Financial Finesse

Cathy interviews Sara Ecklein, a private professional fiduciary and the founder of Trust and Honor. Sara shares the intricacies of her role, from acting as a trustee, executor, or agent under various legal capacities, to the benefits of having a neutral party manage sensitive family and financial issues. They also discuss the importance of proactive estate planning, especially for solo agers and b...

Did you know that on average, women are offered higher list prices for cars than men - to the tune of about $200 or more? When it comes to buying a new car, being prepared is key. In this episode, Cathy shares six pro tips to help you get the best deal on your next car purchase.  [02:28] The importance of doing your homework.  [04:21] What you can and can't negotiate when buying a new car.  [...

In this episode of Financial Finesse, host Cathy Curtis interviews Meg Connell, founder of The Organized One, a professional estate organizer focused on helping individuals navigate the challenging process of estate distribution. Meg's extensive experience and the comprehensive nature of her services provide a guidepost for anyone facing the prospect of estate organization, whether for themse...

In this episode, Cathy interviews Danielle Roberts, founding partner at Boomer Benefits and author of the best-selling book 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make, about all things Medicare. Whether you’re new to Medicare or simply want to learn more about it so you can make an informed decision this open enrollment season, this episode is packed with useful information and unique in...

Real estate investor Ruth Krumbhaar shares her real estate staging and interior design tips for elevating your home or investment properties.  [00:04:00] Ruth shares her decorating philosophy and why she always starts with a blank canvas when designing a space. [00:14:06] Why every room doesn’t necessarily need a showstopper when it comes to home decorating. [00:20:09] How Ruth determines her deco...

In this episode, host Cathy Curtis, CFP® interviews Ruth Krumbhaar, a successful therapist, coach, and part-time real estate investor who has built a reliable source of passive income through her investments. Ruth shares the wisdom she’s gained through her experience investing in real estate to help single women who are curious about real estate investing but don’t know where to start. For more in...

If you're charitably inclined and want to be a more savvy donor, this episode is for you. Cathy shares her tips for determining how much to give to charity, deciding which organizations to support with your donations, and giving strategically to maximize the potential tax benefits. For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes .

In this episode, Cathy shares her tips and strategies for getting your overspending habit under control once and for all this year. [02:11] What do habits have to do with spending? [03:23] Identifying your biggest spending weakness or weaknesses. [06:05] What are your spending triggers? [08:45] Setting your new budget for the year ahead. [10:32] How to find ways to support yourself in reaching you...

Cathy interviews Sara Ecklein, a private, professional fiduciary and the founder of Trust and Honor, a fiduciary agency. Trust and Honor serves as a partner and compassionate advocate in managing and protecting the personal affairs, property, and assets of clients in the San Francisco Bay area and beyond. [03:45] Sara Ecklein describes the role of a private, professional fiduciary. [09:28] Sara sh...

Cathy interviews Ruth Stroup, AKA "The Insurance Lady," about all things insurance, from what it covers and doesn't cover to choosing the right policies and the obstacles that can get in the way of that. [04:02] Ruth Stroup explains what’s covered and what isn’t covered by homeowner’s insurance if your home is burglarized. [07:03] How to insure different types of jewelry, whether it...

In this episode, Cathy interviews Susan Reynolds, co-founder of the nonprofit organization LookUp, about the harmful effects social media and digital technology can have on mental health and how she works with youths to help them take advantage of the positive aspects of tech and mitigate the harmful ones.  [12:04] Why technology is so addictive and how it’s contributing to our mental health crisi...

Cathy interviews Kathi Balasek, an educator, empathy and grief communication coach, university lecturer, speaker, and widow advocate. Kathi teaches financial professionals how to improve their grief literacy communication skills to best serve bereaved clients. She also hosts the One Well Widow podcast, helping widows process their grief and learn from one another. [08:16] What people don’t always...

Cathy interviews Patricia De Fonte, founder of De Fonte Law based in San Francisco. Patricia practices estate planning with heart and is focused on working with happy, proactive people who want to protect their heir’s privacy.  In this episode, Cathy and Patricia discuss a variety of estate planning topics, including:  Why everyone needs an estate plan; Why an estate plan is more than a will; The...

