Wealth Talks A Podcast for SIngle Moms, by a Single Mom

Hey, everyone! Welcome back to Wealth Talks. I’m Shakira Moran, also known as Sam the Agent, and this is where we talk about building strong financial foundations with money clarity and no shame.

Today, we’re talking about getting ready for 2027.

And I want to start with a question:

What would you like to feel differently about your money next year?

Would you like to feel less anxious when a bill comes in?

Would you like to stop wondering where your paycheck went?

Would you like to have money set aside for emergencies, take your children on a trip, finish a certification, or finally understand the benefits available through your job?

Take a moment to think about that.

Because before we start writing down numbers, we need to understand what those numbers are supposed to do for our lives.

We still have time before January to review our habits, make adjustments, and put support in place. You don’t need to wait for a new calendar to take your first step.

Today, I’m going to walk you through a process for preparing for 2027: define what you want, understand where you are, build your plan, and identify resources that can help you move forward.

Grab your notebook, open the notes app on your phone, or listen now and come back when you’re ready to work through it.

Let’s get into it.

Most people believe buying life insurance completes the job—but an outdated beneficiary, missed conversion deadline, misunderstood rider, inaccurate application, or lapsed policy can create serious problems. In this episode, Shakira Moran breaks down what families frequently overlook, including beneficiary designations, minor children, policy exclusions, living-benefit riders, accidental death coverage, employer policies, premium payments, and annual reviews. This episode is educational and does not provide legal, tax, or individualized insurance advice.

The underlying consumer guidance in this episode aligns with the NAIC’s life-insurance review recommendations and its explanation of term and cash-value policies.

The U.S. national debt has officially crossed $40 trillion—but what does that actually mean for your money?

In this episode of Wealth Talks, I’m breaking down the $40 trillion headline in plain language and focusing on what everyday consumers should be paying attention to. We’ll talk about interest rates, tighter lending standards, credit card APRs, mortgages and auto loans, high-yield savings accounts, everyday costs, and why protecting your credit is becoming even more important.

Most importantly, this episode isn't about creating fear—it's about preparation.

I'll walk you through practical steps you can take right now to strengthen your financial foundation, including reducing high-interest debt, building your emergency savings, protecting your credit, being more intentional about borrowing, and continuing to invest for your future.

You may not be able to control the national debt, interest rates, or the economy—but you can control your financial plan.

Money Clarity. No Shame.

🎙️ In this episode:

• What $40 trillion in national debt actually means
• Why borrowing costs matter
• What tighter lending could mean for consumers
• How higher rates affect mortgages, cars and credit cards
• What could happen to high-yield savings rates
• 5 moves you can make now to prepare

Listen, learn, make a plan—and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.

In this episode, we’re talking about the credit gap in Black and Latino communities — what it is, why it matters, and how it impacts real families every day.

Credit is more than just a number. It affects access to housing, car loans, business funding, lower interest rates, and wealth-building opportunities. When communities are left out of credit education or forced to navigate the system without clear information, the gap only gets wider.

This conversation breaks down why credit education is so important, how families can begin building or rebuilding credit, and why tools like secured credit cards, self loans, on-time payments, low utilization, and authorized user strategies can help create a stronger financial foundation.

The goal is not shame. The goal is strategy.

Let’s close the credit gap one informed decision at a time.

Educational purposes only. This episode is not financial, legal, tax, or credit repair advice. Please consult with a qualified professional about your specific situation.

Because it's always good to get a reminder that you should not go broke for Christmas. In this episode I provide a recap from one of the first episodes of Wealth Talks in which I share my story about how I changed my mindset when it came to Christmas with my family. I also share some gifts parents can gift their children thus holiday season. 

To make radical changes, we must start making radical moves. We are living in the biggest transfer of wealth, which is why it is crucial for us to take a different approach and start making some drastic moves. Our parents and grandparents were big on teaching us to save, however saving is not going to help close the wealth gap, we must start investing. I'm going to show you why your child needs an investment account not a savings account to grow their money. 

Sometimes we overlook the power of passing down education to the next generation. In this episode I share with you how my mind has shifted when it comes to leaving a legacy.

In this episode, I break down how we are impacted by lifestyle inflation. Society programs us to be consumers and not producers and if we are going to close the wealth gap, we need to address lifestyle inflation and how it impacts us.

The concept of building wealth is one that is not often discussed within our households. Wealth is the value  assets already owned by you ( Dr. Jake Taylor). It is something that we all should be striving for. In this episode of wealth talks I share my personal story around building wealth. 

To kick of Financial Literacy month, I partnered up with another Financial Coach from Alabama to bring our audiences  a 5 Day Money Challenge. This is Day 5 of the challenge: How to grow your credit organically. In this video I'm going to show you how to build your credit. So if you're thinking about buying a house or car, or opening a new account, your credit is going to be an important factor. Check out my tips on how to build your credit organically without the help of any company.