Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin

The price of oil is skyrocketing— and the ripple effects are spreading fast. Today, Nicole sits down with Lauren Simmons, former trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, to break down exactly what's driving market volatility right now and what you should actually be doing with your money.

Lauren and Nicole get into why the Petrodollar system is cracking, whether the U.S. dollar is still a safe haven (Lauren's honest answer might surprise you), and where big institutional investors are quietly moving their money. Lauren also opens up about her own portfolio — why she put 10% into gold and silver, why she's steering clear of Bitcoin, and her take on the AI bubble question. This episode was taped on 3.26.26.

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Check out Lauren’s personal finance book Make Money Move

Here's what Nicole covers with Lauren: 

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab?

00:18 Why Oil Prices Are Exploding Right Now 

01:24 Why Americans Pay Global Oil Prices No Matter What 

02:01 The Petrodollar System Explained 

03:25 Is the Dollar's Reign as Safe Haven Over? 

06:13 Why Volatile Markets Are Actually Wealth-Building Opportunities 

07:35 Brent Crude 101 

09:00 How Often Should You Actually Check Your Portfolio? 

10:09 How Much Oil Should Be in Your Portfolio? 

11:36 Why Lauren Is Skeptical of the Dollar Right Now 

13:19 Gold, Silver, and Lauren's Actual Portfolio 

15:06 How to Start Investing in Metals ETFs 

15:55 Bitcoin: Bullish or Bearish? 

17:10 The Crypto Wash Sale Rule Loophole Nicole Is Using 

20:07 Could the Dollar Lose Reserve Currency Status? 

22:00 International ETFs as a Dollar Hedge (VXUS) 

22:12 Defense and Energy Stocks: XLE and Dividend Strategy 

26:00 How to Invest With Your Values (ESG and Its Limits) 

28:39 What Sectors Lauren Is Bullish On Right Now 

29:00 Why Lauren Is Avoiding Pure-Play AI Stocks 

31:00 Is There an AI Bubble? 

33:00 The Energy Problem Powering (and Threatening) AI 

34:53 Lauren Simmons' Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.

Today, Nicole debunks the most viral myths about inheritance and gift taxes, and walks you through exactly how these taxes work, when they actually kick in, and the totally legal strategies wealthy families use to pass on as much as possible to their heirs.

Nicole breaks down the difference between gift tax, estate tax, and inheritance tax; explains the $19,000 annual gift exclusion and the $15 million lifetime exemption; and covers the states that will still come after you even when the IRS won't. Then she gets into the tools the ultra-wealthy use, like irrevocable trusts and Family Limited Partnerships, to legally minimize what they owe. Plus, she shares one simple, free move that anyone can make right now to protect their family's inheritance… no lawyer required.

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Here's what Nicole covers today: 

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 

00:18 Why TikTok's Inheritance Advice Is Wrong 

00:53 Gift Tax 101: The $19,000 Annual Exclusion 

02:24 Gift Splitting for Married Couples 

02:48 The $15 Million Lifetime Exemption Explained 

04:21 Estate Tax vs. Inheritance Tax: What's the Difference? 

05:25 Which States Have Inheritance Tax? 

05:47 How the Wealthy Minimize Estate Taxes 06:09 Irrevocable Trusts Explained 

06:51 Family Limited Partnerships Explained 

07:43 The IRS Isn't Out to Get You — But It Won't Help You Either 

08:04 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

Warren Buffett just stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and the investing world is holding its breath. Today, Nicole breaks down the frameworks that turned a $1,000 investment in 1965 into over $30 million, and how you can apply them whether you have $100 or $100 million.

She walks through the most iconic trades of Buffett's career, from Coca-Cola to Apple to his rare misses, and extracts seven timeless investing principles that have nothing to do with hot tips or market timing. Then Nicole turns to what's next: who is Berkshire’s new CEO Greg Abel, what does he inherit, and what does a nearly $400 billion cash pile signal about Berkshire's future direction?

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Here's what Nicole covers today: 

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 

00:18 The End of an Era: Buffett Retires 

01:03 The $30 Million Case for Long-Term Investing 

01:27 Buffett's Simple (But Not Easy) Framework 

02:00 The Coca-Cola Investment and Brand Loyalty as a Moat 

02:53 The McDonald's Play

03:16 The Apple Surprise

04:12 Buffett's Misses

04:59 7 Investing Lessons You Can Use Right Now 

06:03 Enter Greg Abel: Berkshire's Next Chapter 

06:55 The $400 Billion Question 

07:32 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.

Pete Najarian is an NFL linebacker turned successful options trader and today he joins Money Rehab to break down exactly what's happening in the markets right now, where the big opportunities are hiding, and how to read the signals that the pros don't talk about on TV.

Then Pete walks Nicole through a complete options crash course: calls vs. puts, covered calls, naked positions, spreads, and how Warren Buffett secretly uses options to build his biggest positions. He even pulls up Nicole's actual options account live and breaks down what he sees.

Then the conversation gets deeper. Pete opens up about losing his dream home, whether he’d run for governor of Minnesota, and the surprisingly simple investing philosophy that's driven all of his success.

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Follow Pete and learn more at Market Rebellion

Here's what Nicole covers with Pete: 

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 

01:33 Nicole and Pete's History on the Chicago Trading Floor 

03:13 Wolf of Wall Street Era 

07:20 Where Pete Is Bullish Right Now

09:30 How to Read Unusual Options Activity (UOA) 

11:17 Options 101: Calls, Puts, and Plain English Explanations 

12:46 How to Use Options as Portfolio Insurance 

16:17 How Warren Buffett Actually Uses Options 

18:18 Creating Your Own Dividend Stream with Covered Calls

22:17 Pete Reviews Nicole's Options Account 

23:40 Insider Trading and Options 

26:12 Are Options Just Gambling? 

34:18 Pete's Rules for Protecting Yourself 

42:48 Secure the Bag

49:00 Pete on Politics and the Future of Investing in Sports 

52:23 Pete Najarian's Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

All investing involves risk, including loss of principal. Options trading involves additional risks and is not suitable for all investors. This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.

Are we in an AI bubble? It's the trillion-dollar question — and depending on who you ask, you'll get completely opposite answers. Today, Nicole cuts through the noise and takes an honest look at what's actually happening inside the AI market right now.

She breaks down why sky-high valuations on AI companies are giving investors serious dot com bubble déjà vu, the circular financing deals that are inflating demand, and why the fact that Nvidia drove roughly a fifth of the S&P 500's gains in 2025 should have every investor paying attention. But she also makes the case for why this moment is fundamentally different from 1999 and what that means for your portfolio.

Check out Nicole’s financial literacy course The Money School 

Find a Financial Advisor or Financial Coach from Nicole’s company Private Wealth Collective

Watch video clips from the pod on Money Rehab’s Instagram and Nicole Lapin’s Instagram

Here's what Nicole covers today: 

00:00 Are You Ready for Some Money Rehab? 

00:24 Both Sides of the AI Bubble Debate 

00:44 How Much Money Is Actually Flowing Into AI 

01:12 What Sky-High PE Ratios Really Mean 

02:14 Dot Com Bubble Déjà Vu 

03:32 Circular Financing

03:59 The Warren Buffett Market Indicator

04:19 What's Actually Different This Time 

05:10 The Real Risks

05:36 Nicole's Honest Verdict 

06:33 Tip You Can Take Straight to the Bank

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Always do your own research and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any financial decisions or investments.