Coin Flip

New federal charitable giving rules apply to gifts made in 2026, not 2027. In this episode, Derek Wu explains how the changes work, who benefits, and where your December gift should go, so you can make a decision in about five minutes. Giving Tuesday falls on December 1 this year, and gifts made by the end of December count for 2026.

The right move depends on two answers: whether you take the standard deduction or itemize, and how your gift is made. Listeners will learn how the new rules treat each group and what to check before giving.

Black Friday is November 27, and buy now, pay later (BNPL) is part of how many people plan to shop. In this episode, Derek Wu offers one rule for when BNPL is fine and when it becomes a trap, explains why stacking several small plans is the real risk, and walks through a five-minute setup to cap holiday spending before the sales start.

BNPL has become routine for holiday shoppers, which makes a decision made ahead of time more useful than a willpower speech in the middle of a sale. Listeners will come away with a simple test...

Derek Wu turns the projected 2027 401(k) contribution limit into a single 10-minute task: divide the limit by your number of pay periods, convert it to a percentage of gross pay, and set it once. The episode also covers how to check whether the Roth-only catch-up rule applies to you if you are 50 or older.

The 2027 limit and catch-up amount are projected, not official. The IRS usually posts the figures in late October or November, and taxpayers.net calculates its projection from September CPI. Because payroll only knows the percentage you type in, you can set your rate...

The Federal Reserve raised rates in September and meets again on October 28. In this episode, host Derek Wu skips the rate-prediction guessing game and offers one savings rule designed to work whether the Fed holds or hikes. He compares high-yield savings accounts with 12-month CDs, walks through a no-spreadsheet CD ladder, and explains what to do when a promotional rate expires.

Listeners will learn how to match cash to the date they need it, rather than trying to time the next rate decision. The episode also looks at why mortgage rates should not be tied to a...

Treasury resets the I bond fixed rate on November 1, and whatever it is gets locked in for the life of the bond. In this episode, Derek Wu lays out the buy-now versus wait decision at the current 0.90% fixed rate, then offers one simple filter for choosing between I bonds, a high-yield savings account, or a CD.

The fixed rate is set each May 1 and Nov 1, and Treasury publishes no formula for it, so the choice comes down to a known number versus an unknown one. This episode walks through what forecasters expect, what they cannot know, and...

ACA open enrollment begins November 1, and for people who buy their own health insurance, doing nothing is still a decision. In this episode, Derek Wu explains how auto-renewal can re-enroll you in a plan that costs more or no longer fits, and why the default is effectively a choice someone else makes for you.

Listeners will learn the key HealthCare.gov dates, including the December 15 deadline for coverage that starts January 1, and what proposed 2027 premium increases may mean for a renewal notice. The episode also covers what automatic renewal can involve, including possible plan changes if a...

Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, and doing nothing means your current plan and premium automatically renew. Derek Wu breaks down what's driving 2027 changes, including a projected Part B premium increase and a finalized Medicare Advantage payment update, and offers a simple way to decide whether to stick with your plan, switch, or move between Original Medicare and Advantage.

Listeners will learn why this seven-week window carries more weight than most routine choices, how the numbers behind next year's premiums and plan payments could affect coverage, and what to look for in the notices insurers...

Social Security's 2027 cost-of-living adjustment will be officially announced on October 14, but early estimates from AARP and the Senior Citizens League are already circulating -- and they don't agree. This episode breaks down why those projections differ, why the headline COLA percentage isn't the full story once Medicare Part B premiums are factored in, and what listeners should actually do depending on whether they're already claiming benefits or still deciding when to start.

Derek Wu walks through the hold harmless provision that shields most current beneficiaries from a net decrease, who falls outside that protection, and why a...

Open enrollment decisions often get stuck on numbers that aren't even final yet. This episode breaks down the difference between the IRS-confirmed 2027 HSA limits and the still-unconfirmed FSA projection everyone keeps quoting, then hands listeners a simple, spreadsheet-free way to choose between an HDHP-plus-HSA setup or a PPO-plus-FSA plan.

Derek Wu walks through why the 2027 HSA limits — $4,500 individual and $9,000 family, along with the updated HDHP deductible and out-of-pocket thresholds — are locked under official IRS guidance, while the widely cited $3,500 FSA figure is only a projection from outside reporting, not confirmed law. Rather than comparing the two limits dire...

