Category: Retirement

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The Hidden Cost of Caregiving and Why Families Need a Plan (Ep. 107)

The Hidden Cost of Caregiving and Why Families Need a Plan (Ep. 107)

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Caregiving often starts quietly, but its impact can quickly reshape careers, finances, and family dynamics.

How prepared are you if a health event forces immediate decisions? And who is included in the conversations that matter most?

In this episode, I speak with Lina Supnet-Zapata, Chief Executive Officer of Mir Senior Care Management, Inc. & Care Consultants, about the realities families face when caregiving begins without a plan. 

We explore how women often step into caregiving roles unexpectedly, the risks of leaving family members out of financial conversations, and why care planning must be integrated with financial and legal strategies to avoid costly, reactive decisions.

Key takeaways:

  • How caregiving responsibilities often surface unexpectedly, forcing women to pause careers and shift priorities quickly
  • Why financial conversations should include multiple generations before a crisis occurs or decisions are needed
  • The difference between transactional advice and relationship-based guidance during emotional life transitions
  • How reactive care decisions can lead to higher costs and added stress without a structured care plan in place
  • Why collaboration between financial, legal, and care professionals leads to better outcomes for families
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

Connect with Lina Supnet-Zapata: 

About our Guest: 

Lina Supnet Zapata leads a team of Aging Life Care Professionals, care strategists, who step in when complexity, crisis, or long-term planning demands more than surface-level solutions. With over 30 years in healthcare and a decade in hospice leadership, her work sits at the intersection of care, systems, and strategy where real-life decisions meet real-world consequences.

Lina’s guidance and leadership at Mir Care Consultants has become a trusted resource for clients, families, and professional partners alike. Lina partners with attorneys, financial professionals, and healthcare systems not only to ensure that every legal, financial, or medical plan can actually be lived out, but to protect all parties involved.

Her work plays a critical role in mitigating vertical liability for the professional partners she aligns with, providing the care expertise and documentation that shields clients and collaborators from gaps in oversight, advocacy, and follow-through. When professionals refer to Mir, they refer with confidence — knowing their clients are protected and their own professional integrity is safeguarded.

Her role is to bring clarity to chaos, structure to uncertainty, and advocacy to those who need it most. Complex care is not a challenge Lina navigates around it is where she and her team excel.

Through Mir, her team delivers:

  • Comprehensive Aging Life Care Management
  • Guardianship of Person & Estate
  • Benefit Navigation (Medicaid, SSDI, and beyond)
  • Crisis intervention and long-term care planning
  • Support for solo agers and complex family systems

This work is done ethically, transparently, and without referral bias. Trust is the foundation of everything they do. That trust has been earned and sustained since 2004, built one client, one family, and one professional partnership at a time.

Beyond her work at Mir, Lina serves in leadership with the Aging Life Care Association®, helping elevate the standard of aging life care management nationally. She is also a speaker, educator, and collaborator, working to ensure care is not an afterthought, but a central part of every professional conversation.

Her work is about building systems of care that hold, over time, across generations, and through every stage of life. Complex care demands expertise, accountability, and trust. That is precisely what Lina Supnet Zapata and Mir Care Consultants deliver and have delivered, without compromise, for over two decades.

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Understanding Your Social Security Statement and What It Really Means (Ep. 106)

Understanding Your Social Security Statement and What It Really Means (Ep. 106)

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Your Social Security statement might look simple, but the details behind it can shape your entire retirement plan.

Are you only looking at the benefit numbers, or are you missing the bigger picture that could impact your future income?

In this episode, I walk through how to properly read your Social Security statement and what it is really telling you beyond just your projected benefits. I explain how eligibility works, what assumptions are built into the estimates, and why your earnings history matters more than most people realize.

We also cover how missing income years can affect your benefit, how to correct errors, and how continued work can change your outcome.

