OWN has a new series, MAXXED OUT that is helping families, and people who are struggling with their finances.
On MAXXED OUT, when someone’s finances are a hot mess and it’s causing a relationship problem, the reinforcements get called in. Think “financial intervention” with a side of tough love and a dash of “what were you thinking?”
Guiding the way is financial expert Leah Collins, delivering straight talk, clear strategies, and yes, the receipts. Through high-stakes financial interventions, Leah helps people confront crushing debt and rebuild their relationships—with money, and with each other.
The Black Wall Street Times spoke with Leah Collins about her new show and what audiences can expect to learn while watching MAXXED OUT.
“It started years ago. I made a lot of money [one particular] year but I had nothing to show for it, so I just locked down and got serious about paying off my debt, and I paid off $40,000 worth of debt in 18 months,” Collins said.
Collins helped others by starting her own business. “After that, people noticed what was happening, and they kept reaching out to me for advice. So at that point, I decided to start a business helping other people do the same thing.”
“Then I pivoted a little bit due to two different life altering events,” Collins noted. “I was engaged to my long term boyfriend. We ended up calling it off about a month before the wedding due to financial incompatibility. Looking back, we just never navigated those uncomfortable conversations — we didn’t know how.”
MAXXED OUT to aid everyday people overcome financial hardship
“I realized there were a lot of people that were in the same situation, and a lot of them had already actually gotten married, so they were having these money issues within their marriage. A lot of people were divorcing because of finances.”
This unflinching eight-episode series reveals how money (and mismanaged money) can strain even the strongest relationships. Each episode uncovers the “What were you thinking?” moments behind financial disasters and the tough love it takes to turn things around.
Collins continued, “Then once I had my daughter, that led me to wanting to help women and families build generational wealth. I focused a lot on estate planning now that I have my kiddo, because I want to leave a legacy for her. I’m really big on asset protection and passing those assets down generationally, so that our kids don’t have to continue to start over again and again.”
“I believe that financial literacy is the ultimate equalizer.”
“When we often talk about the generational wealth gap, systemic issues are a huge part of that conversation. We address it on this show by really tackling the information gap; wealth isn’t just about what you earn, it’s about what you keep and how you pass it on,” says Collins.
“I really enjoy doing that in my own life with my daughter, and educating other people on how to break those cycles of survival mode and to really normalize having those taboo conversations,” Collins explained.
“For many people, they think estate planning is something that’s just for the rich, or the 1% but it’s really for everyone,” says Collins. “If you have a child, a home, or any assets, it’s really good to have an estate plan, and through the show, we show our cast and our audience that things like wills and trusts are the lock and key that keep wealth within a family.”
“My daughter loves learning about money. She does little chores around the house, and if there’s something she wants to do that I told her I’m not paying for then she’ll pay for it, and I give her the money in ones,” Collins stated.
“For example, if she wants to go get her little nails done, we’ll take it out of her piggy bank, and then she’ll go up to the register and count it out one-by-one so that she understands how to count money. She understands the value of money, and she knows you have to work hard for it. I know kids are absolutely receptive to learning about how to manage and handle finances.”
Understand your Why
Collins continued, “Really understand your why. I always tell people to understand their why before they ever touch their how. That’s number one. And then you’re also wanting to create short term and long term goals so that you have a roadmap and know where you’re going.”
“I tell people to really look at their spending for the past 30 days and see where their spending does not align with those values or with those goals. And that’s where we start making cuts. And I really focus on small wins. That’s how I got out of debt. I started with the credit card with the smallest balance, it was about $200. I paid that off, and then I tackled the next one and then the next one. I kept going and kept going, and before I knew it, I had paid off $40,000 worth of debt.”
Asked about how financial literacy could benefit Black Americans, Collins responded, ”“We’re living paycheck to paycheck in a lot of situations. So there’s really that lack of financial literacy, financial education, and that’s something that we tackle on this show.”
Collins furthered, “we’re talking about concepts that a lot of people don’t normally talk about. We’re looking at ratios like the debt-to-income ratio. We’re showing people how to calculate their net worth. We’re talking about life insurance, term life insurance versus whole life. We’re providing a lot of information and knowledge to really close that information gap.”
“I want people to know that they can rewrite their financial story, and by watching this show, I will help them do that.”
Asked how she enjoyed filming the show, Collins stated, “I loved every minute of it, every client, every person that I met with, has changed my life. I know I’ve changed their lives, but they’ve changed my life as well. I enjoyed it. I loved it. And I can’t wait for season two.”
OWN dives into the emotional and financial chaos impacting families and friends across America with its bold new series, MAXXED OUT, premiering Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 9:00 PM ET/PT.
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