 2021 to 2024 ZipRecruiter

The job market is genuinely tightening — job openings have been trending down through late 2025 This process has not been a picnic and has come with a fair amount of stress. But I used my time to learn more about how to use several AI programs and how it contributes in a workplace setting. I also learned what I did and didn’t want to do moving forward. That helped me focus on which jobs I would be happy doing an only applying to those. I encourage everyone to keep plugging away, learn more about AI if you need to and how to get your resume past the ATS machine. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. But your tunnel may be longer than others.

Shutterstock

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The February jobs report just landed — and it's a gut punch.

Economists were expecting the economy to add 55,000 jobs this month. Instead, it shed 92,000, and the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%. Think of it like a ship's crew expecting a tailwind and getting hit by a headwind instead — the economy isn't just slowing down, it's moving backward.

Making matters worse, December's numbers were revised from a gain of 48,000 jobs to a loss of 17,000 — meaning the picture was already worse than we knew. Healthcare, long the one reliable engine of job growth, posted losses of 28,000 amid major strike activity.

Worth a read 👇

Jobs report shocks with unexpected loss of 92,000 jobs in February as unemployment rate rises

February's payrolls sharply missed economists' expectations, Labor Department data released Friday showed, with 92,000 positions lost.

[heatherkellyslc]

Gold, Bitcoin, and the Illusion of Ownership: Why Commodity Investing Is Fool's Gold

OPINION

Why People Invest in Gold and Bitcoin

To be fair, the appeal of commodities is not irrational on its face. Gold has been a store of value for millennia, and its proponents argue it acts as a hedge against inflation — a financial life jacket when paper currencies lose purchasing power. When the dollar weakens or central banks print money, gold historically holds its ground.

Bitcoin's advocates make a similar but more modern argument. With a hard cap of 21 million coins, Bitcoin is by design deflationary — it cannot be inflated away the way government-issued money can. Supporters see it as "digital gold": a decentralized asset free from political interference, border restrictions, and central bank manipulation.

Both assets also benefit from a powerful psychological pull: scarcity. People gravitate toward things they believe are rare and hard to replicate, and both gold and Bitcoin check that box. In times of economic uncertainty — a global pandemic, a banking crisis, a geopolitical conflict — investors flock to these assets as perceived safe havens.

There is also the momentum argument. When prices rise, more buyers enter, prices rise further, and the narrative of inevitability builds. For many, investing in gold or Bitcoin feels less like speculation and more like getting ahead of the crowd.

The Ownership Illusion: You Don't Own What You Think You Own

Here is where the argument unravels. When most people "invest in gold" through a brokerage account, they are not purchasing gold. They are buying a financial instrument — a gold ETF, a futures contract, or shares in a gold mining company — that is designed to track the price of gold. The gold itself sits in a vault somewhere, and you have no legal claim to a physical bar of it.

Think of it like buying a cinema ticket to watch someone else's vacation video. You have paid for the experience of the price movement, but you do not own the underlying asset. If the financial system that mediates that ownership collapses — the very scenario gold enthusiasts most fear — your ETF certificate is worth exactly nothing.

Bitcoin presents a related but distinct problem. Unless you hold your own private keys in a personal wallet, your Bitcoin is held by an exchange. And as the collapse of FTX in 2022 demonstrated, exchange custody is not the same as ownership. Thousands of investors watched their supposedly decentralized, government-resistant digital assets disappear into bankruptcy proceedings. The whole point of Bitcoin — self-sovereign ownership — is negated the moment you hand it to an intermediary.

The cruel irony is this: the investors most attracted to gold and Bitcoin because they distrust institutions are, in practice, trusting institutions most completely. They own a claim on a claim — a derivative of a derivative.

Panic Buying and the Herd Stampede

Beyond the ownership illusion lies the behavioral problem. The commodity investment cycle does not resemble rational portfolio allocation. It resembles a herd stampede.

When stock markets fall, gold and Bitcoin prices spike. When markets recover, they retreat. This is not sophisticated hedging — it is reactive panic. Investors are not buying these assets because of careful analysis of their intrinsic properties. They are buying them because other frightened people are buying them, and the price going up makes the asset feel "safe."

Imagine a crowd all running toward the same emergency exit. The first few through are fine. The ones who follow the crowd blindly get trampled. Commodity surges during market crises are exactly this: a financial stampede where the asset's price is driven entirely by fear, not fundamentals.

This also explains why gold and Bitcoin tend to peak during crises and then slowly bleed value as calm returns. The panic premium dissipates. Those who bought at the height of the hysteria — exactly when the asset "felt" most necessary — are invariably left holding a depreciated position.

The Survivalist Fantasy

One last thread deserves pulling: the doomsday argument. Gold enthusiasts in particular invoke an end-of-civilization scenario in which physical gold becomes the universal currency when modern financial infrastructure collapses.

But as argued above, most gold investors don't own physical gold. They own paper proxies for gold. In a true societal collapse, that paper is worthless. And even if you do hold physical gold, history suggests that in genuine survival scenarios, people barter with food, medicine, fuel, and labor — not precious metals. Gold's value depends on a functioning society that agrees it has value. Remove the society, and you remove the value.

Bitcoin in this scenario fares even worse. It requires functioning internet infrastructure, electricity grids, and a network of participants running software. A world apocalyptic enough to destroy confidence in the dollar is probably also a world without the power grid that makes Bitcoin usable.

A Better Path

None of this means all commodity exposure is inherently reckless. A small, disciplined allocation to physical gold — actual, held-in-your-hand gold — might make sense for certain investors. But that is a very different proposition from buying a gold ETF because the news is scary today.

The better question for most investors is this: do I want to own a claim on human ingenuity, productivity, and innovation — which is what equities represent — or do I want to own a price signal driven by collective anxiety? Businesses solve problems and generate cash flows. Gold and Bitcoin do neither. They simply reflect how frightened we are.

Next time the market falls and gold or Bitcoin prices spike, the right question is not "should I buy in?" It is: "who am I buying this from, do I actually own anything, and will it still be true when the panic ends?"

The views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author.

