Financially Ever After Widowhood

When faced with a terminal illness diagnosis, your emotions can be overwhelming. You still need to navigate the legal aspects, however, to ensure that you and your loved ones are protected. Stacy Francis’ guest this week is Alison Arden Besunder, a partner in charge of the Trust and Estates department at Goetz Fitzpatrick. Alison has extensive experience in guardianship and estate litigation. She...

Charity is not just about giving; it's about making a difference. In this enlightening episode of Financially Ever After Widowhood, Mindy Stern joins Stacy Francis to discuss all things philanthropy. Mindy is a partner at Schwartz Sladkus Reich Greenberg Atlas LLP, specializing in real estate and estate planning. She has a passion for helping clients make a difference with charities during their l...

Anne DeButte is a respected and empathetic grief coach, author, and podcast host. She has made significant contributions to the field of grief counseling through her comprehensive approach to helping people navigate through their unique grief journeys. Her book, Grief's Abyss: Finding Your Pathway to Peace, encapsulates her insights on the impact of grief and offers practical advice for those who...

Are you struggling to sort through your household items after the loss of a loved one? It's not just a matter of spring cleaning; it's an emotional journey that requires empathy and support. In this episode of Financially Ever After Widowhood with Stacy Francis, Janine Sarna-Jones, organizational maven, shares her expertise on navigating the process of dealing with a partner's belongings. She and...

In a world where loss and grief often appear as villains, there are those who embody the spirit of resilience. On this episode, Financially Ever After Widowhood, Stacy Francis welcomes Joy Rosenthal - a woman who turned her own personal tragedies into catalysts for compassion, empathy, and strength. Joy is a seasoned lawyer, divorce mediator, and an educator at the CUNY School of Law. In this epis...

Amy Holzman is a seasoned trust and estate attorney with over 25 years of experience. Specializing in estate planning and administration, Amy prepares wills, trusts, estate and gift tax planning, and healthcare proxies, for a wide range of clients including US citizens, international families, and LGBTQ+ clients. In this episode, Amy and Stacy Francis discuss the ins and outs of estate planning. A...

Many people believe that estate planning is only for high net worth individuals. But as Laura Cowan and I discuss in this episode of Financially Ever After Widowhood, having an estate plan is crucial regardless of your financial situation. Laura is a trusts and estates attorney based in Midtown Manhattan, and the founder of the Law Office of Laura Cowan. She joins me to dispel some common myths ar...

Are you struggling to cope with the loss of a spouse and the financial challenges that come with it? In this episode of Financially Ever After Widowhood, host Stacy Francis speaks with Kathy Gleason, an author and grief support expert with a deep understanding of the struggles that come with losing a spouse. Kathy is also co-host of the As I Live and Grieve podcast. Kathy details her personal jour...

Widowhood is the state of being a widow or widower: a person whose spouse has passed away. This is a situation that no one wants to be in, but it is something that can happen, and that you and your family should be prepared for financially. When this kind of painful, life altering event occurs, it's important to have the structure in place for you and your family to be protected, and this year on...

Morgan Mouchette is a Matrimonial and Family Law Partner at Blank Rome LLP specializing in divorce, child custody, and prenuptial agreements. She provides tailored support based on each family's unique circumstances and needs. In this episode, Morgan and Stacy Francis discuss prenuptial agreements, why they are recommended, and debunk some common misconceptions about them. Morgan discusses what yo...

Gary Botwinick is co-managing partner of Einhorn Barbarito Frost & Botwinick and Chair of the firm’s Trust and Estates/Taxation Practice Group. He is an estate planning expert with a deep background in taxation, estate administration, corporate formation, and succession planning. Gary shares some of the top issues that couples face in second marriages, especially if there are children involved, an...

Amber Flanagan, CFP, is Principal at ASHCON Financial and advises clients from all walks of life about their financial and insurance needs. Her approach is to listen to her clients' unique situations, then determine what actions best suit their needs.  Dr. Gerda Maissel, known as “The Medical Sherpa,” is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medicine physician, former health system executive, and...

