Jane Pauley hosts our annual “Money Issue.” Featured: Obstacles to home ownership; fighting health insurance denials; Chinese EVs; opposition to AI data centers; American Girl dolls; skin care mogul Scarlett Johansson; roller coasters; the popularity of bingo!; and is your phone eavesdropping on you?

When it comes to Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, don’t call it generosity – call it strategy.

Insiders say Affleck is ready to walk away from a staggering $30 million tied up in their Beverly Hills mansion. But before anyone labels it a grand gesture, sources are shutting that down fast.

“This isn’t him giving anything,” one insider said. “This is him paying to be done.”

The property – once the couple’s dream home – has now become the final loose end in their split.

“That house is the last tie,” the source explained. “And he wants it gone, fast.”

Fast enough to take a serious financial hit.

“He’d pay anything at this point,” the insider added. “Because peace of mind is worth more than the money.” And no, this is not emotional decision-making – it’s calculated.

“Ben isn’t acting out of kindness,” the source said. “He’s making a smart decision for himself.”

The goal? No lingering connections. No shared investments. No reason to stay in touch.

“He wants a clean, absolute break,” the insider noted. “And this is the quickest way to get there.”

As for the On the Floor hit-maker potentially walking away with full control – and maybe even future profits – that’s reportedly not even on his radar.

“He’s not thinking about the upside,” the source said. “He’s thinking about being free.”

So what looks like a financial loss might actually be something else entirely. “This isn’t generosity,” the insider said. “It’s self-preservation.”