[heatherkellyslc]

THE FREELANCE CHRONICLE

A Week in the Life of an Independent Journalist

Week of February 7-13, 2026

Heather Kelly - Business Desk | Tuesday, February 10, 2026

This Week's Output

Articles Written: 3 published (including this one)

Audio Produced: 1 package sold

Interviews Conducted: 2 (Loggins, financial expert)

Press Conferences: 1 attended

Job Applications: 6 submitted

Status: All deadlines met, invoices submitted

The Job Hunt

Six Applications, Six Tailored Approaches Career Desk | Throughout the Week

Between conducting interviews and filing stories, this week also saw the submission of six job applications—each requiring careful customization of resume and cover letter to align with specific job descriptions. The process is time-consuming but necessary: generic applications rarely make it past automated screening systems or human resources professionals looking for exact keyword matches.

The positions ranged from staff reporter roles at regional newspapers to content strategist positions at corporate communications departments. Each application demanded a different emphasis: highlighting investigative skills for one, emphasizing multimedia production capabilities for another, foregrounding business writing experience for a third. The same career, repackaged six different ways.

The irony of spending hours tailoring applications while simultaneously proving those very skills through active freelance work is not lost on this reporter. Yet the pursuit of stable employment continues alongside the freelance hustle—hedging bets in an uncertain media landscape where both traditional newsrooms and independent journalism face existential challenges.

The Freelance Life

Hustle Highlights

This week exemplified the diverse skill set required in modern journalism: conducting press conferences, securing exclusive interviews, audio editing, negotiating sales, and meeting publication deadlines across multiple topics. Add to that six customized job applications, and the "unemployment" label feels increasingly absurd.

Technical Skills

Audio editing proved essential this week, transforming raw press conference recordings and interview footage into a polished, sellable product. The ability to wear multiple hats—reporter, editor, producer, and salesperson—continues to be the freelancer's greatest asset.

Business Development

Successfully pitching and selling the Loggins audio package represents not just this week's income, but an ongoing relationship with a podcast network that may yield future opportunities. In freelancing, every project is also a networking opportunity.

Behind the Bylines

The Reality of "Unemployment"

The term "unemployed" hardly captures the reality of freelance journalism combined with an active job search. This week alone included: attending press events, conducting interviews, writing articles, producing audio content, managing business relationships, and submitting six carefully tailored job applications. If this is unemployment, it's the busiest kind imaginable.

The job application process reveals its own absurdities. Spend two hours customizing a resume to emphasize "multimedia storytelling capabilities," then immediately pivot to editing audio for a podcast sale—actively demonstrating the very skills you're claiming on paper. Draft a cover letter explaining your "proven ability to meet tight deadlines" while racing to file a story before end-of-business. The meta-awareness is exhausting.

The irony isn't lost on this reporter that while interviewing a financial expert about the importance of planning regardless of income level, I'm living the very scenario he described—irregular income requiring extra discipline. His advice about budgeting on the lower end of average monthly earnings resonated particularly strongly when you're waiting for invoices to be paid while hoping one of six applications might lead to steady employment.

Yet there's genuine satisfaction in this work. The Loggins induction story connected readers with a beloved artist's milestone moment. The financial planning piece may help someone take control of their money situation. The podcast will bring Loggins' insights to thousands of listeners. These aren't just assignments to fill time between "real" jobs—they're contributions to the cultural conversation, produced independently with complete editorial control.

Looking Ahead

Next Week's Agenda

The upcoming week brings opportunities for additional pitches and follow-up stories. Along with as many meet and greet events I can get to. The key challenge, as always, is balancing immediate income needs against investments in longer-form pieces that might pay better but take more time to develop.

Invoice tracking shows three payments pending from last month's work, a reminder that freelance journalism means managing cash flow as carefully as managing deadlines. But as this week's financial planning article emphasized: having a plan matters more than how much you're planning with. The grind continues, one story at a time.

"Unemployment is just another word for self-employment when you refuse to stop working." — Freelancer's Motto

[heatherkellyslc]

Financial Expert Explains Why Even $100 Million Isn't Enough Without a Plan

An interview with Chad Waddoups

By Heather Kelly

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- When NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. claimed he couldn't survive the rest of his life on his $100 million contract, many rolled their eyes. But according to Chad Waddoups, vice president of wealth management at Mountain America Credit Union, the case highlights a universal problem that affects people at every income level: the failure to match lifestyle with savings.

"It's not just about the money," Waddoups said. "It's also about your lifestyle. Most of us with $100 million could probably figure it out because we haven't created this unique lifestyle, but we each have to create a lifestyle that matches our income or at least our savings."

The problem, he explained, is universal. "If you spend more than you have, you're going to have a problem — whether you have $100 million or you have $50."

The Education Gap

Kelly, who has extensive knowledge of personal finance, questioned why professional sports teams don't require financial education as part of player contracts.

"Why can't these teams make players go through a money course before they get their first paycheck?" Kelly asked. "Give them something to understand, like, 'Hey, we're about to throw a bunch of money at you. You need to learn how to use it more effectively.'"

Waddoups said many teams do provide financial information, but it often doesn't sink in.

"You're 18, 19, 20 years old, and suddenly you have millions of dollars," he said. "It feels like you could buy whatever you want, whenever you want. That's not something they've experienced, so I think regardless of having a financial professional sit down with them and try to explain it, they're probably not getting it."

Consistency vs. Intensity

Waddoups emphasized the importance of consistent saving over time, comparing it to physical fitness.

"You can go to the gym for 10 hours one day, and you're just going to get sore," he said. "But if you break that up into 30 minutes for 20 days, it's going to make a much more significant difference."

The timing gap presents an additional challenge for professional athletes. While most workers can plan to earn money for 40 to 50 years, many athletes are done earning by age 35.

"If you are running out of money by the time you're 35, and you have a really expensive lifestyle, it almost doesn't matter how much you've saved," Waddoups said. "You're going to run out of money. You've got 40 more years to live."

Core Principles for Everyone

When asked about planning for windfalls or steady income, Waddoups outlined fundamental principles that apply across all income levels.

"Money serves two key purposes: what you need now and what you need later," he said. "Finding the balance between the two is the critical part of planning."

He noted that both extremes can be problematic. Some people save too much and never enjoy their money, while others spend too much and find themselves in uncomfortable situations.

His core recommendations include:

• Build an emergency fund equal to about one year's expenses

• Live below your means

• Create a personal net worth statement to understand your true financial position

• Limit credit cards to make spending easier to track

Kelly, demonstrating her financial knowledge, added context about the pitfalls of multiple credit cards.