The SAVE exit deadline has passed, but for borrowers who applied for RAP or IBR, waiting is now the real challenge. Derek walks through what happens to your loan while your application sits in the queue, why the 60-day processing window matters more than borrowers realize, and when it's time to stop waiting and start escalating.

This episode explains how servicer timelines differ from the federal deadline, what continues to accrue during processing forbearance, and what actually happens if your application isn't resolved within 60 days. Listeners will learn practical steps for tracking their application status and get...

The Fed's September 15-16 meeting is shaping up differently this time around, thanks to a fresh dot plot and new chair Kevin Warsh, whose untested track record on projections adds real uncertainty. Derek Wu breaks down why Warsh's Jackson Hole remarks pushed hike odds from about 56% to 60.4% according to CNBC, and what that shift means for anyone watching CD rates and high-yield savings accounts.

Listeners will learn how hike odds move CD rates well before any official Fed decision, why bank funding needs keep CD yields resilient independent of Fed moves, and how to think through locking...

Derek Wu goes solo to unpack the Education Department's confirmed rollback of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) payment counts, a change that has already left some borrowers watching years of progress vanish overnight. He traces the story from CNBC's initial report of a borrower whose count dropped from 118 to 94, through the Department's shifting explanation from a vague "data error" to an admitted deliberate correction tied to forbearance and Extended repayment plan miscounts.

This episode is essential listening for anyone pursuing PSLF, especially borrowers unsure whether their payment count is accurate or at risk. Derek clarifies how this...

Derek Wu tackles the ongoing SAVE plan wind-down and clears up the confusion around servicer notices, repayment deadlines, and what comes next for federal student loan borrowers. The episode breaks down what happens if you ignore a ninety-day notice, why the widely cited September 29 deadline isn't universal, and how to decide between the new RAP plan and IBR before a key eligibility window closes.

Listeners will learn how missed deadlines trigger income-blind Standard or Tiered Standard repayment, why Nelnet's staggered notice rollout means deadlines vary by borrower, and how a simple two-question framework can simplify the RAP...

This episode of Coin Flip breaks down two September student loan deadlines that are just one day apart. Derek Wu explains the widely known SAVE plan exit on September 29 alongside the lesser-known September 30 cutoff to lock in a temporary autopay interest discount, and why the order in which borrowers act can change their financial outcome.

Listeners will learn how to size up the real value of the new 1% autopay discount, why it may amount to less than advertised for many borrowers, and how the math shifts for high-balance Grad PLUS borrowers weighing refinancing against staying the course...

Derek Wu flies solo this week to break down the SAVE plan deadline that's been all over the news, and why the date you've heard might not be the date that applies to you. He walks through what happens if you miss your 90-day window, the real differences between RAP and IBR, and a same-night action plan to help you avoid an expensive default outcome.

If you have a loan currently in the SAVE plan, this episode explains why servicer notices from Nelnet are rolling out in waves into 2027, what the automatic fallback plan means for your...

Derek Wu digs into a sudden spike in Fed rate hike odds ahead of the July 28-29, 2026 meeting, tracking how expectations jumped from near-zero to nearly 46.5% and what triggered the shift. He then unpacks why the Fed itself looks divided heading into the decision, with a split dot plot, hot inflation data, and a weak jobs report all pulling policy in different directions.

This episode matters because the outcome of that meeting ripples into everyday finances, from savings rates to credit card APRs. Rather than trying to predict the Fed's next move, Derek focuses on building a...

Derek Wu breaks down why the Fed's July 29th rate decision at 2 PM Eastern isn't just a headline for economists — it's a deadline for a decision sitting in your bank account. After four straight rate holds, a hawkish dot plot shift under new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh has put a rate hike back on the table, and Derek walks through what that means for your savings strategy.

This episode turns Fed uncertainty into an actionable plan. Derek compares high-yield savings accounts and CDs using current rate data, challenges the standard three-to-six-months emergency fund rule with a more pe...

This episode covers the end of the SAVE student loan repayment plan and what the 7.5 million borrowers affected by its elimination need to do before their 90-day window closes. Host Derek Wu walks through the three plans now available — RAP, IBR, and Tiered Standard — and explains what each one actually costs using a concrete example: a single borrower earning $45,000 with $35,000 in debt.

Understanding your options matters because inaction has a specific, measurable cost. Borrowers who do not choose a plan will be auto-enrolled in the Tiered Standard Plan, which has no income adjustment and no forgiveness path. The...

