Episodes
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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 blended families, and the peace of mind it offers.
[02:48] The role of a professional fiduciary.
[08:22] Common estate planning challenges.
[11:01] The importance of trust and neutrality in estate management.
[16:02] How to hire a professional fiduciary.
[23:09] The role of a trustee and power of attorney.
[25:05] Healthcare decision-making and client relationships.
[36:40] Introducing the Legacy of Love Podcast.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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.
[06:21] How to find out what your trade-in is worth.
[07:58] Understanding your financing costs.
[09:46] How to avoid common negotiation pitfalls.
[11:36] Why you should always be prepared to walk away when buying a new car on your own.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 themselves or a loved one.
[03:33] Meg's journey into estate organization.
[08:59] Practical strategies for estate distribution.
[13:43] Exploring the human side of estate organization.
[18:38] The role of estate planning in estate organization.
[31:22] Meg’s team-based approach at The Organized One.
[54:08] How single women can prepare their estates to streamline the process for their heirs.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 insights.
For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 decorating budget and where she shops to find cost-effective, quality items.
[00:27:51] Tips and tricks for decorating an Airbnb for functionality and style.
[00:38:12] Why flipping a property requires a slightly different design approach than decorating a rental property.
[00:50:20] Ruth’s advice for handling home renovation projects, such as updating a bathroom or kitchen, and why a good contractor can make a world of difference.
[01:01:32] Tips for updating a space where you’ve grown tired of the décor, and why hiring a style consultant can be a worthwhile investment.
[01:07:35] What Ruth believes are the most important items to invest in when decorating your home.
[01:15:59] Why practical designs can actually boost your return on investment with an Airbnb property.
[01:20:30] The importance of understanding local real estate laws when investing in a rental property.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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.
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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 your goal.
[16:23] Determining your values and aligning your spending accordingly.
[17:33] Download our free e-book, How to Take Control of Your Spending This Year.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 shares why and when someone may seek her services as a private fiduciary and what her intake process looks like.
[25:26] How working with a private, professional fiduciary can benefit clients when it comes their healthcare.
[39:20] Sara Ecklein and Cathy discuss special needs trusts and why it can be helpful to have a trustee who specializes in this area.
For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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’s costume, gems and metals, or fine jewelry.
[12:31] What people can do to mitigate the damage if they get burgled or their home is destroyed by fire.
[16:22] What to do if your insurance policy goes into non-renewal because you live in a high-risk zone for wildfires.
[19:51] How reinsurance companies impact the insurance industry.
[22:29] Ruth Stroup shares the reasons besides wildfire danger that an insurance policy may be non-renewed.
[26:45] What Ruth can and can’t do as an insurance agent when helping her clients navigate claims.
[33:11] Cathy asks Ruth Stroup to give a mini tutorial on liability and umbrella insurance.
[38:54] Ruth Stroup shares what she believes is the best kept secret in the insurance business.
[42:02] Cathy and Ruth talk earthquake insurance.
For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 crisis
[20:04] How digital wellbeing relates to self-care.
[28:33] The pending legislation around digital wellbeing at the state and federal levels.
[41:38] Susan Reynolds describes some of the work her nonprofit LookUp.Live is involved with.
[47:29] The effect the pandemic has had on technology and social media habits.
[50:08] Susan Reynolds shares her vision for the next five years.
[57:30] How people can get in touch with Susan Reynolds and become more involved with the digital wellness movement.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 know about grieving families, and how they can talk about death better—especially with children.
[09:36] Kathi Balasek describes her work as a grief communications coach.
[12:37] What is grief literacy?
[16:00] Kathi Balasek explains why it’s so important for women to take an active role in their financial lives, even if their partner takes the lead.
[19:15] The current state of widowhood in the United States.
[22:33] Kathi Balasek shares an example of how she’d train a financial advisor to prepare their women clients for widowhood.
[29:54] The differences in how women and men communicate and why they matter for grief literacy.
[32:36] Alternative phrases to “I’m sorry for your loss.”
[34:22] How to respond when you learn about someone’s death indirectly, like through a Facebook post.
[40:24] Why food and practical gifts are better than flowers when someone dies.
[43:07] Kathi Balasek shares her tips when it comes to recommending other professionals to their widowed clients.
[46:05] The biggest mistake Kathi sees her clients make and the one thing she wishes people understood about grief.
[49:20] Recommended resources for widows and advisors of widows.
For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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.
Why everyone needs an estate plan;Why an estate plan is more than a will;The importance of choosing an estate planning attorney you trust and how to find an attorney whose values are aligned with yours;Patricia’s estate planning process and how she works with her clients to create a personalized estate plan that reflects their values and preserves family harmony;Some of the common misconceptions many people have when it comes to hiring an estate planning attorney.
In this episode, Cathy and Patricia discuss a variety of estate planning topics, including:For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 democracy worldwide.
For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 Saving for Retirement
[08:25] Lis McKinley on What True Organization Looks Like
[10:55] Nichole Proffitt on Mindset and Meditation
You can listen to full episodes of the Financial Finesse Podcast here.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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.
[04:57] What it means to be present.
[07:58] The importance of being more present in our daily lives.
[13:39] How to manage anxiety through mindfulness and acceptance.
[16:15] How Nichole’s training in somatic experiencing helps clients alleviate the effects of nervous system trauma.
[18:28] Why Nichole believes meditation is key for building a life that feels useful and manageable.
[20:51] Nichole explains the “right” way to meditate.
[22:24] The relationship between being present and having presence.
[26:00] How to cultivate more presence and truly connect with others.
[27:55] Nichole’s personal journey that led to her becoming a mindfulness coach.
[36:00] The group coaching programs Nichole offers clients and newcomers.
For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 Lis helps her clients get unstuck from the bad habits that keep their homes cluttered. You may also get some great ideas for how to organize your living space if it needs a refresh.
For more information and resources, check out the show notes.For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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 estate plan in anticipation of these changes.
Megan Gorman is the founder and managing partner of Chequers Financial Management, a female-owned high net worth tax and financial planning firm in San Francisco, California. She is a Senior Contributor at Forbes and writes on personal finance and income tax. In addition, Megan is an adjunct professor of law at Golden Gate School of Law.
For full show notes and additional resources, click here.
For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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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).
The financial literacy gap in this country and its impact on women, specifically;The importance of dispelling the myths that prevent many women from making good decisions with their money;And the one mindset shift that will not only give women a more active role in creating your own future but can also create a positive ripple effect on every aspect of your life.
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 addition, you'll hear Cathy and Jennifer discuss:For show notes and additional personal finance resources, visit: https://curtisfinancialplanning.com/financial-finesse-podcast/.
For more information and resources related to this episode, please visit the show notes.
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