Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) debuted “Maxxed Out” starring Dallas-native Leah Collins in January, an eight-episode financial advice show where she works with...
Dallas-native Leah Collins hosted an eight-episode financial advice show on the Oprah Winfrey Network called "MAXXED OUT," helping people deep in debt to turn around their finances.Leah Collins is used to giving out tough financial love to friends and clients.
Now, the Dallas native is doing it on national television. Oprah Winfrey Network debuted “Maxxed Out” starring Collins in January, an eight-episode financial advice show where she works with people to break bad spending and money management habits. It’s now available on streaming services such as Hulu, HBO Max and Discovery Plus. Collins, who lives in Arkansas where she works in real estate finance for mega-retailer Walmart, came back to Dallas to film the show. “I think I wanted a place where I was comfortable, I love my Texas roots,” Collins said, “ was a good place for casting.”In the show, a concerned person nominates friends or family members on the brink of financial collapse to receive Collins’s financial guidance.Advertisement The first season features one woman with 40 credit cards, one debt-ridden entrepreneur with an obsession for pricey collectibles and another struggling with student loans and depending on her mother for help. Alexis Morrison, who was on episode 2 of “MAXXED OUT,” said her finances weren’t in a good place before being on the show. “It was really bad, I had more than $60,000 in debt,” Morrison said. “I wouldn’t have been able to get out of debt on my own.” Morrison followed Collins’s advice to move to her parents’ house and improve her financial habits to reduce unnecessary expenses. Since then, she has paid two loans and two credit card bills, and is in the process of starting a new business.“ the financial pressures so many of us face and the ripple effect they have on our closest relationships,” Tappon said in a statement.At the time, Collins was engaged and had clear financial plans, which she later realized weren’t as compatible with her fiancé’s financial approach. “I wanted a small, intimate wedding; his guest list alone was 200 people,” Collins said in a TEDx Talk in 2024. “You don’t really know someone until you have seen their finances.” The financial incompatibilities led Collins to call off the wedding, just a few weeks before the big day. She says that if people can communicate about money, they can communicate about almost everything.In the U.S., 23% of couples have ended a relationship due to financial incompatibility, and another 34% would consider doing so, according to a On the same note, household debt has increased by $191 billion to hit $18.8 trillion in the fourth quarter, according to the latest Although Dallas County is in the lower range of debt-to-income ratios, surrounding counties such as Denton, Ellis and Kaufman recorded higher levels,“I remember when at football games, I was at the stadium and there would be the credit card companies with their tables set up,” Collins said.“They would give you your free t-shirt if you signed up for a card. It starts very, very early.”Those with a low level of financial literacy are twice as likely to be debt-constrained and five times as likely to lack non-retirement savings sufficient to cover one month of living expenses, or to be unsure whether they have such savings. Collins said she likes strategies such as “the snowball method,” which focuses on paying off the smallest credit card balances first and then progressively paying off larger debts. In her TED talk, Collins also shared the “three don’ts before you say I do,” which aim to keep people financially protected while in a romantic relationship: Do not ignore the red flags, don’t leave yourself unprotected and don’t be afraid to walk away.Collins continues to check on the people she helps while managing her responsibilities as a single mom of a five-year-old. “I think the biggest challenge is just keeping up with everything,” Collins said. “More people reaching out to me needing help, and to respond to everyone and make sure that I’m able to help people in the best way that I can, while also maintaining my mental health.”, Collins admitted changing her major five or six times in college, until her father told her he would not pay for her to go back to school if she didn’t pick a major and stick with it.“Like many 18-year-olds, we don’t know what we want to do with our lives,” Collins said. “I kind of just stumbled into finance.”She graduated from Texas Tech in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in finance, and from UT Arlington in 2013 with an M.B.A. She now has more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance, having worked at Fortune 100 companies while also growing as a personal financial coach.Collins’s own experience with debt also shaped her journey as a financial advisor. While doing her taxes around 2017, she realized her debt had grown. “ realized I made a lot of money, the most I had ever made,” Collins said. “I looked around and I was just trying to figure out, where did it go?” She decided to get her financial freedom back and, within 18 months, managed to pay off $40,000 in debt, raise her credit score to over 800, and purchase investment properties across the nation. Collins saw an opportunity in her experience to teach others to ease their financial pressures, helping them protect their wealth and build their financial literacy.“Once I got out of debt, that became my mission,” Collins said. “I feel like it’s my ministry.” Collins’s financial advice is now reaching a wider audience thanks to “MAXXED OUT,” which is described as a “financial intervention.” “We want viewers to feel seen and understood, while also walking away with practical tools to rewrite their financial story and reclaim their peace of mind,” Tappon said in a statement.“Personal finances aren’t something people want to put out there,” Benavides said. “I watch MAXXED OUT because I admire how people open up their lives to get out of their financial problems.”1 in 5 eligible taxpayers miss a major refund. Here’s how to get your money Single parents, part‑time workers and first‑time filers are among those most likely to miss out on tax credits.Her 4-year-old son had successful heart surgery. A few months later, he suddenly died
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Paradise Season 3's Fate Confirmed At Hulu Ahead Of Sci-Fi Thriller’s Season 2 FinaleSterling K. Brown as Xavier Collins in Paradise season 2
Read more »
Coldplay 'Kiss Cam' Exec Kristin Cabot Gives Unexpected Update on Oprah PodcastKristin Cabot told Oprah Winfrey she had believed that her former boss was no longer with his wife when they went to the concert.
Read more »
Netflix blindsided by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Oprah sit-down and ‘Spare’ release: reportNetflix has officially cut ties with Meghan Markle’s polarizing lifestyle brand, As Ever, Page Six can confirm. “Her show did not go on so it did not make sense to continue the partnership,” a Netflix source exclusively told Page Six, referring to her series, “With Love, Meghan.
Read more »
Ex-‘Real Housewives’ Star Leah McSweeney’s Lawsuit Against Bravo to Proceed in Federal CourtArbitration has been denied as the 'RHONY' alum alleges producers exploited her sobriety struggles for ratings.
Read more »
Horoscopes March 18, 2026: Lily Collins, it’s time to expand your interestsAstrological advice for everyone born on this date.
Read more »
RHONY Alum Leah McSweeney and Andy Cohen's Lawsuit ExplainedLeah McSweeney's 2024 lawsuit naming Andy Cohen and Bravo will go to trial after a judge denied arbitration in a pretrial motion
Read more »