Broadcast Retirement Network

Beef prices are hitting record highs—ground beef at $6.88 a pound, steaks north of $13—and in this eye-opening conversation, agricultural economist Dr. Anderson breaks down exactly what's driving the surge and what it means for your grocery bill. From the recent tariff pause and its flood of imported beef, to the crushing squeeze ranchers face from relentless drought, soaring corn costs, and collapsing calf prices, we unpack the hidden forces behind America's beef crisis.

In this episode, social work ethics and data privacy expert Dr. Allan Barsky, MSW, Ph.D. of Florida Atlantic University breaks down what everyone should know about how artificial intelligence is reshaping healthcare and putting sensitive medical and mental health records at risk. We explore why HIPAA—written more than a decade ago—struggles to keep pace with modern AI tools, how patients can protect their personal information, and the critical questions to ask any provider before trusting their technology.

Should you move your aging parents across state lines for care? In this episode, certified elder law attorney Janet Colliton, Esquire of Colliton Law Associates, P.C. in West Chester, PA, breaks down the critical legal and financial factors families face when planning elder care. With over 38 years of experience, Janet explains how Medicaid rules, income limits, and trust requirements vary from state to state—and why even a single dollar over the threshold can jeopardize your benefits. Learn how tools like Miller Trusts (Qualified Income Trusts) can help, and get the practical guidance you need before making a life-changing move for a loved one.

Is your screen slowly damaging your eyes — and can your diet actually protect them? In this episode, we sit down with Yaw Buabeng, a doctoral candidate in the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at the University of Georgia and optometrist-turned-researcher originally trained in Ghana, to break down the real science behind blue light and your vision. Yaw shares what makes blue light uniquely harmful, how it penetrates deep into the eye, and its link to age-related macular degeneration.

Set in San Francisco's iconic Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, this video follows three small business voices — Dave McLean, the self-described "godfather of craft beer in San Francisco," and Kristen Evans and Camden of The Booksmith, a beloved independent bookstore founded in 1976. Each shares their personal journey of building a life and livelihood in a neighborhood steeped in counterculture history, while grappling with the very real pressures of rising costs, razor-thin margins, and the challenge of taking care of their employees.

In Roads to Retirement: Act I – The Journey Begins, Jeff Snyder sets the stage for a thoughtful exploration of what retirement really means by introducing two people whose lives could not look more different. One is an artist in Marin who has chosen a simple, creative life living on a sailboat and staying grounded in what matters most. The other is a Northern California firefighter working hard to build stability and opportunity for his growing family.

Can owning a pet actually lead to a happier, more fulfilling retirement? In this episode, we sit down with David Blanchett, Ph.D., CFA®, CFP®, Head of Retirement Research at Prudential Financial and Portfolio Manager at PGIM, to unpack fascinating new research on how dogs, cats, and other family pets impact life in retirement.

The U.S. spends 2–3 times more on healthcare than any other developed nation — but a groundbreaking new study shows some states are finally starting to slow the bleeding. In this episode, we sit down with John N. Mafi, MD, MPH, of UCLA Health, whose research reveals how five pioneering states implemented cost growth benchmark programs to bend the healthcare spending curve.

Most people think they understand Medicare — but a recent eHealth survey reveals a shocking knowledge gap that could cost you thousands of dollars. In this eye-opening conversation, Derrick Duke, CEO of eHealth, breaks down everything you need to know before turning 65, including the permanent 10% late enrollment penalty most people don't discover until it's too late, why skipping Part D prescription drug coverage is a costly mistake, and how Medicare plans change every year making an annual review essential.

AI is transforming the labor market — but what happens to the federal government's revenue when jobs disappear? In this interview, RAND's Carter Price, breaks down a new report he co-authored with colleague Akshaya Suresh examining how AI-driven labor disruptions could threaten the roughly two-thirds of federal revenue that comes from taxes on wages and payroll.