UNIVERSITY PARK — A new Penn State Extension podcast is aimed at helping adults of all ages navigate critical financial literacy and health insurance topics essential for managing money and simplifying health coverage.

Hosted by Christina Pulman, food, families and communities extension educator, and Brady Ward, finance and accounting major at Penn State, “The Money Compass” podcast is geared toward the public while addressing the specific needs of farmers. The podcast provides the latest updates aimed at improving the communities’ financial well-being and access to healthcare.

“We normally hold in-person events or webinars for this information, but we felt that people’s busy lifestyles were not conducive to those kinds of formats,” Pulman said. “With a podcast, we can bring it right to them and they can jump on and listen when convenient to them.”

The podcast features discussions with a diverse range of Penn State staff and faculty, along with industry professionals in finance and health insurance. These discussions provide practical advice and insights on topics such as financial goal planning, identity theft protection and understanding comprehensive health insurance plans.

“Our goal with The Money Compass is to give people the skills they need to better navigate financial health,” Pulman said. “We want the podcast to reach adults of all ages and make the information they need to navigate their financial future easy to access and understand.”

Part of the podcast is providing the latest knowledge, research, tips and resources to farmers to make obtaining financial stability and affordable healthcare coverage easier. Pulman explained that financial literacy is the cornerstone of stability for farmers and their families.

“By strengthening their financial foundation, they can better handle and prepare for financial hardships and plan for long-term stability,” she said. “This allows farmers to prepare their farming businesses for future generations.”

Podcast episodes are available on the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/the-money-compass and on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere podcasts are found.