Key takeaways:

  • Why your Social Security statement shows more than just benefit estimates and what those details mean
  • How eligibility for retirement, disability, survivor benefits, and Medicare is determined
  • The impact of missing or incorrect earnings history and how it can reduce your future income
  • Why estimates assume continued earnings and how changes in work affect projections
  • How working longer can increase benefits by replacing lower-income years in your record
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

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Gray Divorce and Retirement: Redefining Your Life and Identity (Ep. 105)

Gray Divorce and Retirement: Redefining Your Life and Identity (Ep. 105)

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There are moments in life when everything shifts at once: your identity, your roles, and your plans for the future.

What happens when the life you expected changes, and you’re left asking what comes next?

In this episode, I sit down with Oona Metz, LICSW, CGP, licensed clinical social worker and certified group psychotherapist, to talk about the emotional journey women face during divorce and how it connects to retirement planning. We explore the role of shame in financial decision-making, the power of community through support groups, and how women can begin to rebuild their identity. Oona also shares practical ways to reduce overwhelm, reconnect with purpose, and move forward with clarity.

Key takeaways:

  • How shame around money can prevent women from asking questions or seeking guidance after divorce
  • Why support groups help women feel less isolated and more connected during life transitions
  • The emotional impact of gray divorce and identity shifts tied to an empty nest and retirement
  • Simple exercises that help women reconnect with purpose, meaning, and personal identity
  • Why asking for help and building a trusted support system is essential during uncertain times
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

Connect with Oona Metz: 

About our Guest: 

Oona Metz is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, a Certified Group Psychotherapist, and a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. She brings 30 years of experience working with individuals, families, and groups. Her private practice offices are located in Brookline and Arlington, Massachusetts. She is actively involved in numerous committees and boards related to group therapy and is committed to ongoing learning in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Her practice focuses on individual adults and group therapy. She specializes in working with women+ who are navigating life transitions. Whether transitioning from college to graduate school or into the workforce, beginning or ending a relationship or job, becoming a parent or adjusting to an empty nest, or coming out to family and friends, she views these experiences as opportunities for reflection, insight, and meaningful change.

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Making Better Divorce Decisions to Protect Your Financial Future (Ep. 104)

Making Better Divorce Decisions to Protect Your Financial Future (Ep. 104)

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Divorce can feel overwhelming, especially when emotions and financial uncertainty collide.

How do you make clear decisions when everything feels uncertain? And how can the right guidance help you avoid costly mistakes along the way?

In this episode, I sit down with Carolyn Daly, Managing Partner at Cohen Seglias, to talk through how women can approach divorce with clarity and structure. We cover the importance of understanding your assets, avoiding emotional decisions, and working with the right professionals early. Carolyn also shares how alternative processes like mediation can reduce stress and costs, along with practical ways to move forward with confidence and protect your financial future.

Key takeaways:

  • Why understanding all assets early helps avoid confusion and poor decisions during divorce settlements
  • How emotional attachment to the house can lead to long-term financial strain and missed opportunities
  • The importance of reviewing tax implications, especially capital gains, when dividing investment assets
  • Why delays in the process often increase stress, conflict, and overall costs for both parties
  • How mediation and arbitration can offer more control, reduce conflict, and speed up resolution timelines
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

Connect with Carolyn Daly:

About our Guest: 

Carolyn Daly is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Seton Hall University School of Law. She is admitted to practice in both New Jersey and New York, with a primary focus on New Jersey, and is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney.

She is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and previously served as president of the New Jersey Chapter. Carolyn is an active member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, including its Family Law Section and Family Law Executive Committee. She also serves on the New Jersey Courts’ Supreme Court Family Practice Committee.

Her professional involvement extends into the community, where she volunteers with the battered women’s legal assistance project. She has also contributed to the Morris County Child Support Partnership Committee, participated in a domestic violence task force, and supported the Morris Family Justice Center.