"The bills don't all come in at the same time," she noted. "You'll get one credit card bill and you go, 'Ooh, well that's $100.' Then a week later you get another bill, and that one's $200. As you're paying the bill, you're not adding up all the ones that you've already paid. Even if you have a credit card — I'm not a fan — but if you do, keep it to one."

Teaching Financial Literacy Early

Both agreed that financial education must start young.

"It definitely has to start at a young age, recognizing that money spent on one thing is no longer available for another," Waddoups said.

He acknowledged the challenge for parents. "I've got a teenager at home, and we've tried to give him enough money to budget. But it's really hard as a parent when your child is out of money and says, 'I want to go on this date.' You want to fund this experience. To say, 'You spent your money on something else. I guess you're not going to be able to do that' — that's kind of tough."

The Power of Automation

When Kelly asked how to help people who struggle with saving despite teaching good principles to their children, Waddoups emphasized automation.

"If you see the money, you're probably going to spend it," he said. "So, automate it. If you have an employer who offers a 401(k), have it go straight from your paycheck. You're not going to see that money. You're not going to miss it."

He stressed the importance of budgeting based on post-savings income. "Budget based on your post-automated distribution. You don't even have that option to budget for the money that you're putting aside to save."

Kelly, again demonstrating her expertise, highlighted the value of employer matching programs.

"A lot of times people are leaving money on the table," she said. "Many employers will match up to 3%, sometimes 5%. If you're putting 3% of your paycheck into the 401(k), your employer is also putting 3%. You wind up with 6%, but that 3% is free to you. Your money will grow so fast."

She shared her own experience: "I was up to 15% of my paycheck. My employers only matched up to 4%, but I was getting 19% in my savings."

Start Early, Save Small

Waddoups emphasized that the timeline for building savings is less important than starting the process.

"It's not about how long it takes to save it," he said. "If it takes you six months or 10 years to develop that emergency fund, that's the first step. Once you have that step down, then you can move into more long-term savings and investing."

He stressed the exponential value of early investment. "A dollar invested in your 20s is much more valuable than a dollar invested in your 50s because it's got that time to grow. Start when it's hardest — when we're younger — but it's the most valuable dollar that you'll invest."

Kelly referenced a chart showing the power of early investing: "If you put money aside in your 20s for 10 years, starting at age 20, and stop at age 30, letting it grow until you retire at 65, you will actually have more money at 65 than if you started at age 30 and put money in for the next 35 years.

“You put in less and you have more."  Waddoups confirmed the mathematics. "That's absolutely true. The Math is very simple. The philosophy behind it is complicated because that's a time in life when people just aren't thinking about their future for decent reasons — they've got young children, maybe it's more important to have a good life insurance policy. But if we get that message through, just a little bit, sometimes just as much as your employer will help you with, that alone will be enough to make for a significant nest egg later."

Behavioral Change

When asked about programs to help change financial behaviors, Waddoups explained Mountain America's approach.

"Mountain America offers financial guides who can sit down with people and explain these concepts, explain why creating a budget makes sense, and help people create a budget," he said. "That's the beginning step of changing your philosophy."

On the wealth management side, Waddoups said his team focuses on behavioral finance. "How do you think about money? How do you respond to money? How do you change your behavior? That's the most important thing that's going to get you to take action. People don't take action just because they're told to, but they've got to have some rationale and some belief that it will actually work for them."

Kelly shared a personal turning point that illustrated the challenge of behavioral change.

"I heard the phrase 'the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result,' all my life without understanding it.  But it finally clicked," she said. "I was at a crossroads professionally about 30 years ago. I had been going to a job day after day thinking, 'Okay, today's the day I'll be happy. Today's the day management won't suck.' Then, I heard that phrase again and went, 'Oh, I get it!' That made me change careers. I feel like the same is true with money. If you are living paycheck to paycheck and you never examine your spending habits, then go 'Oh my gosh, I never have any money' — this happens day after day and you think TODAY you're going to have a different result.  That’s insanity"

Waddoups agreed. "One of the hardest lessons to learn as humans is that experience can actually teach us. When it comes to your money, small changes, small tweaks can make massive differences."

Services and Fees

When Kelly asked about costs, Waddoups explained that Mountain America doesn't charge for initial consultations.

"We don't charge for consultation with our advisors," he said. "We believe very firmly that education is key. We can sit down with you and build a financial plan, a retirement plan."

The first step, he explained, focuses on goals rather than numbers. "We talk about what you want your retirement to look like before you even start talking about money and how much you have. We want to understand your dreams, your hopes for the future. When do you plan to retire? What do you think your retirement looks like? Are you going to travel? Do you have family you want to visit? What hobbies do you have? Those are really important questions so we can tie the money to something valuable."

Regarding ongoing services, Waddoups explained that fees typically come in two forms: asset-based fees for managing lump sums, or commission-based fees for specific products. He noted that studies consistently show that using an advisor is worth the fees because clients generate more income and better returns than they would without professional help.

Final Advice

Kelly asked for parting words of advice for avoiding financial disaster.

"It's not very fun sometimes to think about ways to save," Waddoups acknowledged. "We see lots of articles about 'don't get that cup of coffee' or 'cook your meals at home.' That's not very fun. I think we make retirement planning more fun by talking about what you actually want to do in retirement. Think about your goals, the traveling you want to do, the grandkids you want to visit, the golf you're going to play."

He emphasized the importance of purpose in financial sacrifice. "When you do have to make a sacrifice, there's value in it. You're thinking about the value of that sacrifice, not just 'I don't get my cup of coffee.' There's purpose in it. Make it fun in that way to think about: This is going to be great. When I have saved enough money to leave my job, I'm going to have so much fun. I'm going to be able to live the life I want. That's what we should be thinking about, not necessarily the difficulty of the sacrifices."

Kelly concluded by noting that while the interview featured Mountain America Credit Union, similar financial guidance services are available at many banks and credit unions. ____

Heather Kelly is a broadcast journalist and host of the podcast Money Making Sense. She is a former news reporter and traffic anchor for KSL NewsRadio and an Edward R. Murrow Award recipient.

[heatherkellyslc]

What if God Was One of Us? A Conversation with The Hooters' Eric Bazilian

By Heather Kelly

In honor of the 30th Anniversary of "One of Us" hitting #4 on the on the Billboard Hot 100 this month in 1996, I am re-posting my interview with writer Eric Bazilian from 2025. _______________________________________________________________

At Sundance's ASCAP Music Cafe, the songwriter behind Joan Osborne's iconic hit shares stories about The Beatles, traffic cops in Germany, and why daddy didn't get lucky that one fateful night.