In this first episode of Season 4, Cathy interviews the management team from Democracy Investments: CEO Julie Cane, Chief Investment Officer Chris Browne, and Chief Economist Rick Rikoski. These three individuals have decades of financial services experience and unique back-stories, all of which influenced them to collaborate in creating an investment management firm that’s committed to advancing...

In this episode, Cathy shares several strategies that don't involve traditional budgeting to keep yourself on track towards your financial goals. You'll learn how to be more self-aware, mindful of your spending, and intentional about where your money goes so that ultimately, you can save more and spend less.  For information and resources related to this episode, check out the show notes...

The Financial Finesse Podcast features some of the smartest, savviest women on the planet. In this special compilation episode, we're sharing the top personal finance and life advice from our season 3 guests. [01:30] Liz Eshleman on Planning for Long-Term Care [03:25] Joy Lere, Psy. D. on Living Authentically [05:10] Jennifer Barrett on Thinking Like a Breadwinner [06:28] Megan Gorman on Savi...

Cathy interviews Nichole Proffitt, founder of Presence Mindfulness, Somatic Counseling & Coaching for Women, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. In this episode, you'll find out why it's so important to be more present in our daily lives; how to reduce anxiety by first accepting it, rather than trying to fight it; and how to practice mindfulness so you can experience life more fully...

Cathy interviews Lis McKinley, a Certified Professional Organizer and move manager. Lis is the owner of Let's Make Room, a residential organizing and move management company that has organized hundreds of living, storage and work areas in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. In this episode, you'll hear how mindset is the number one determinant of maintaining an organized life and how...

Cathy and special guest Megan Gorman discuss how the SECURE Act of December 2019 changed the rules for certain beneficiaries of inherited IRAs. Specifically, they touch on the potential tax implications of these rules if you have an IRA or expect to inherit one. Be sure to listen to the full episode, as Cathy and Megan share their financial planning expertise on why you may want to adapt your esta...

Jennifer Barrett is an award-winning financial journalist, digital strategist, and Chief Education Officer at Acorns. She is also the author of Think Like a Breadwinner:  A Wealth-Building Manifesto for Women Who Want to Earn More (and Worry Less). In this episode, you'll learn what it means to think like a breadwinner and how you can shift your thinking to make better financial decisions. In...

Cathy interviews Joy Lere, Psy. D., a licensed clinical psychologist and behavioral finance consultant with a practice in Napa, California, about the parallels between our psychology and money habits.  In this episode, Cathy and Joy touch on: How setting clear boundaries for ourselves and living our lives authentically can actually improve our financial outcomes. Why spending our time and money in...

Cathy Curtis interviews long-term care insurance and planning specialist Liz Eshleman about the benefits and drawbacks of long-term care insurance, who should consider it, and why it's an important financial planning topic for women in particular. Episode Highlights: [04:00] Who is long-term care insurance for? [07:38] The impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on long-term care planning for...

Cathy discusses why it's so important for single women to have an estate plan, which documents make the most sense given your financial circumstances, and who to consider asking to execute your wishes in the event of incapacity or death. For show notes and important links, visit: https://curtisfinancialplanning.com/2020/12/01/s2-e3-estate-planning-must-haves-for-single-women/ For more informa...

Uncertainty and volatility typically go hand-in-hand when it comes to the stock market. In this episode, Cathy explains why investing in stocks is so important despite the inevitable periods of volatility, and how having an investment plan and sticking to it can save you from unnecessary, permanent loss of capital or running out of money in retirement. For show notes and important links, visit: ht...

In this short but insightful episode, Cathy kicks off Season 2 of the Financial Finesse podcast by discussing the potential outcomes of the upcoming presidential election and the impact they may have on the stock market and your investments. This is the first episode of Season 2: What Keeps You Up At Night? Stay tuned all season as Cathy tackles the financial planning issues that tend to cause us...