Arizona’s Family On Your Side

For millions of student loan borrowers, a massive change is right around the corner. The Save Plan is going away, and now it’s time to make decisions about new repayment options. On this episode, we’re talking with Chris Hicks, a senior policy advisor at Protect Borrowers. He’ll walk us through the changes, what borrows can and should do right now, and how much it could cost if borrowers sit back and do nothing.

It’s a question a lot of people are trying to answer. Is it better to rent or buy? Our guest is TruWest Credit Union mortgage sales manager Melissa Sherman. We’ll get her advice on how to compare true monthly costs. We’ll also talk about how savings, credit, and long-term financial goals play into the decision.

Just 41% of high school seniors in Arizona have filled out the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. That means families are leaving a lot of money on the table. Today, our guest is Julie Sainz, the Arizona Board of Regents’ Director of FAFSA and College Access Initiatives. She’ll walk us through the application process; what information you need, how long it will take, and what to expect once it’s filled out. She’ll also help us bust some common FAFSA myths.

We're tackling some tough topics in estate planning, including what happens if you go no-contact with a family member who is in your will. My guest is Allison Kierman, an estate planning attorney in Scottsdale. We'll walk through the basics of getting a will or trust in place, and we'll also talk about more complicated situations, the things you have to be prepared for that you never saw coming. 

There is a growing effort to help kids understand money. Today, our guest is Anthony Sharett. He’s the President of Pathward, a national bank that’s partnering with the Phoenix Suns/Phoenix Mercury Foundation and the Arizona Council on Economic Education to bring financial literacy to students. We’ll talk about the challenges with financial literacy and how parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles can help teach kids money management skills that will stick with them as they become young adults.

If you’ve ever been to a car lot, you know buying a new car can be stressful. It’s an expensive purchase, and sometimes dealerships tack on extra costs you didn’t see coming. Now, the Federal Trade Commission is warning dealerships across the country to cut it out and stop hiding fees from consumers. For our latest episode, we’re talking with Ray and Zach Shefska. That father/son duo runs a business called CarEdge, which helps empower car shoppers with lots of information. We’ll get their take on the FTC’s warning letters to 97 dealership groups, and we’ll talk about what you can do to make sure you’re getting the best deal without the add-ons.

This week, a U.S. company that makes medical devices was hit by a cyberattack. A pro-Iranian hacking group claimed responsibility, and in a social media post said the Stryker hack was retaliation for a missile strike on a school in Iran. Our guest on this episode is Tim Roemer, former CIA, former Director of the Arizona Department of Homeland Security and the state’s Chief Information Security Officer. Now Tim is the CEO of GMI, a Scottsdale-based cybersecurity company that focuses on IT and security. We’ll ask him how vulnerable U.S. infrastructure is to overseas hackers and how to protect against these groups.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available for the 2026-2027 school year. Jill Schlesinger, CBS News Business Analyst, walks us through the easier-than-it-used-to-be process. We’ll also talk about education savings strategies for kids at any age, and the three things you should do before you start contributing to a 529 or other account in your child’s name.

As the cost of cars climbs, the value of trade-ins is going up. Good news for consumers, but we have to be able to cash in. So today we're talking with Justin Fischer. He's an automotive retail analyst with CarEdge. He'll walk us through some simple steps to negotiate your deal and we'll ask him how much mileage actually matters for a trade-in. We will also talk about how tariffs could impact trade-ins. 

While we scroll through social media, content creators are making money. Our guest is Giselle Ugarte, an online performance coach and one of TikTok’s top 100 women to watch. We’ll talk about getting started with content creation, how to turn your everyday life into content that connects with people, how to get started if you don’t feel camera-ready, and how to protect your privacy while still sharing yourself with the world. 

Are you getting flooded with spam calls? Of course you are. Americans got 52.5 billion robocalls in 2025. Today, we’re talking with Alex Quilici, the CEO of YouMail. We’ll talk about why robocalls are still getting through despite efforts to stop them, and how you can protect your phone from incessant calls.

You probably know him from the hit TV show, Million Dollar Listing, and today, we welcome Josh Altman to the show. He's sold billions of dollars in real estate. He's also an author, and he coaches clients on how to break into the luxury market. So we're gonna talk with him about investing in real estate. What does it take to get started? What kind of work is actually worth it for properties? What are the biggest pitfalls to avoid? And we'll get a little behind the scenes on what it was really like to film a TV show for 15 seasons. 

It's the holiday season, and that pairs well with wine. On this episode, we talk with Matthew Horkey. You may have seen his videos on social media. He's also an author and a judge for international wine competitions. We'll ask him how to choose the right wine for your holiday party. And what about a gift for your favorite host? We'll also talk about price points. Does paying more actually mean you'll get a better bottle?