Tom Henske’s It Makes Total Cents is returning for its fourth season as a Verso Studios at The Westport Library community partnership podcast, with the resident Westport financial expert hosting a impressive array of special guests to teach kids — and their parents, guardians, and grandparents — about financial literacy.
For the first time, the new season will have a new format. After three seasons and 50 audio episodes, the fourth campaign is launching as a video podcast, expanding the podcast’s reach and allowing Henske and guests to better connect with his growing audience.
The first episode launched January 2, featuring University of Virginia professor Chuck Howard to discuss expense prediction bias. Future episodes focus on compound interest, explaining borrowing and credit, college savings, and much more.
Episodes will go live biweekly — the next one coming out January 16 — and are available on the Total Cents YouTube channel and also on Amazon, Apple, and Spotify. All episodes and channels can be accessed through The Westport Library Community Partnership Podcasts page.
“I’m so excited to get to work on another season of this podcast,” said Henske. “It is critical that parents and grandparents feel equipped to teach kids how their finances function and the basics of money, spending, and saving. I’m incredibly fortunate to work with a great team at The Westport Library and to have so many amazing guests on the show this season.”
The Total Cents podcast is dedicated to making financial literacy accessible and engaging for families by empowering parents, guardians, and grandparents to confidently teach kids essential money management skills. Each episode provides expert advice, relatable examples, and practical strategies to help adults guide their children toward a strong financial future. By turning financial education into a family conversation, the podcast aims to equip the next generation with the tools they need to succeed.
The podcast is an extension of the Total Cents blog, which includes conversation guides and e-news updates taken from Henske’s book, It Makes Total Cents: 12 Conversations to Change Your Child’s Financial Future.
A leader in the financial industry for nearly three decades, Henske started his career in financial planning in 1994, with Cowan Financial Group. Shortly thereafter, he started his own company, Henske Advisors. In 2003, Henske Advisors were acquired by National Financial Partners (merging them into Lenox Advisors), which went public shortly thereafter. Henske remained an equity partner until 2020, when he retired to focus solely on matters of life insurance and building Total Cents.
In addition to Total Cents, Henske works as an advisor to the University of Virginia Athletic Department. Henske was a two-time All-American and three-time NCAA champion soccer standout at UVA, and he coached high school varsity soccer for 11 seasons at Staples High School.