Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast with Attorney Elsa W. Smith | Empowering Women Through Estate Planning

Episode 88 – Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast It's Not Too Early—Until It's Too Late: Planning Before You Lose the Ability to Decide In this thoughtful and timely episode, “It's Not Too Early—Until It's Too Late: Planning Before You Lose the Ability to Decide,” Attorney Elsa W. Smith explores one of the most common—and potentially costly—misconceptions about estate planning: believing there will...

Episode 87 – Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast The Estate Planning Gap –Why Women Need a Plan of Their Own In this empowering episode of the Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast, Attorney Elsa W. Smith explores the misconceptions, barriers, and outdated beliefs that prevent many women from creating an estate plan—despite how essential planning is to protecting themselves, their families, and their le...

Episode 86: Aquanetta Betts | Building a Legacy Through Strategic Charitable Giving In this inspiring and thought-provoking episode of the Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast, Attorney Elsa W. Smith sits down with philanthropy strategist and legacy advocate Aquanetta Betts to explore how charitable giving can become a powerful part of a woman’s legacy. Aquanetta is the founder and principal consulta...

Episode 85: Deborah Yelvington | The Permit Problem: Hidden Property Risks That Can Cost Your Family In this eye-opening episode of the Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast, Attorney Elsa W. Smith sits down with permit expediting expert and business owner Deborah Yelvington for a conversation every homeowner needs to hear. Most families assume that once they buy a home—or complete a renovation—the ha...

Episode 84 – Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast Why Even Highly Accomplished Professionals Delay Estate Planning In this thoughtful and empowering episode of the Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast , Attorney Elsa W. Smith explores a reality many successful professionals quietly face: estate planning often stays at the bottom of the to-do list—despite how important it truly is. If you are constantly...

Episode 83 – Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast EP 83: Morgan Wider | Worthy First: Identity, Image & the Decisions That Shape Your Legacy  In this powerful and thought-provoking episode of the Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast , Attorney Elsa W. Smith sits down with executive presence strategist, speaker, and author Morgan A. Wider for a deeply layered conversation about identity, visibility,...

Episode 82 – Wills, Women & Wealth PodcastYou’re Everyone’s Plan—But What’s Yours? A Wake-Up Call for the Sandwich Generation In this powerful and practical episode of the Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast , Attorney Elsa W. Smith speaks directly to the women holding it all together—the sandwich generation. If you are the one your parents rely on…The one your children depend on…The one managin...

Episode 81 (Encore): Understanding Cognitive Decline, Alzheimer's Disease And Health Disparities In Communities Of Color (Original air date Feb. 22, 2023) In this encore presentation, we revisit one of our most impactful conversations featuring Dr. Carl V. Hill, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer for the Alzheimer’s Association. This discussion remains just as relevant today as wh...

You Are the Legacy: Why Estate Planning Matters Right Now Episode 80 – Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast – Women’s History Month Edition In this Women’s History Month episode of the Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast , Attorney Elsa W. Smith delivers a powerful and timely message: you are the legacy—right now. Too often, estate planning is framed as something for t...

Ep. 79 (Encore): Women, Hormones & the Hidden Drivers of Weight Gain with Debbie Harris Originally released in 2023, this popular episode is worth another listen. In this encore presentation, Attorney Elsa W. Smith revisits her insightful conversation with Debbie Harris, Co-Founder of Maynestreet Weight Loss (now 30toLife Solutions ), Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and Certified...

Changing the Narrative: Women of Color, Power, and Legacy Episode 78 – Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast Special Black History Month Edition In this special Black History Month episode of the Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast, Attorney Elsa W. Smith revisits powerful conversations that highlight the strength, resilience, and leadership of Black women across industries. From the courtroom to the fi...

Episode 77 – Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast (Encore Episode – Originally aired July 26, 2023) What If No One Wants To Serve As Your Personal Representative? In this informative and practical episode of the Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast , Attorney Elsa W. Smith addresses a question many women quietly worry about but rarely plan for: What happens if no one wants to serve as your Personal Repr...

Identifying and Avoiding Conflicts of Interest When the Personal Representative Is a BeneficiaryEpisode 76 – Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast (Encore Episode – Originally aired November 15, 2023) In this important and practical encore episode, “Identifying and Avoiding Conflicts of Interest When the Personal Representative Is a Beneficiary,” Attorney Elsa W. Smith revisits a topic that arises in...