PARK CITY, Utah — Eric Bazilian settles into his chair at the ASCAP Music Cafe with the easy confidence of someone who's seen it all: Live Aid, MTV's golden age, and the inexplicable magic of German traffic cops singing his songs back to him. The Hooters co-founder and the man behind Joan Osborne's Grammy-nominated "One of Us" is here to talk music, money, and the persistent cultural amnesia that seems to have forgotten his band actually never had a top ten hit in America.

"Little known fact," he says with a wry smile. "'And We Danced' never even cracked the top 20."

Wait, what? The MTV darlings who seemed to own the mid-80s with four top-five videos never had a top-ten record?

"Day by Day was our highest charting single," Bazilian confirms. "Number 18. But hey, we were the best and the worst opening act in the world."

I need to hear more about this.

"We're the best opening act for the audience," he explains, "and sometimes the worst for the headliner. I'm not naming names," he adds quickly, though the gleam in his eye suggests he absolutely could if pressed.

The Beatles, Bach, and a Brutal Swedish Education

Listening to The Hooters' catalog is like stumbling through a musical history lesson—Appalachian twang collides with the blues, folk-rock mingles with something distinctly... Beatles-esque.

"Well, I didn't want to say you're copying," I venture carefully.

"No, well, you can't copy the Beatles," Bazilian shoots back. "I mean, you can imitate them, but you can't copy them."

He's one of those boys—the ones who saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan in 1964 and had an immediate epiphany. Unlike most of his friends, though, Bazilian could already play guitar. "I literally started my first band the next day."

That early start led him through jazz fusion (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Steely Dan), classical music (his mother was a brilliant pianist), and eventually to Swedish folk music in the '90s when he met his Swedish wife. These days, he's teaching himself Bach violin sonatas on the mandolin.

"It's brutal," he admits, "but I can get by. I'll never do it like Chris Thile or Avi Avital, but I can get by."

The German Exception

Here's where things get interesting. The Hooters are huge in Europe—particularly Germany—where their 1987 single "Johnny B." became the stuff of legend.

"That song was the beginning of the end of our career in the U.S.," Bazilian says matter-of-factly. "But in Germany? If I get stopped by a traffic cop and start singing 'Johnny B.' to him—'Johnny B., how much there is, oh, oh'—it's like, 'Cool, it's good, all good.'"

I confess that "Johnny B." is my favorite of all his work—the medieval folk opening with recorder, harpsichord, and mandolin speaks to my own musical preferences.

"You're one of the few stateside that even knows that song," he says with genuine appreciation. "Our set lists are very different in the U.S. and Germany. They don't even know 'And We Danced' in Germany. Sometimes we don't even do 'Johnny B.' in the U.S."

The cultural divide is real. As German songwriter Toby Gadd told him: "Once you have an audience in Germany, you have them forever."

Show Me the Money (Eventually)

Time to talk about what this podcast is really about: the economics of making art.

"We didn't recoup our record deal until 2012," Bazilian reveals casually, as if discussing the weather.

Wait—The Hooters, with their double-platinum Nervous Night album and MTV ubiquity, didn't see a profit until 2012?

"Every time somebody from the record company would fly to see us, take a limo from the airport, take us out to a really nice expensive restaurant—we paid for that."

The minutiae of major label accounting is staggering, but Bazilian doesn't call it thievery. "That's what we signed on for. Because, hey, we have an opportunity here to hit the big time."

The real money? Publishing. Specifically, "One of Us"—the number-one hit everywhere except the U.S., where it peaked at a respectable number four. That song has been Bazilian's "cash cow" for decades, an evergreen that's paid consistent dividends.

He's also seen the evolution of income streams firsthand. While mechanical royalties from physical sales have declined, streaming has picked up the slack. "Thank God for terrestrial radio," he adds. "I know a lot of people say it's on its way out, but it's still keeping songwriters alive."

The Night Daddy Didn't Get Lucky

But the question everyone wants answered: How did "One of Us" actually come to be?

The origin story involves a young Swedish woman, a 4-track cassette recorder on a dining room table, and spectacularly dashed romantic expectations.

Bazilian had met her on a flight to Stockholm. Six months later, she moved to Philadelphia. A week after that, they watched a documentary about the making of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. She was fascinated by the 4-track recording console.

"She said, 'Record something for me,'" Bazilian recalls. "I'd been playing a guitar riff all day, so I made this little arrangement—drums, bass, the works. Took me about a half hour. And I'm thinking, you know, daddy's going to get lucky tonight."

Her response? "Well, that's very nice. Now you have to sing it."

Bazilian launched into an explanation of the actual songwriting process—how you need a chorus, a concept, verses that don't match the chorus, rewrites, losing the plot, starting over, eventual compromise.

"By this time, she'd fallen asleep."

But something happened in that moment. "I heard a voice in my head," he says. "The voice of Brad Roberts from Crash Test Dummies. That voice. And I heard him sing one line of the song."

He hit record. Four minutes later, the song existed.

Years later, at a chance encounter in a Chinese restaurant in Ventnor, New Jersey, Bazilian told this story to Kenny Gamble of the legendary production duo Gamble and Huff. Gamble stood up—"a total ego blast"—and compared "One of Us" to John Lennon's "Imagine."

Then came the critical question: "Do you remember where you were in your head, in your heart, when you wrote that song?"

After hearing the whole story, Gamble's advice was simple: "Wherever you were then, get back there."

Just Write Songs

Speaking of Gamble, Bazilian credits him with the best advice he ever received. At 21, Bazilian had scored an audience with the Philadelphia soul legend. He rattled off his resume: signed to Arista, multi-instrumentalist, arrangement specialist.

"Are you writing?" Gamble asked.

"Well, sometimes."

Gamble looked at him: "Just write songs. Whatever else you do, just write songs. Never stop writing songs."

For emerging songwriters today, Bazilian's advice is practical: Get a solid copyright. Join ASCAP immediately. Use their resources—they'll answer your emails and calls no matter what level you're at. And crucially, keep as much of your publishing as possible.

"I know people who've given up all their publishing on songs that have gone on to become worldwide hits," he says. "I've been fortunate. I've held on to all of mine."

