👋 Welcome to The Get Ready Movement Newsletter
Each week, I share what’s catching my attention in the world of financial literacy—from trends and tools to the people reshaping how we teach, talk about, and take action around money. Whether you're a financial educator, advisor, or someone who just wants to stay informed, here’s what I think matters this week.
10 Things I Think (About Money, Life & What’s Next)
1. This Week’s Action: Know What You Own
💭 Tony’s Take: Understanding what you own helps you see the big picture. Everything you own helps determine whether you are on track to meet your goals, including reaching financial independence.
👉 Week 19 Action: Review Your Property and Assets
2. Strategy To Share With Your Community:
Create a basic inventory of everything you own - including bank accounts, investments, retirement plans, home, real estate, collectibles, and business interests.
✔ Estimate the fair-market value of each asset - it’s okay to estimate as values are not constant; they are simply a snapshot in time. Be conservative and realistic on the values.
✔Add it all up for a snapshot of your current net worth.
3. Big Question to Ask:
❓Do you need to make any changes to your bank accounts?
💭 Tony’s Take: Most people stick with the same accounts for years without realizing their needs—and options—have changed. A quick review can uncover better interest rates, lower fees, or align your banking with your values. This is low-effort, high-impact financial housekeeping.
4. Let’s Change The Way We Talk About Money
Maximize Your Family’s Financial Legacy by Communicating Across Generations! In this episode of The Get Ready Money Podcast, I talk with Chad Holmes, author and founder of Formula Wealth, about creating an inheritance playbook.
🧐 5 Key insights:
🔹 Proactively planning together with the next generation maximizes financial legacies (include all generations).
🔹 Pay attention to your clients - ask them what questions do you have?
🔹 Tailor your conversations to your clients.
🔹 The earlier we can have conversations with our parents/partners, the better things can go.
🔹 Money should not be taboo.
🎙️Watch or listen to the podcast (here)
5. Let’s Clear the Air on Whole Life Insurance
Too many people are sold complex insurance products they don’t fully understand. On the latest episode of The Get Ready Money Podcast, guest host Charlene Cong and I break down common misconceptions about whole life insurance—and how we can better educate the public.
🧐 5 Key insights:
🔹 Why whole life insurance is not an investment.
🔹 Common misunderstandings when people purchase whole life insurance.
🔹 Whole life insurance is a long term insurance contract that is illiquid with high surrender charges for the first few years.
🔹 How life insurance policy loans actually work.
🔹 Why you can’t be your own banker.
🎙️Watch or listen to the podcast (here)
6. Emotional Spending & Financial Freedom
On Everyone’s Talkin’ Money, Kara Stevens (The Frugal Feminista) and Shannah Game dive into:
🔹 Why income doesn’t equal financial confidence
🔹 How generational money trauma impacts Black women in particular
🔹 What “values-based budgeting” actually looks like in real life
🔹 The difference between being rich and feeling rich
🔹 Why healing—not hustling—is the real secret to long-term wealth
💭 Tony’s Take: Financial freedom is unique to all of us and has to do with more than money.
🎙️ Listen (Apple Podcasts)
7. Pro Aging Advice From The Sassy Septuagenarian
On the Don’t Be Caged By Your Age podcast, Keena Pettijohn and Ande Lyons discuss:
🔹 What it means to age out loud and proud, shattering stereotypes about getting older
🔹 How lifelong learning and curiosity keep Keena sharp and energized
🔹 Her journey through serious health challenges and how they’ve shaped her mission
🔹 The critical importance of financial planning for aging in place
💭 Tony’s Take: It’s time to change the way we think about aging.
🎙️ Check it out (here)
8) Let’s Rethink Retirement
Retirement Is a Lie: Warren Buffett’s Exit Proves We’ve Been Thinking About It All Wrong
Jim Wang reflects on Warren Buffett’s (almost) retirement at age 94, and challenges our assumptions about “the golden years.”
“Retirement is often a myth used to keep people doing something they don’t want to do until they’re allowed to do what they love.”
📖 Read it on Best Wallet Hacks (here)
9. Empowering Women in Financial Planning
On the eMoney Advisor podcast, Cary Carbonaro, Sasha Grabenstetter, and Connor Sung discuss:
🔹 How financial professionals can better serve female clients by addressing unconscious biases
🔹 Taking a “how female-friendly is my practice” quiz
🔹 Asking the right questions to uncover unique needs.
🔹 Traditional playbooks designed for men don’t translate
🔹 How planners can adapt to help women feel confident and secure in their financial futures.
🎙️ Watch on (YouTube)
💭 Tony’s Take: These lessons go beyond financial planning to anyone working with clients. Think about your clients first and what their needs are.
10. Listening is a superpower
Good Listening is Curiosity Plus Restraint by Derek Hagen for Money Quotient
🔹 Curiosity opens the door.
🔹 Restraint keeps us from slamming it shut with premature advice.
🔹 Good listening is what happens in the space between those two forces. It’s not just about holding back—it’s about letting your curiosity guide the conversation forward, one thoughtful reflection at a time.
🔹 When we strike that balance, clients don’t just hear our advice—they feel understood.
🔹 That’s the kind of listening that makes change possible.
💭 Tony’s Take: Listening is the most overlooked skill that we can use as advisors and in all of our relationships.
📖 Read (here)
🚀 Bonus: 5 Quick Hits:
- 4 Ways to Say “There’s a Fee for That” Without Feeling Awkward with Libby Greiwe (YouTube)
- Fintech Top 100 Women 2025 from FinTech Magazine (here)
- Maximizing Value on Your Next Vehicle Purchase with Jessica Tavares and Laura Adams on The Money Girl Podcast (listen here)
- My Top 3 Business Lessons from Last Year & What’s Changing Now by Cameo Roberson (LinkedIn)
- Is the tail wagging the dog? (Tech <> Advisor) Featuring Brian McLaughlin, Derek Notman and Adam Holt on the ReThink Financial Advice Podcast (listen here)
📂 Member Resources
Access your resources for this week's action item (#19) from your dashboard (Monthly Focus Area 5: Net Worth):
- The Get Ready Blueprint week 16 worksheet where you’ll review your cash flow analysis and budget along with additional insights.
- Cash Flow Analysis and Budget worksheet in Excel format.
- Relevant worksheets - full list available with this week’s resources.
- Get Ready Discussion Guide: Do you know the value of everything you own?
- Ask Tony AI about this week’s action item.
Access Your Get Ready Resources here
Note: Available to all members of The Get Ready Movement.
Support The Get Ready Movement here.
Support the Get Ready Movement
📝 Final Thought
Creating an inventory of your property and assets isn’t just a financial task—it’s a reflection exercise. It helps you see the big picture, track changes in your life, and make informed decisions moving forward.
If your circumstances have changed—maybe a marriage, divorce, business sale, or new home—it’s time to update your list.
If you found something valuable here, please share.
Until next time, let’s change the way we think about money and how we help others get ready.
– Tony
➡️ Support The Get Ready Movement (here)
📣 Share this newsletter with a friend or colleague and help increase financial literacy. Don’t keep me a secret!
🎙️ Subscribe to The Get Ready Money Podcast (Apple Podcasts) (YouTube)
📚 Books: Increase your financial preparedness with The Tony Steuer Bookshelf (digital editions of all of my books) or by picking up a copy of my books (Bookshop) (Amazon)
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