How do you know where you stand financially? Is it through your intuition, hope, a look at your bank account, or your investment balances?  Financially healthy couples have a working knowledge of their family’s net worth.  So stop and check in for a moment.  Do you know what net worth means? I...

  As a couple, each of you likely has different comfort levels about looking at your net worth. This is an understandable starting place, but it’s not where you want to stay.  Net worth is the difference between your assets (like cash savings, the value of your home, and retirement accounts) an...

​John* and Lisa* had a huge blow-up the night before they saw me. Lisa was sick and tired of John’s criticisms about her spending and not sticking to the family budget he had set for them. They were desperate for a better way forward, as they had each watched their parents' marriages end in bitte...

 You may not want to read this — and I understand.  You may be thrilled to read this — and I understand. You may have mixed feelings about reading this — and I understand.   Reading about and working through childhood trauma is not easy, but it can be incredibly powerful and liberating in the...

Sitting in my favorite coffee shop, Brakeman’s Coffee, I overhear a lot of conversations while writing these blogs.    Recently, I heard a group of women lamenting over their husbands' comments about all the Amazon packages that arrive at their houses.    One of the women repeated her husband...

When we start our journey towards financial security, success, stability, or any other similar word, most people I meet begin by acquiring more knowledge than they currently have. They may turn to sources like books, Audible, podcasts, blogs, friends, family, universities, working in the field of...

I was talking with Gabriella when she realized there were no role models in her life of women and leadership.    When I heard this statement, it got me thinking about what that must be like for women. There is still plenty of room for me to understand and grow there.   The question of gende...

What does the picture evoke for you?    Helping siblings navigate their relationship with each other is one of the biggest challenges as parents.    Can you imagine these three kids will one day be making decisions about their parent's estate plan and what it means to each of them?    Our s...

Dear Readers,   Today, I will write in a more personal tone than usual. September is a significant month for me, as it may be for you. Up to this point, I have yet to give much thought to Labor Day beyond the fact that it is a federal holiday and typically comes along with signaling the end of ...

Helping couples connect the relationship between grief, growth, and gratitude is not always immediately instinctual. Still, over time, it becomes a way that they can find new levels of financial well-being together.    Take a few minutes to slow down now and reflect on your initial impressions ...