Unlike Taylor Swift's re-recording saga—"that was the recordings," Bazilian clarifies—he and The Hooters could re-record their '85 catalog. "They wouldn't sound the same because we don't have the same voices we had in 1985. And honestly, I don't want to re-record those. But for her it made sense because she made millions of dollars on that."

As our conversation winds down, I'm struck by Bazilian's lack of bitterness about an industry that kept him in the red for decades, an American market that never quite gave The Hooters their due, or a songwriting process that sometimes requires your girlfriend to fall asleep before genius strikes.

He's too busy doing what Kenny Gamble told him to do four decades ago.

Just write songs.

And if a German traffic cop happens to sing one back to you someday? Well, that's just a bonus.

—

Heather Kelly is a broadcast journalist and host of the podcast Money Making Sense. She is a former news reporter and traffic anchor for KSL NewsRadio and an Edward R. Murrow Award recipient.

[heatherkellyslc]

Kenny Loggins Inducted into People's Music Hall of Fame

SALT LAKE CITY -- It was an evening of song, dance and celebration.

Singer, songwriter Kenny Loggins became the second inductee of the People's Music Hall of Fame on February 7, 2026 at the Eccles Theater. Loggins follows Huey Lewis, who was inducted in the hall's inaugural year and presented the award to Loggins.

From left to right: Caleb Chapman, Adam Reader, Huey Lewis, Kenny Loggins, Brandon Fugal, Del Willams (Heather Kelly/The Heather Kelly Show) "Kenny is one of the only artists that has had a three-act career, and that's very rare," said Adam Reader, co-founder of the People's Music Hall of Fame and music historian known as the "Professor of Rock."

Reader cited Loggins' success with Loggins and Messina in the 1970s, his reign as "king of the movie soundtrack" in the 1980s with hits including "Footloose" and "Danger Zone," and his 1990s album "Leap of Faith."

Personal songwriting creates Universal connection

Loggins said his approach to songwriting has always been deeply personal, beginning with "Danny's Song," which he wrote about his brother while in high school.

"I learned early on that something personal would translate to something universal," Loggins said. "I wasn't really writing about them or you, I was writing about me. But that always translates universally."

When asked about his favorite song, Loggins named "Conviction of the Heart."

"I feel that that's lyrically who I am," he said.

One couple traveled from far away to attend

Sarah and Tom Reynolds flew from Kansas City, MO after learning Kenny Loggins would be inducted into the People's Music Hall of Fame.

"I love Kenny Loggins. I feel like I've grown up with his music and his music is just timeless," Sarah Reynolds said. "Just the opportunity to get to see him in concert or however many songs he's going to do, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity."

The couple, both former educators, said supporting youth programs made the trip even more worthwhile.

(From Caleb Chapman's Soundhouse website) "When you can support youth, that's just kind of what we've done our whole careers," Sarah Reynolds said.

Tom Reynolds said he enjoys all of Loggins' music, while Sarah Reynolds cited "Celebrate Me Home" as her favorite.

From duo to solo career

Loggins said working with Jim Messina taught him collaboration but that he prefers working solo.

"Running it by committee is not easy," Loggins said. "The solo career is easier for me."

He said the key lesson he learned was that leaders must simply make decisions and move forward.

"Most of the time, all that's required is to make a decision," Loggins said. "It doesn't necessarily have to be a good decision, it just has to be a decision."

Writing for blockbusters

Loggins said he typically viewed rough cuts of films before writing songs for them.

"I saw a rough cut of Caddyshack and then I went home and wrote a couple different things," Loggins said.

For "Top Gun," Loggins said Giorgio Moroder wrote the music and he came in late in the process.

"I just made a couple chord changes and a few little things and sang the song for Danger Zone," he said.

Loggins and screenwriter Dean Pitchford wrote "Footloose" directly from the screenplay before filming began. The production then used the song during filming, which Loggins said was unusual for Hollywood.

Streaming vs. traditional royalties

When asked about royalties in the streaming era compared to the 1980s, Loggins said he doesn't receive more money now.

"Streaming has changed the game, and I really don't understand it as far as royalties go," Loggins said. "You take a billion streams, it equals some decent payday, but it's all changing so fast. I can't keep up with it."

Loggins said revenue increases when films like "Top Gun: Maverick" or remakes of "Footloose" bring his songs back into the public eye, driving streams. And "Footloose" just hit the milestone of 1-billion downloads.

Current projects and AI concerns

After planning to retire in 2023, Loggins shifted to producing, working with Hunter Hawkins on her solo record. He recently collaborated with Charlie Puth and Michael McDonald on "Love and Exile," expected to be Puth's first single from his upcoming album.

Puth wanted to blend 1980s songwriting techniques with modern production, Loggins said.

"In today's pop world, song form has changed dramatically from what it was in the '80s," Loggins said. "We used to do a verse, a bridge, and a chorus. And the bridge was dropped somewhere about 20 years ago."

Loggins expressed skepticism about AI-generated music.

"The music that I've heard come from AI so far is like fast food," he said. "It feels like candy. And I haven't felt anything really emotionally come from that."

We Are the World connection

Reader revealed a previously unknown connection between Loggins and Lewis: When Prince didn't show up for the "We Are the World" recording in 1985, Michael Jackson asked Loggins who should fill the empty spot.

"I said, Huey Lewis," Loggins said. "Huey was a new act at the time."

Lewis learned years later through Reader that Loggins had recommended him for a solo part.

"Huey canceled plans that he had," Reader said when Lewis learned of Loggin's induction. "He said, 'I wouldn't miss it for the world.'"

Huey Lewis (left) giving induction speech for Kenny Loggins (right) (Heather Kelly/The Heather Kelly Show)

Bridging generations

The People's Music Hall of Fame was created to honor artists "from the people's perspective" while connecting young musicians with legacy artists, according to co-founder Caleb Chapman.

Loggins spent several days rehearsing with and mentoring young musicians from Caleb Chapman's Soundhourse program, who will perform his songs at the induction ceremony.

"It was powerful that Kenny got emotional at a few points," Chapman said. "And I was a little bit surprised to look out and see our many teenage males also in tears, just incredibly touched and inspired."

Chapman noted the timing of the induction coincides with Loggins' recognition by the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Musical influences for Loggins included Tim Hardin, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and James Taylor.

