Planning Beyond Documents: Building Support as a Solo Senior with Kathy McNair (Ep. 70)
Too often, retirement planning focuses only on documents, but what happens when you don’t have the right people to rely on?
In this episode, I sit down with elder law attorney and founder of Solo Allies, Kathy McNair, to talk about the unique needs of solo seniors and why legal paperwork alone isn’t enough. We explore how to choose the right people for critical roles, when to consider professional support, and how to build a community for peace of mind in retirement.
Kathy discusses:
- The difference between an estate planning attorney and an elder law attorney
- What it really means to be a solo senior and why planning matters
- Why “Planning + People = Peace of Mind” is a critical formula for aging well
- How to choose and prepare a power of attorney, and what happens when you don’t
- Resources, tools, and community programs like Solo Allies and the Aging Allies Club
- And more!
Resources:
- Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap
- Book: The Solo Senior’s Guide to Thrive: Planning for Legal, Financial, and Personal Well-Being — available via SoloAllies.com/book
- Website: Senior Solutions
- Website: Navigating Solo
- #26 – Navigating the Solo Aging Journey
Connect with Eric Blake:
- www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
- Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
- Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
- Blake Wealth Management
- YouTube
Connect with Kathy McNair:
- Website: Solo Allies
- Facebook: Solo Allies
- YouTube Channel: @planwellagewell
- LinkedIn: Kathy McNair
- Email: kmcnair.seniorsolutions@gmail.com
About our Guest:
Kathy McNair is an elder law attorney with over 25 years of experience serving seniors. She is the founder of Senior Solutions LLC in Boston and the national resource platform Solo Allies, dedicated to helping solo agers—those without reliable family support—plan for their legal, financial, and personal well-being.
Kathy is also the creator of the Aging Allies Club, a small-group planning program designed to provide both legal tools and meaningful connections. She frequently speaks to community groups and has written The Solo Senior’s Guide to Thrive, a practical guide to aging with independence and security.
Appointed by Governor Deval Patrick in 2008, she served 15 years as a Public Administrator of Suffolk County, managing estates with no known heirs. She also serves on the Board of Directors at McNamara House, an affordable senior housing community in Boston.
Kathy earned her J.D. from Boston College Law School and her bachelor’s in psychology from St. Lawrence University.
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