Hi,
Thanks for being part of the Get Ready Movement navigating life’s what’s if’s by changing the way we think (and talk) about money.
This week’s issue focuses on how confidence, inclusion, and intentional conversations help people, especially women, take ownership of their financial lives.
🧠 Thought of the Week
Money clarity often begins with believing “I can.” When people understand their options and feel included in the conversation, they move from hesitation to action with greater confidence and purpose.
🎙️ Featured Conversation of the Week
Empowering Women to Say “I Can”
By 2030, women will control most of the wealth in the U.S. Yet, too often, women are left out of money conversations.
🔹 Most women will be in charge of their money at some point in their life.
🔹 Your history doesn’t define you, however you have to take action to move forward, by working through shame or trauma, so it doesn’t hold you back.
🔹 Speak to women in ways that make them feel seen and respected.
💭 Tony’s Take: Confidence, authenticity, and action can change the way women engage with money.
🎙️ Melana Carbary and Tony Steuer on the Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast (here)
➕ Also This Week: Accelerate Your Career with Money, Mindset and Purpose
🚀 It’s time to connect career and money goals, so you can accelerate toward your version of financial independence.
🔹 Invest in financial fluency. Understanding money helps you make smarter career moves. And, keep your purpose in sight, every move should advance what success means to you.
💭 Tony’s Take: Financial fluency is about making intentional choices that align your work, your money, and your purpose.
🎙️ Justyn Makarewycz and Tony Steuer on the Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast (here)
🔎 Curated Insights
Mid-life Transitions
Listening to the Whispers: Redefining Success, Security, and Midlife Transitions
What happens when you do everything “right” and still feel unfulfilled? They talk about the midlife moments that can throw everything off course, from career disruption to caregiving responsibilities, and why financial planning can be a stabilizing force during big transitions. What it looks like to pivot without burning down your entire life overnight.
💭 Tony’s Take: Approaching midlife changes with flexibility, resiliency and intentional trade-offs helps you pivot to your next chapter.
🎙️ Regina Sih-Meynier and Melissa Joy on the Women’s Money Wisdom Podcast (listen)
Long Term Care Costs
Annuities & Aging: A Flexible Approach to Long-Term Care Costs
As senior care costs continue to skyrocket, many families realize too late that Medicaid is not a primary solution. A look at the strategic use of annuities and other financial tools that provide flexibility and guaranteed income when a care crisis hits. Everyone needs a plan, even if they don't need insurance.
💭 Tony’s Take: We all need an aging plan which includes understanding what financial tools fit our goals and journey.
🎙️ Nathan Sanow and Annalee Kruger for Care Right Inc (YouTube)
Reducing College Costs:
The Scholarship System: How to Graduate Debt-Free
We all know that the cost of higher education has skyrocketed, and for many families, the 'sticker price' of a degree feels like an impossible hurdle. Scholarships are a way to significantly lower, or even eliminate, the cost of college without having to take out a massive amount of student loan debt. And, you don’t need to be a straight-A student or athlete to get scholarships.
💭 Tony’s Take: Scholarships remain one of the most effective ways to reduce the cost of college when families plan early.
🎙️ Laura Adams on the Money Girl Podcast (listen)
Spending Money In Retirement
8 Tips to Stop Worrying About Running Out of Money in Retirement
The greatest financial danger in retirement isn’t always the stock market, it’s the constant, nagging fear of running out of money. This anxiety causes many people to needlessly underspend and worry, even when their finances are sound. Here are eight ways to anchor your financial life and replace that worry with lasting security.
📖 Sheryl Rowling for Morningstar (here)
Helping Retired Clients To Actually Start Spending And Enjoying Their Money
The opportunity for advisors is to help clients align their money with what matters most – whether that's relationships, personal growth, or experiences. By creating a safe space for dreaming, shifting the narrative around spending from fear to joy, and offering tangible ways to 'practice' using their wealth meaningfully, advisors can help clients live not only more richly in financial terms, but also more fully in retirement!
🎙️ Michael Kitces and Carl Richards on the Kitces and Carl Podcast (here)
💭 Tony’s Take: Shifting from accumulation to spending requires both a mindset shift and “security” plan (because life happens).
⚡ Quick Hits
📖 Is Inflation Higher Than We Think? Nick Maggiulli for Of Dollars and Data (read). Tony’s Take: Skimpflation is real. If you’re getting less for your money, then that is inflation.
🎙️ How to Afford Everything Without Feeling Deprived with Dr. Darla Bishop and Naseema McElroy for the Financially Intentional Podcast (YouTube)
📖 A Good Death, Part I & Part II - 20 Questions for Talking About Dying by Meghann Lurtz for The Sassy Septuagenarian presented by Keena Pettijohn (Part I - LinkedIn)(Part II - LInkedIn)
📖 How to Pay Off Medical Debt.Many older adults are saddled with health care bills. Here are ways to eliminate them. Cameron Huddleston for AARP (read)
🎙️ The Hidden Cost of Early Retirement: Understanding the Pre-Medicare Insurance Gap with Cole Craven and Zach Morris for the Wealth Beyond Work Podcast (listen)
✅ Week 7 Action Item: Updating your home inventory.
🌎 The big picture: Updating your home inventory will help you be prepared when faced with financial adversity.
🤔 Why it matters: It’s important to keep a record of your major personal property items in the event that you have to file an insurance claim in case of a burglary, fire, flood, earthquake, other event.
- Having a record makes it easier to file an insurance claim, police report, or find a replacement when something unexpected happens.
💡 Here’s what works: Create your inventory.
- Break it up and do one room at a time. No need to do your
- whole home in one day.
- Take photos of major property. Upload photos to a storage website such as iCloud or Dropbox.
- Whether you use an app, spreadsheet or other way to record information, be sure to notate location, item description, serial number or other identifier and fair market value.
💭 Tony’s Take: A detailed home inventory will help you be prepared in the event of a theft or disaster.
🛠️ Member Resources
Access your resources for this week's action item (#7) from your dashboard (located in Monthly Focus Area 2: Be Prepared):
- The Get Ready Blueprint week 7 worksheet where you’ll track your inventory status by location (room).
- The Taking Inventory of Major Property worksheet is where you can enter details for major property including serial number, estimated value and more.
Source: The Get Ready Blueprint: A 52 Week Guide to Changing the Way You Think About Money - an easy-to-use road map that illuminates how everything in your financial life fits together and shows you how to take the steps toward financial preparedness. (Amazon) (Bookshop)
🧠 Final Thought
When people feel empowered to engage with money on their own terms, planning becomes a source of confidence rather than stress. Readiness grows when conversations are inclusive, practical, and rooted in respect.
✅ Stay ready.
💬 Start a meaningful conversation.
💡 Share what sparked something for you.
— Tony
Coming Next Week: How to Create an Aging Plan That Works with Aging-in-Place Expert Carol Chiang
P.S. 🎙️ Check out The Get Ready Money Podcast → [Apple] | [YouTube]