"James Taylor always seemed to say what I was feeling and hadn't found the words for it," Loggins said.

Plaque by Ben Hammond (Heather Kelly/The Heather Kelly Show)

Ben Hammond, who has sculpted for the NFL Hall of Fame, created a bronze plaque for the induction. Hammond also sculpted last year's award for Lewis.

RELATED:

Kenny Loggins to be inducted in to People's Music Hall of Fame

People's Music Hall of Fame to be permanently based in Utah

Surprise Guest helps induct Huey Lewis

[heatherkellyslc]

Why the tradition of groundhog day should go away

The most famous meteorologist of all time is about to make an appearance.   Punxsutawney Phil will be pulled out of his hibernating-den on February 2 to determine if we will have six more weeks of winter, or an early spring. But why the groundhog is used to forecast the weather is a bit of mystery. We do know the annual event has its origin in a German legend about a furry rodent. It roots back to Candlemas Day in Europe with the Christian "festival of lights" that falls on Feb. 2, midway between the start and end of winter.  However, it’s unknown who or why it was decided Phil should be the predicter of the changing seasons.

To see a shadow or not to see a shadow, that is the question.

The reasoning behind the prediction of whether Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow or not actually defies common sense. Tradition says Phil seeing his shadow is a sign that the next six weeks will bring wintry weather.  If Phil doesn't see his shadow, it means early spring.

However, the only way to see a shadow is to have a sunny day—which in most minds means nice weather.  For the groundhog not to see a shadow is to have a cloudy day, or even inclement weather—which feels more like six more weeks of winter is in store.  But that is not how legend tells it. How accurate is Punxsutawney Phil's prediction?

So, the famous meteorologist has a really bad record of prediction.  For the last 139 years, Punxsutawney Phil has only been correct 35% of the time.  That’s according to a study issued in January 2025 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This lack of accuracy, along with pulling a hibernating animal out of it’s safe den every year, is just one reason PETA is pushing to replace the live groundhog with a 3D hologram.  You can read more on that campaign, here. And in this age of technology, and lack of consistency from Phil, I think I agree.  It’s time to leave the 1880’s behind us and move into the 21st Century with both our predictions of the end of winter and the treatment of living animals.

[heatherkellyslc]

Being laid off doesn't have to mean you have no income. For me, my first priority is to reduce the amount of money I need to use from my severance package. So, picking up any freelance job I can get is critical. Especially because unemployment benefits from the state won't kick in until it deems my severance package has run out. Working freelance does two things: 1. Keeps my skills sharp 2. Brings in some income. One month I was able to pay for my utilities and groceries. Another month I had enough income to cover my mortgage. No, it's not ideal. I'm not able to add to my retirement fund, which is my paramount goal. However, since the freelance, or independent contractor, work is typically just a few hours a day, I am able to apply to full-time jobs and have time to interview. I've also had the chance to learn more about how AI works in the workplace. My previous company discouraged its use for reporters as using AI to assist in writing articles is considered plagerism, at this date and time. Lessons learned during my unemployment journey: I can learn new skills. I can keep the skills I already have fresh. I need to be humble enough to take some low paying extra jobs so I don't deplete the cushion I was given too quickly. Most importantly, keep applying everywhere. If some of my skills fall short from job descriptions, turn that into a positive on the cover letter. Let future employers know I am adaptable and willing to do what it takes to fit in with their culture.

[heatherkellyslc]

Screen shot of the movie screen at Thanksgiving Point MegaPlex theater (KellieAnn Halvorsen)

'David' offers fresh take on biblical animation

LEHI, Utah -- When Hollywood is taken out of the equation, great animated storytelling is possible. "David" is a breath of fresh air in animation quality, character development and plot.

At the red carpet world premiere at MegaPlex Theatres at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah, Sunrise Animation Studios co-founder Jacqui Cunningham said "they used 3D animation, hand-drawn by some of the best animators in the world." The studio used live actors to voice the roles with no AI.

Biblical story decades in the making

The movie tells the rise of the biblical character David, who started as a shepherd and became king of the Israelites. The story began more than 30 years ago in the mind of the director.

"I saw the majesty, beauty and bravery of nature in South Africa and knew God was there. It was through this feeling I wanted to tell the story of David, who lived bravely through his faith," said Phil Cunningham.

Though the seeds of "David" started 30 years ago, it took almost 20 more years before the first script was written by co-director Brent Dawes.

"I was inspired by Phil's passion and conviction about this story; I had to help," Dawes said on the red carpet.

It took another 11 years before the finished product came to the screen, which included years of fundraising, casting voice actors, script rewrites and animating.

From 'Jungle Beat' to David

Phil Cunningham said the main goal was always the "David" film, but they needed to get other projects off the ground first. The small Sunrise Animation Studios, based in Cape Town, South Africa, is as far away from Hollywood as you can get. But it has one of the most popular franchises airing on Netflix, "Jungle Beat," with a TV series and two movies. Which helped fund Cunningham's passion film.

Jacqui and Phil Cunningham on the Red Carpet at World Premier of "David." (KellieAnn Halvorsen) "Once that was in place, we were able to really get moving on 'David,'" Cunningham said. He and his wife, Jacqui, also credit partnering with Angel Studios, based in Provo, Utah, with getting their latest film to the global stage.

Top-tier animation meets strong storytelling

The animation for "David" is top-notch, with more than 400 artists coming from other major studios like Disney and Pixar to work at Sunrise. But more importantly, the storytelling is excellent.

The Sunrise team took great pride in having well-rounded characters and a strong plot. It draws viewers in from the beginning and is inspirational.

While faith is the center of David's story, the writing does not hit viewers over the head with religion. Those who have faith will feel it; those who don't will appreciate the message of perseverance and seeing a bigger picture.

Family-friendly with minor criticisms

It is worth watching with the whole family. There are several tense scenes but they should not cause distress or nightmares for younger children. That said, the movie is two hours long, which may be an issue for children under eight to sit for so long.

The attention to detail in even the smallest flower petal, the script writing, the voice acting and the plot are all strong. One criticism: The skin color is a bit whitewashed.

While the animators made the characters slightly darker than Central or Northern Europeans, they don't have olive or brown complexions. Also, the lead character, David, is depicted with brown hair and highlights as opposed to dark hair which people of that time period would have had.

