MONEY WITHOUT MATH

Since the pandemic, many Americans are thinking about death more, but they still don’t want to TALK about it. It turns out most Americans would rather talk about sex, politics, religion, money—any of the traditional taboo topics—over death. Not surprisingly, they haven’t planned for death either, and a number admit to hoping they die a quick death and avoid end-of-life planning entirely. Unfortuna...

Social Security is a significant source of income for most retired Americans. But understanding the rules and benefits of the program is no easy task, and it’s made even more difficult by the amount of misinformation that is regularly circulated. In this episode Marcia Mantell, Owner and President of Mantell Retirement Consulting, Inc, addresses some common myths and misconceptions. You’ll learn h...

Viral dance videos helped cement TikTok’s popularity, but it offers more than just entertainment. As the most downloaded social media app, TikTok has become a force as a search engine, particularly among younger generations. A 2024 survey by Adobe cites that 4% of Gen Zers and 49% of millennials saying they’ve used TikTok as a search engine. And a significant chunk of these younger users are using...

You know you need to raise your fees or ask for a raise, but your fears are holding you back. You might be thinking: Am I good enough? What if there is pushback or retaliation? Talking about money is hard enough, asking for more money can be very daunting! Negotiating tips and tactics are great, but first you need confidence to overcome your fears. Kathleen Burns Kingsbury , Wealth Psychology Expe...

Have you ever evaluated, honestly, your relationship with money? If you did, would you find that you are you dismissive and disrespectful? Or are you nurturing, supportive, and understanding? This isn’t a one-night stand, this is a lifelong relationship, so it’s important to get it and make it right. What if you could talk to money, be a better partner, and improve your relationship? Financial int...

Menopause affects millions of women every year and wreaks havoc in many ways.  We’ve all seen the well-known symptoms caricatured on sitcoms and in movies, but the havoc can run much deeper than hot flashes. It can be costly, from direct medical expenses to personal relationships to women leaving the workforce. Many women feel unprepared to deal with the physical and mental changes and are further...

Anita Knotts started her career in financial services 30 years ago as a sales associate, she probably didn’t know that one day, she’d be a mainstage speaker sharing her insights as an executive and leader and calling for change in this male-dominated, slow-to-change industry. But that’s exactly what happened. Today, as the Founder and CEO of Lotus Women’s Institute , Anita is passionate about brin...

Have you been thinking about transitioning to a new career or role in midlife? Or maybe now that your kids have flown the coop, do you find yourself struggling to define your identity and interests? If you know and feel that you need to make some changes, but don’t know where or how to begin, know that you don’t need to do it alone. Judy Schoenberg and Linda Lautenberg are midlife career transitio...

You might think it’s a good idea to add your adult child or children to the deed of your house so that the asset passes to them after your death. But is it? A deed is a legal document and as such, there are legal, tax, and other financial ramifications that come with changing the deed. Samantha Wolfe, Founder and Owner of The Law Offices of Samantha K. Wolfe LLC, is an estate planning attorney in...

Dr. Regina Lark was 50 years old when she was laid off and then set out to turn a personal service business into a 7-figure income. Today, she is an organizing and productivity specialist and the author of “Psychic Debris, Crowded Closets: The Relationship Between the Stuff in Your Head and What’s Under Your Bed.” As an entrepreneur, author, speaker and TEDx alum, Regina continues to reinvent hers...

If you have a high school senior or a student already in college, you are likely familiar with the FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Did you know that an overhaul of the FAFSA procedures is underway, thanks to the FAFSA Simplification Act? With fewer questions, modified formulas, and changes to income that is to be reported, completing the FAFSA this year might be more stream...

When you hear the word “midlife” what comes to mind? Is it “crisis?” Do you see gray hair, or think about menopause, hot flashes, and irritability? Midlife may have once meant suffering in silence, but it doesn’t have to be that way. What if instead, we immediately imagined someone living with more joy, confidence, and purpose than ever before? Michelle Newman is a performance coach helping women...