Carolyn has written for the New Jersey Family Lawyer, including an article titled “College Contribution: A Contrarian View,” and contributed a chapter titled “What To Do When Your Spouse Says “I’m Out of Here!” to a book focused on navigating financial crises.

Her practice is centered on family law matters, including divorce, custody, domestic violence, grandparents’ rights, and non-dissolution issues. She is also a trained mediator and an AAML-certified arbitrator.

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How to Turn Your Tax Return into a Planning Tool (Ep. 103)

How to Turn Your Tax Return into a Planning Tool (Ep. 103)

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Most people think tax season ends when the return is filed, but that may be where the real opportunity begins.

What if your tax return could guide smarter financial decisions instead of sitting untouched for a year?

In this episode, I explain how your tax return can become a valuable planning tool instead of something you file away. I walk through how to review your return for accuracy, compare it year to year, and identify missed items that could impact your taxes. 

We also share how understanding key numbers like income and tax rates can shape better decisions, and how building a “base case” early in the year helps you plan ahead and avoid last-minute tax surprises.

Key takeaways:

  • Why reviewing your tax return after filing can uncover missed details and potential savings opportunities
  • How comparing year-to-year returns helps identify changes, errors, or missing income and deductions
  • What key numbers like taxable income and tax brackets reveal about future planning decisions
  • How small reporting mistakes like Roth conversions or QCDs can lead to unnecessary taxes
  • Why using your return early in the year creates a base case for proactive tax planning 
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

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Finding Strength Through Uncertainty and Rebuilding After Divorce (Ep. 102)

Finding Strength Through Uncertainty and Rebuilding After Divorce (Ep. 102)

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Facing major life changes can feel overwhelming, especially when the future is unclear and the stakes are high.

How do you move forward when fear, finances, and identity are all shifting at once?

In this episode, I chat with Claudia Porter, CFP®, CDFA®, Wealth Advisor at RFG Advisory, about navigating divorce, financial uncertainty, and rebuilding life with purpose. She shares her personal journey from feeling financially powerless to taking control, the mindset shifts that helped her move forward, and how small steps can create momentum. 

Claudia also explores the importance of support systems, journaling for clarity, and empowering women to take an active role in their financial lives.

Key takeaways:

  • How financial control in relationships can limit independence and decision-making during major life transitions
  • Why taking one step at a time can help reduce overwhelm and build confidence in uncertain situations
  • The role of journaling in creating clarity, distance, and better decision-making during emotional periods
  • How building a trusted support team can provide guidance, perspective, and accountability when it matters most
  • Why participating in financial conversations early can help avoid stress and uncertainty later in life
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

Connect with Claudia Porter:

About our Guest: 

Claudia was born and raised in West Germany.

She is a Certified Financial Planner® and has been in the financial industry for 11 years and partnered with RFG Advisory in March, 2025 to go independent.

She has a Master’s Degree in Teaching English and French from the University of Göttingen and a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Braunschweig Technical University. In 2014, she left academia to return to her earlier passion for financial planning and wealth management to make a more significant impact in people’s lives. For Claudia, “Success is not what you get, but the positive impact you make in other people’s lives.”

She is the author of 2 books, “Women, Wealth, and Winning” and “On The Other Side: A Woman’s Guide to Rediscovering Strength and Success Beyond Adversity”.

Claudia has 4 boys, 3 of whom are in college, 1 is still in high school.

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When Work Becomes Optional: Redefining Retirement with Bernadette Joy (Ep. 101)

When Work Becomes Optional: Redefining Retirement with Bernadette Joy (Ep. 101)

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What happens when retirement stops being a finish line and starts being a choice?

What if the biggest barrier between you and financial freedom isn’t the math, it’s the mindset?

In this episode, I sit down with Bernadette Joy, author and CEO of CRUSH Your Money Goals®, for a candid conversation about what it really takes to take control of your finances, redefine what retirement means to you, and finally stop waiting for the “right” time to live the life you actually want.