Bobbi Rebell, CFP® is the author of Launching Financial Grownups: Live Your Richest Life by Helping Your (Almost) Adult Kids Become Everyday Money Smart, a financial literacy advocate, the host of the Money Tips for Financial Grownups podcast and the founder of GrownupGear.com. She was previously a global business news anchor and personal finance columnist at Reuters and held various journalist po...

Paula Jones is founder and Principal of Jones Estate Group and adjunct professor at the Western New England University School of Law. With over 25 years of experience, both internationally and domestically, she helps individuals of moderate to high net worth ensure that their assets transfer to the people they love in the right way. Paula shares how listeners can protect themselves and their famil...

Tracy Coenen is a Forensic Consultant and Fraud Investigator at Sequence Inc. Forensic Accounting. She is also the creator of the Divorce Money Guide, an online 10-step handbook for people going through divorce who suspect their spouse has been fraudulent. For over 25 years, she has been conducting fraud investigations. She also specializes in family law and divorce, and litigation. Tracy shares h...

Melissa Rubenstein is a residential and commercial real estate agent at Christie's International Real Estate in Northern New Jersey. For the past 18 years, she has had her thumb on the pulse of what happens in real estate across the country. She is also an expert in divorce, her practice lending the relevant know-how to help clients navigate the challenges of buying and selling property. Melissa s...

Sherry Smith is a licensed marriage and family therapist, psychotherapist, certified divorce coach, author, speaker, and podcast host. She combines her training, practice, and experiences to promote non-adversarial divorce environments that support the family system. Sherry defines and describes co-parenting and shares tools, techniques, and resources parents can use to ensure their children are s...

Deborah Nason is a journalist who has been covering business for the past 20 years, for both InvestmentNews and CNBC.com. She is on a mission to ensure people of all income levels get the financial advice and guidance they need. Deborah shares resources for helping people find the ideal financial advisor regardless of the state of their wallet, including some fantastic pro bono deals.  A financial...

Elizabeth Eiss is founder and CEO of ResultsResourcing, an online recruiting platform that matches employers with the right people. She is a serial entrepreneur, investor and gig economy expert who is passionate about business and driving win-win solutions for buyers and sellers in today's fluid talent market. Kelley Joyce is a career coach helping professionals discover their career path and land...

Laura Terrell is an executive coach with over 25 years experience working with high-achieving professionals. She helps her clients build wealth and tap into a mindset that will help them achieve more financial success personally and in their professional lives. Laura shares common pitfalls to avoid, and three questions to consider that will put you on the path to long-term financial security.  Peo...

Genevieve Anderson is an investing and financial wellness coach dedicated to helping people take control of their finances. She teaches them how to invest, build wealth, and create healthy money habits through a 12-step recovery process. Genevieve uses her own experience to identify key signs of financial abuse and how to move forward healthily. She shares resources listeners can use to protect th...

Kathryn Ford is an award-winning celebrity coach and consultant, and the founder and CEO of Excellence Institute, the premier community for sophisticated, extraordinary women. She is also an Amazon best-selling author specializing in helping high-achieving women live with an abundance of health, wealth and love. Kathryn is a Los Angeles Business Journal nominee for Woman of the Year, and has been...

Syble Solomon is the creator of Money Habitudes, a financial tool that helps people understand the psychology of money and make wiser financial decisions. She is a member of the Financial Therapy Association and a pioneer in looking at the intersection between money and emotions. Syble shares insights on what motivates financial decisions, and the deep-rooted and complex feelings we often have tow...

Seth Feinman is a 15-year veteran in the mortgage industry. His current role is Vice President of Silver Fin Capital, where he manages the licensed loan origination team. He is most proud of working one-on-one with clients to find the best loan product based on their unique situations. Mark D. Friedman is an award-winning real estate broker at Brown Harris Stevens and also represents buyers and se...

Karen Chellew and Catherine Shanahan are the founders of My Divorce Solution, a divorce preparation platform team that includes a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) and Legal Liaison (LL). Having both experienced divorce, they combined their professional experiences in the financial and legal world to develop the MDS Financial Portrait™, which endeavors to erase the confusion and frustrati...