But this is nitpicking an otherwise brilliant film with a great creative team. The movie hits theaters nationwide on December 19, 2025. RELATED You can hear all the interviews with the directors, producers and some of the voice artists on the podcast FanEffect with producer KellieAnn Halvorsen and independent podcast host, Heather Kelly.

Independent reporter Heather Kelly and producer KellieAnn Halvorsen conducting interviews at the world premier of "David" (KellieAnn Halvorsen)

[heatherkellyslc]

Kenny Loggins to Be Inducted into People's Music Hall of Fame

SALT LAKE CITY — The legendary musician behind some of Hollywood's most iconic soundtracks will receive a special honor next February when Kenny Loggins is inducted into the People's Music Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony will take place Saturday, February 7, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City. The event is organized by the Sound Support Foundation and Adam Reader, known as the Professor of Rock.

"Kenny Loggins has had a tremendous impact on both popular music and our culture," Reader said. "He ruled the '70s as part of the duo Loggins and Messina, then became the 'King of the Movie Soundtrack' in the '80s" with hits including "I'm Alright," "Footloose," and "Danger Zone."

According to a press release, the ceremony will feature a live interview with Loggins conducted by Reader, along with performances of the artist's biggest hits by young musicians from Caleb Chapman's Soundhouse, a collective of over 200 award-winning youth performers.

"What will make this year's induction ceremony truly memorable is the opportunity for our young artists from the Soundhouse to work directly with Kenny and make music with one of the greatest songwriters and performers of all time," said Chapman, founder of the Sound Support Foundation.

A Career Spanning Five Decades

Loggins' career began in the late 1960s with the band Second Helping. After writing songs for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, he teamed with Jim Messina in 1970 to form Loggins & Messina, which became the most successful duo of the early 1970s with 16 million records sold across six albums.

His solo career launched in 1977 and produced numerous hits throughout the late '70s and '80s. His collaboration with Michael McDonald on "What a Fool Believes," recorded by the Doobie Brothers, won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

Loggins has sold more than 25 million albums worldwide and earned two Grammy Awards over his career. He has also been nominated for seven Golden Globe Awards, a Tony Award, an Academy Award, and two Daytime Emmy Awards. His song "Footloose" recently surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.

Supporting Young Musicians

Proceeds from the induction ceremony will fund scholarships for students through the Sound Support Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 2023 by Caleb and Tommie Chapman. The foundation focuses on transforming youth mental health and well-being through music performance education.

Mountain America Credit Union is serving as a Headliner Sponsor for the event.

"The Sound Support Foundation does so much to help kids gain confidence in their musical careers while laying the foundation for them to acquire the skills necessary to progress and achieve long term success throughout their lives," said Rob Brough, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Mountain America Credit Union.

Tickets for the ceremony are available at arttix.org. More information about the Sound Support Foundation can be found at soundsupportfoundation.org.

[heatherkellyslc]

Is America on the Brink of a Retirement Crisis? Essential Insights for Your Financial Future

A recent survey reveals a concerning truth: 61% of Americans worry they won't have enough savings to last through their retirement years. This isn't just an abstract number; it points to a significant financial challenge facing millions of working adults.

I recently spoke with Indira Venkat, Senior Vice President of Research at AARP, to unpack these alarming statistics and discuss the barriers preventing people from building a secure retirement.

💰 The Critical Barriers to Retirement Savings

Why are so many people feeling this anxiety? Indira Venkat highlighted a few major systemic and economic obstacles:

Lack of Access to Workplace Savings: Nearly half of the private sector workforce (57 million workers) lack the option to save for retirement through a payroll deduction at work. Research shows that having this easy access significantly increases the likelihood of saving.

The Squeeze of High Prices (Inflation): 70% of older adults are worried about prices rising faster than their income. The impact is felt everywhere—from the gas pump and the grocery store to increasing housing costs. This steady drumbeat of rising expenses chips away at the ability to save or pay down debt.

Perspective: As Ms. Venkat noted, "In six years, by the year 2030, one in five people in America will be over the age of 65." These are the same individuals who are worried about having insufficient or no savings. This is a clear wake-up call.

🛑 More Than Just Worry: The Reality of Never Retiring

The data reveals the anxiety is translating into a bleak outlook for many. Our discussion touched on a particularly stark statistic:

26% of older adults not yet retired expect to never retire. That's more than one in four individuals who anticipate they will have to continue working indefinitely.

While the future of employment for older workers is complex, Ms. Venkat emphasized the value older adults bring: "With healthy longevity, older adults have so much to give back. So I think employers should pay attention."

📝 The Most Important First Step: Creating a Plan

The good news is that people understand the importance of preparing. 94% of older adults yet to retire say it's important to have a financial management plan for retirement, yet only 21% actually have one.

The biggest takeaway from our conversation is the power of the plan and the mindset behind it.

Actionable Advice from the Podcast:

Get Started Now: "Never too early, never too late to start," Ms. Venkat advised. Start setting your goals, creating a path to get there, and finding a way to monitor your progress.

Harness the Power of Time: Remember that time is your best friend when it comes to growing your money. Thanks to the magic of compounding, starting sooner allows you to watch your savings grow significantly over time.

Find Your Accountability: Whether it’s a spouse, a financial advisor, or an automated tool, find a system that holds you accountable and makes saving a consistent habit.

🚀 Resources to Help You Build Your Plan

If you're among the 79% who know they need a plan but haven't created one, here are two excellent starting points:

AARP Tools: Visit aarp.org/tools for resources, including a Retirement Calculator. This tool can help you analyze your current circumstances and provide guidance on when to retire and how much money you might need.

This Is Pre-tirement: AARP partnered with the Ad Council to create a targeted campaign. Go to thisispretirement.org to build your own personalized retirement savings action plan.

The retirement landscape is challenging, but taking the first step—making a plan—is the key to turning anxiety into action.

What steps are you taking today to ensure you are ready for your retirement years?

[heatherkellyslc]

Back to Basics: Getting Out of Debt and Building Wealth on Any Income

When you're living paycheck to paycheck with only $40 left at the end of the month, traditional financial advice feels out of reach. Most experts tell you to save $100,000 for retirement—but what if you don't even make that much in a year?

In an interview with Heather Kelly, Dave Ramsey and George Kamel from The Ramsey Show sat down to discuss practical steps anyone can take to break free from debt and start building wealth, regardless of income level.