We talk about the moment Bernadette discovered she had $72,000 in student loan debt she didn’t know was growing, how she paid off $300,000 in debt and reached financial independence, and why she believes financial fluency matters far more than financial literacy. This conversation will challenge how you think about money, work, and what retirement could actually look like for you.

Key takeaways:

  • How a shocking student loan balance became the turning point that led Bernadette to pay off $300,000 in debt
  • Why learning finances is more like learning a language than solving a math problem, and what that means for women approaching retirement
  • How the loss of a client changed Bernadette’s perspective on waiting for the “right time” to retire
  • What financial independence actually looks like when work becomes optional, not obligatory
  • Why women advocating for themselves in financial conversations is not just empowering, it is essential
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

Connect with Bernadette Joy: 

About our Guest: 

Bernadette isn’t your typical financial expert—she’s a powerhouse with real-world experience. With two business degrees and a background in psychology, Bernadette knows how to blend academic knowledge with street smarts. As a first-generation Filipino American and former corporate employee, she intimately understands the stress of financial uncertainty, even when the paycheck looks promising.

She’s a featured money expert on CNBC, CNET, Forbes, MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance and has taken the stage at FinCon, SXSW, NASDAQ and TEDxHouston (just like Brene Brown!)

But here’s where Bernadette truly shines: she’s walked the walk. In just three years, she obliterated $300,000 of debt. And by her thirties, she achieved a net worth of over $2 million—all while working part-time hours. That’s right—she clocks in just 20 hours a week.

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100 Episodes, One Mission (Ep. 100)

100 Episodes, One Mission (Ep. 100)

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One hundred episodes in. More than a milestone, this is a window into the heart behind the work.

In this episode, I reflect on what it means to reach Episode 100 of the Simply Retirement Podcast, alongside the people who know me best, my family, Dawn Blake, Kaitlyn Blake-Lolliot, and Eric L. Blake. 

We talk about why helping women feel confident around money matters so deeply, how communication and compassion shape our work, and what it means to build a business rooted in trust. 

This conversation also pulls back the curtain on the personal side of Blake Wealth Management, from client relationships to family legacy. More than anything, this episode highlights the values that have carried us this far and the purpose that continues to guide what comes next.

Key takeaways:

  • Why making financial conversations easier to understand helps women feel more confident asking questions and making decisions
  • How respect, communication, and legacy shape the way Blake Wealth Management serves clients
  • What it means to support clients through life changes like widowhood, divorce, health issues, and other difficult transitions
  • How Dawn, Kaitlyn, and Eric Lowell each bring a different perspective to the family business and client experience
  • Why Episode 100 is both a celebration of the journey so far and a reflection on the future of a multi-generational firm
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

Meet the Team:

About our Guests:

As the Client Success Coordinator at Blake Wealth Management, Dawn Blake’s goal is simple: to make your life just a little easier and ensure every interaction you have with our firm feels personal and meaningful. Whether she’s helping schedule a meeting, coordinating a transaction, or just checking in to see how you’re doing, Dawn wants you to feel like our only client.

As Client Service Associate at Blake Wealth Management, Kaitlyn Blake-Lolliot’s role is all about making sure the client experience behind the scenes is just as thoughtful and smooth as the one our planning team delivers up front. Whether she’s managing schedules, processing paperwork, streamlining internal systems, or solving the daily challenges that come with running a growing firm, Kaitlyn’s goal is to support both our clients and team with clarity, efficiency, and care.

As a Paraplanner at Blake Wealth Management, Eric L. Blake supports our planning team by helping build retirement plans, conducting investment research, and analyzing the tax and financial information that guide the strategies we deliver to clients. A large part of his work involves organizing data, running projections, and making sure every detail behind the scenes aligns with the goals, values, and long-term needs of the families we serve.

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Should You Keep the House After Divorce? A Smarter Way to Decide (Ep. 99)

Should You Keep the House After Divorce? A Smarter Way to Decide (Ep. 99)

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When divorce puts the future of your home into question, the biggest risk is making decisions before you fully understand your options.