If I had to name the top 3 roadblocks I see in financial planning, you might be surprised that none of them have to do with lack of math skills or financial acumen. Most of the roadblocks are tied to our human nature, including our instinctive seeking of pleasure and avoiding pain, which can lead to a myriad of challenges. Today we will dig into one in particular: procrastination. Leslie Josel, aw...

Protecting family wealth is an endeavor that might include establishing trusts, insurance policies, and business succession plans. Throw in some emotional roadblocks, tough conversations, and family dynamics, and it’s not hard to see why “shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations” is an expression that can be found on multiple continents. When one advisor sensed that her third generation c...

Why do you save and invest? The individual details may vary, but for many the common denominator is financial freedom. This might mean owning your assets outright with no debt, being financially positioned for emergencies, or no longer needing to work to earn income. Guest Stoy Hall, CEO and Founder of Black Mammoth, shares his definition of financial freedom and some of the unexpected benefits an...

Where there’s cash, there’s potential for conflict. Add in family and the combinations are endless! From disputes over picking up the tab to loans and inheritances, addressing financial conflicts with family is a reality that comes in many forms. In this episode we are joined by Ashley Quamme, a certified financial therapist and a licensed marriage and family therapist. We discuss sources of confl...

Congratulations, you’ve graduated! Whether from high school, trade school, or university, your next chapter includes an Intro to Adulting 101 and its companion class, Money 101. You’ll be learning more about taxes, inflation, debt, and plenty more that they probably didn’t teach you in school. In this episode, we are joined by Cary Carbonaro, CFP® Professional and author who has spoken all over th...

Inflation, debt ceiling, bank failures. Financial advisors and the industry often want to talk about technicals and the crisis du jour, but is this what most clients want to discuss? What are investors most concerned about right now? Are their needs being met and how can we change this? Guest Julie Littlechild, CEO of Absolute Engagement, will share takeaways from her recent research that addresse...

Known as the lost generation, the sandwich generation, and latchkey kids, Generation X is now aged roughly 43 – 58 years old (born between 1965-1980). We’ve been sandwiched between the 2 larger generations before and after us, the Boomers and Millennials, and we are also sandwiched between raising our children and caring for aging parents—basically we’re in a double-decker sandwich. Gen X is often...

For many small businesses to succeed, it’s important to get inventory management right. Have you ever considered doing a complete inventory of your personal life? Do you know what you have and can someone easily locate it if needed? Consider financial documents, your social media passwords, family recipes, decades of photos, medical records, emergency contacts and everything in between. Kristie Ki...

The 401(k) is a well-known retirement savings vehicle, but how well-understood is it? This episode is your intro class, geared towards helping you better understand the basics, from tax benefits, investment options, loans, to what happens when you leave your job. Tim Guilford, President of Guilford Retirement Services, works exclusively on developing and managing retirement plans. In this episode,...

Whether you are preparing to move to a smaller home or are helping your aging parents or family members, just the thought of downsizing or “rightsizing” can induce panic and anxiety. Living in the same place for decades and raising a family is typically accompanied by all the things that filled those days: clothes, books, furniture, papers, pictures, products, stuff. And attached to all that stuff...

 How many times have you heard, or said yourself, that kids should be learning financial topics in school? While that may be true, there’s more than one outlet for increasing financial literacy. Perhaps you want to initiate these conversations at home, but don’t know how. Enter Mac Gardner, author, speaker, CEO, and financial literacy advocate. His Four Money Bears initiative helps children unders...

While it’s not uncommon for college-bound students to prep, test, and re-take admissions exams to improve their scores, the college essay receives much less formal attention. And that’s crazy given that for many students, it’s a significant component in a college application. In surveys of colleges and universities, essays fall right behind grades, rigor of the curriculum, and standardized tests i...

When was the last time you thought about your childhood dreams and wishes? Before you chose your college major or career path, and before the world of what ifs collided with the real world—what spoke to you, interested you, and excited you? Whether you are heading towards retirement or ready to make some changes in your life, first you might want to take a step back...way back. Dialing into your c...