Before the Crisis: Protecting Your Voice and Your Family Episode 75 – Wills, Women & Wealth Podcast In this powerful and practical episode, “Before the Crisis: Protecting Your Voice and Your Family,” Attorney Elsa W. Smith brings together critical conversations every woman needs to hear about incapacity planning, advance directives, and why timing matters more than most people realize. Most pe...

Good Intentions Aren’t Enough: Building an Estate Plan That Holds Up In this reflective and empowering episode, “Good Intentions Aren’t Enough: Building an Estate Plan That Holds Up,” Attorney Elsa W. Smith closes out the year by addressing a hard truth many families learn too late: good intentions alone do not protect your legacy . Estate planning is often treated like a checklist—download a form...

Episode 73: Smart Estate Planning Starts Here: Key Lessons About Wills In this power-packed episode, “Smart Estate Planning Starts Here: Key Lessons About Wills,” Attorney Elsa W. Smith breaks down the essentials every woman needs to know to protect her family, her assets, and her legacy. Drawing from years of experience empowering women through estate planning, Elsa tackles the most common miscon...

Episode 72: MPT Webinar Highlights – Empower Your Legacy: Estate Planning Made Simple In this special episode, we bring you highlights from a powerful Maryland Public Television (MPT) webinar featuring estate planning attorney Elsa W. Smith. Hosted in honor of National Estate Planning Awareness Week 2025, this conversation cuts through the confusion and breaks down what you really need to protect...

Power of Attorney Essentials: Choosing Wisely, Protecting Confidently If you suddenly couldn’t make decisions about your health, finances, or personal affairs — who would step in to help? In this episode, Power of Attorney Essentials: Choosing Wisely, Protecting Confidently , Maryland estate planning attorney Elsa W. Smith breaks down one of the most powerful — yet often misunderstood — estate pla...

Episode 70 (Encore): Ferretto Young | Navigating Elder Care – The Benefits of Aging Life Care Managers We’re bringing back one of our most impactful episodes, and it’s a must-listen encore presentation, originally airing on March 26, 2025.  In this powerful conversation, Attorney Elsa W. Smith is joined by Jessica Young and Ann Marie Rheil of Ferretto Young Care Management Consulting to explore ho...

Episode 69:  Love, Legacy & Estate Planning: Conversations Every Couple Should Have From newlyweds to long-time partners, estate planning isn’t just about legal documents — it’s about building trust, protecting your loved ones, and securing your shared legacy. In this episode, Love, Legacy & Estate Planning: Conversations Every Couple Should Have , Maryland Estate Planning Attorney Elsa W....

Episode 68: From Young Children to Young Adults: Estate Planning to Protect the Ones You Love From minor children to young adults, estate planning isn’t one-size-fits-all. In this episode, Estate Planning Attorney Elsa W. Smith explores how thoughtful planning can protect the children in your care—whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or caregiver—and give you peace of mind in emergencies. Through...

Episode 67: Family First — Preventing Conflict Through Planning The difficult but necessary conversations about legacy, kids, and trusts that every family should have before it’s too late. In this episode, Estate Planning Attorney Elsa W. Smith explores why silence around estate planning can create confusion, stress, and even conflict — and how having these conversations can protect your family an...

Episode 66: Practice Owners — Why You MUST Have a Will Running a practice is more than a job — it’s your life’s work, your livelihood, and your legacy. But what happens to it if something happens to you? In this powerful episode, Estate Planning Attorney Elsa W. Smith speaks directly to practice owners — doctors, therapists, accountants, lawyers, and other professionals — about why a will is the b...

Episode 65: Wills, Women & Wealth – A Make-A-Will Month Special August is National Make-A-Will Month — the perfect reminder that the best gift you can give your loved ones is clarity. In this empowering episode, Estate Planning Attorney Elsa W. Smith speaks directly to women about why having a will is essential, what’s at stake if you don’t have one, and the simple steps you can take to protec...

Episode 64: Lynn Corazzi | Confident Financial Outcomes: What Every Female Entrepreneur Needs to Know In this eye-opening episode, Maryland Estate Planning Attorney Elsa W. Smith is joined by Lynn Corazzi, Fractional CFO and the “Data Magician”. Lynn is on a mission to demystify accounting and help small business owners build long-term financial success without getting buried in spreadsheets. From...