The Power of a Zero-Based Budget

The journey starts with knowing exactly where your money goes. Many people think they have a handle on their finances by doing mental math, but Ramsey emphasizes the importance of writing out every expense in detail.

"Give every dollar a name, give every dollar a mission," Ramsey explains. This approach, called zero-based budgeting, means your income minus your expenses equals zero—not because your bank account is empty, but because every dollar has an assignment, including that extra $40 going toward debt payoff.

For those who prefer digital tools, The Ramsey Show offers EveryDollar, a free budgeting app that helps you create a detailed budget in about 10 minutes.

The Debt Snowball Method: Why Small Wins Matter

When it comes to paying off debt, conventional wisdom says to tackle the highest interest rate first. Ramsey takes a different approach.

"Personal finance is 80% behavior and only 20% head knowledge," he says. The debt snowball method focuses on paying off your smallest debt first, regardless of interest rate, while making minimum payments on everything else.

Why? Because quick wins create momentum. When you pay off that first credit card after nine months of focused effort, you get a psychological boost that keeps you going. As Kamel, who paid off $40,000 in consumer debt in 18 months, puts it: "It was sacrifice, but it was addictive too, because you can see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Once that smallest debt is gone, you roll that payment amount into the next debt, creating a snowball effect that picks up speed as you go.

The SMART Spending Framework

Kamel introduced a practical framework for making better purchasing decisions—the SMART acronym:

Self-awareness: Will this add value to my life?

Motive: Am I buying this for the right reason, or is this emotional spending?

Affordability: Is this in the budget? Can I afford this in cash today?

Research: Is this the best option, retailer, and price?

Timing: Is now the time to buy it, or are there other priorities?

If you can answer yes to all five questions, you can spend with confidence instead of guilt.

Building Wealth on a Modest Income

Kelly shared her own success story: earning just $27,000 a year, she used an extra $40 per month to pay off her credit card debt, then her car loan. After 20 months of focused effort, she suddenly had $200 a month freed up.

"I felt very, very rich," she recalls. That $200 went into retirement savings—and Ramsey notes that even at that income level, consistent investing in a Roth IRA and 401(k) can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars by retirement.

The key insight? "Your most powerful wealth-building tool is your income," Ramsey emphasizes. Once you eliminate debt payments, even a modest income creates surprising margin for saving and investing.

Getting Started: Free Resources

For those who can't afford the $79 Financial Peace University course, there are plenty of free options:

The Ramsey Show podcast (15 hours per week of free content)

YouTube channels and other free podcasts

The EveryDollar budgeting app (free version available)

"The Total Money Makeover" book (available at most libraries)

The Bottom Line

Whether you're earning $27,000 or $127,000, the principles remain the same: create a detailed budget, eliminate debt using focused intensity, and invest consistently for the future.

As Ramsey concludes: "The people that think they can't, won't. And the ones that think they can, regardless of what their starting point is...will claw their way out and fight and win."

Your income doesn't determine your financial future—your behavior does. And that's something you can change starting today.

For more information about Financial Peace University and other resources, visit ramseysolutions.com/peace

[heatherkellyslc]

Understanding Social Security's Future: What You Need to Know

The Expert

With concerns mounting about Social Security's long-term viability, Chad Wadups, Vice President of Wealth Management at Mountain America Investment Services, recently joined me to clarify what Americans can expect from this crucial retirement program.

How Social Security Works Today

Currently, workers contribute to Social Security through a payroll tax of 6.2%, which employers match for a total of 12.4%. Self-employed individuals pay the full amount themselves. These funds flow into a trust fund invested in treasury bonds, which then pays benefits to current recipients.

The system worked well until recently. The trust fund grew consistently until 2021, but since then, more money has been flowing out to beneficiaries than coming in from payroll taxes—sparking widespread concern about the program's future.

The Reality Check: Will Social Security Disappear?

Despite frequent speculation, Waddoups believes it's highly unlikely that Social Security will be eliminated entirely. The current administration has repeatedly stated its commitment to maintaining the program, and politically, eliminating benefits for over 70 million Americans who depend on them would be extraordinarily difficult.

However, the program does face real challenges. According to the Social Security Administration's 2024 projections, the trust fund will be depleted by 2035—just 10 years away. This doesn't mean benefits will disappear completely, though. Even without the trust fund, incoming payroll taxes would still cover approximately 73% of promised benefits, meaning recipients could see a reduction of about 25-27%.

Proposed Solutions

Several options are being discussed to shore up the system:

Eliminating taxes on benefits: Currently, recipients can be taxed on up to 85% of their Social Security income. Removing this tax would put more money in retirees' pockets but would actually reduce the trust fund, since those taxes currently flow back into the system.

Increasing payroll taxes: Even a small increase in the current 6.2% rate could significantly extend the fund's longevity, though this remains politically unpopular.

Raising the eligibility age: Currently set at 62 for reduced benefits and 67 for full retirement (for those born after 1960), pushing these ages back could help the system last longer.

Addressing fraud: Some estimates suggest that fraud and abuse within Social Security and Medicare could total over $500 billion annually, though these figures remain unverified.

What Individuals Can Do

For those worried about their retirement security, Waddoups emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility. Today's retirement landscape differs dramatically from previous generations—people are living decades longer, potentially facing 30-year retirements rather than the 5-10 years common in earlier eras.

His key recommendations include:

Start saving now: Whether through a 401(k), IRA, or other retirement accounts, begin contributing immediately. The best time was 20 years ago; the next best time is today.

Understand your numbers: Visit the Social Security Administration website to see exactly what you've paid in and what benefits you can expect. This information is crucial for retirement planning.

Meet with a financial advisor: Professional guidance can help you determine if your savings will be sufficient and what lifestyle adjustments might be necessary.

Plan your retirement lifestyle: Before retiring, consider what you actually want to do. Many retirees discover that stopping work without a plan leads to restlessness and sometimes a return to part-time employment.

The Bottom Line

While Social Security faces challenges, the program is likely to continue in some form. Most Americans will probably receive benefits, though they may be reduced. The key is treating Social Security as one component of retirement income rather than the sole source, and taking personal action to ensure financial security in later years.

As Waddoups notes, about four in ten Social Security recipients rely on it as their sole income source, while six in ten use it as a supplement. For those approaching retirement, understanding where you fall in this spectrum—and planning accordingly—has never been more important.