With 7.5 million borrowers receiving servicer notices starting July 1, this episode breaks down exactly what the end of the SAVE plan means for your federal student loan repayment — and what you need to do before the government makes the choice for you.

The repayment landscape has changed significantly. New borrowers are now limited to two options, older plans like PAYE and ICR are on a sunset timeline, and anyone who was auto-enrolled in SAVE is now on a 90-day clock to select a replacement plan. This episode covers how to read that deadline, how to choose the right pl...

This episode of Coin Flip breaks down what the Federal Reserve's latest rate decision means for your savings — covering the hold at 3.50%–3.75%, the leadership transition to new Fed chair Kevin Warsh, and the concrete steps savers can take right now while rates remain elevated.

Host Derek Wu walks through three areas in plain terms: what drove the most divided Fed vote in over thirty years, what Warsh's hawkish track record signals about the rate path ahead, and why the gap between big-bank savings accounts and high-yield alternatives is too large to ignore. With online banks currently offering up t...

This episode of Coin Flip frames the June 17 FOMC meeting as a personal-finance deadline rather than a macroeconomic spectator event. With Polymarket pricing a 99% chance of no rate change, host Derek Wu shifts the focus to what actually matters: the dot plot and economic projections that will signal when savings rates might begin to fall. Top high-yield savings accounts are currently paying up to 4.10% APY, according to Bankrate, while the FDIC national average sits at 0.38%. That gap is the real story, and this episode is built around helping you act on it before the conversation shifts.

Derek...

This episode of Coin Flip tackles one of the most common financial crossroads: should you pay off credit card debt or put money into investments? Host Derek Wu grounds the conversation in the numbers, starting with the $1.28 trillion in credit card balances Americans are currently carrying and the average APR of 21% that makes that debt so costly to hold.

Derek makes the case that credit card debt is a math problem, not a moral one. Most balances are covering essentials like groceries, rent, and healthcare, not discretionary spending. From there, the episode walks through a clear decision...

This episode of Coin Flip breaks down what 7.5 million student loan borrowers enrolled in the SAVE plan need to do before the roughly September 30, 2026 deadline. The SAVE plan was struck down by a federal court in March 2026, and anyone who misses the window to switch plans will be automatically moved to Standard Repayment, which carries the highest monthly payments of any available option.

Host Derek Wu walks through the three repayment plans now available to SAVE borrowers, explains how each one calculates monthly payments differently, and provides a practical decision framework to help listeners identify the right...

In this episode of Coin Flip, Derek Wu breaks down the rent-versus-buy debate with a focus on real numbers rather than popular headlines. He starts with ATTOM's widely circulated 2026 finding that buying is more affordable than renting in 57.7% of U.S. counties, then unpacks the assumptions behind that figure and explains why it may not apply to your situation at all.

By the end of the episode, you will have a clear framework for making this decision based on three knowable variables: true monthly ownership cost, your local market, and how long you plan to stay. Derek...

This episode of Coin Flip breaks down how to update your W-4 so your paycheck better matches your real tax bill. Derek explains why most W-4s were set under old rules, how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and updated IRS withholding tables changed the math, and what you can do in about fifteen minutes to stop overpaying or underpaying your taxes through withholding.

Listeners will learn how recent and upcoming tax law changes affect paycheck withholding, why many people are now over-withholding and giving the IRS an interest-free loan, and how to use the IRS...

This episode breaks down the end of the SAVE student loan repayment plan, what the new 90-day decision window starting July 1 actually means, and how to interpret the wave of emails hitting borrowers’ inboxes. Derek explains why balances may have grown during forbearance, what happens if you ignore the notices, and how to choose between income-driven plans like IBR, the upcoming RAP program, and the Standard Repayment Plan.

Listeners will learn how the transition away from SAVE affects their monthly payments, credit, and repayment timeline, along with a simple framework for picking a plan based on income, pu...

In this episode of Coin Flip, host Derek Wu breaks down exactly what to do with your tax refund before it quietly disappears. With the average refund hitting $3,676 in 2026, up more than 10% from last year, Derek explains why that number is bigger than usual, what tax policy changes are behind it, and why a large refund is not necessarily good news for your finances.

Derek walks through a straightforward three-step framework for allocating refund money, covers the behavioral reasons even financially disciplined people tend to lose their refunds to spending drift, and closes with two specific action...