In this episode, I sit down with Stacey Ellison, Certified Divorce Lending Professional and Divorce Mortgage Planner at Divorce Mortgage Solutions, to walk through how mortgage planning, settlement language, and income rules can shape what is actually possible when it comes to keeping a home. 

We talk through how assets, support payments, and loan strategies factor into qualification, especially for women navigating this transition later in life. We also address the emotional pull of the family home and how to balance that with long-term financial stability. 

Key takeaways:

  • Why divorce mortgage planning should happen before the settlement agreement is finalized
  • How settlement language can affect whether support, assets, or other funds count as qualifying income
  • What options may be available when someone wants to keep the house, including loan assumptions, FHA, and asset depletion strategies
  • Why emotions around the marital home can lead to costly decisions if long-term affordability is not considered
  • How women going through gray divorce can use retirement income, Social Security, and other assets to qualify more effectively
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

Connect with Stacey Ellison: 

About our Guest: 

Stacey Ellison, CDLP®, is a Certified Divorce Lending Professional and Divorce Mortgage Planner with a deep understanding of the financial complexities that arise during and after divorce. With over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Stacey brings a unique blend of technical knowledge and compassionate guidance to individuals navigating one of life’s most challenging transitions. 

Since earning her CDLP® designation in 2020, Stacey has worked closely with family law attorneys, mediators, financial planners, and other divorce professionals to provide strategic mortgage guidance tailored to each client’s needs. Her role is to ensure that both parties in a divorce understand their options when it comes to home equity, mortgage qualification, and long-term housing goals. Whether helping a client determine if they can keep the marital home, qualify for a new mortgage, or explore equitable buyout solutions, Stacey provides clarity, structure, and confidence in the decision-making process. Her goal is to help divorcing homeowners make sound financial choices that support both their immediate needs and long-term stability.

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Clearing the Mental Clutter During Big Life Changes (Ep. 98)

Clearing the Mental Clutter During Big Life Changes (Ep. 98)

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When life feels noisy, the real issue is not always a lack of time; it is often a lack of clarity.

The biggest decisions in life rarely get solved by doing more. They get solved by cutting through the clutter, focusing on what matters most, and taking one small step at a time.

In this episode, I talk with Jill Beck, founder of Go Long, about why so many women stay stuck during major life transitions and how accountability, clarity, and small actions can help them move forward. Jill shares her own path out of high-pressure corporate life, why women often put themselves last, and how her text-based coaching helps make hard changes feel more manageable.

Key takeaways:

  • How Jill’s health journey and corporate experience led her to help women through major transitions
  • Why fear, perfection, and helping others can keep women from facing the changes they need to make
  • How text-based accountability can make hard decisions feel more manageable
  • The value of narrowing your focus, understanding your why, and being willing to get uncomfortable
  • Why breaking a big task into smaller steps can reduce overwhelm and create momentum
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Eric Blake: 

Connect with Jill Beck: 

About our Guest: 

Jill Beck worked at one of the top investment banks, traveled extensively, and built what many would describe as a dream career.

Behind the scenes, she was exhausted, overwhelmed, and neglecting her own well-being. She was working 90+ hour weeks, skipping meals, relying heavily on Diet Coke, and getting very little sleep.

Even after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, she continued pushing forward. She told herself she would focus on her health when things slowed down, but that moment never came.

It was not until she reached a breaking point that she realized something had to change. She began making small, intentional adjustments, focusing on what she could do instead of trying to meet every expectation at once.

Today, at 53, she is in the best shape of her life. She takes active vacations with her husband, hikes regularly, and wakes up feeling energized about her day.

What made the difference was not a complete overhaul overnight. It came from simplifying, focusing, and creating space for herself without guilt.

Now, she helps others take a similar approach through practical, personalized steps that align with their life, goals, and priorities.

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