Ladies of Wealth with JJ Conway

There has been a lot of outrage this week over reports that the widow of Air Force Maj. John "Alex" Klinner is being denied military benefits because the United States has never formally declared war against Iran. The anger is understandable, but some of what is circulating on social media overstates what is actually happening.

Maj. Klinner, 33, was one of six Airmen killed on March 12, 2026, when a KC-135 Stratotanker went down in western Iraq while supporting Operation Epic Fury. Contrary to some posts describing him as having been "shot down," U.S. Central Command says the aircraft was flying in friendly airspace and that its loss was not caused by hostile or friendly fire. The incident remains under investigation. Klinner left behind his wife, Libby, a young son and infant twins.

Six months later, Libby Klinner publicly shared that the Air Force had told her that she and her children were not eligible for certain additional benefits because the United States had not formally declared war. That statement quickly morphed online into claims that the government had denied this Gold Star family its military death benefits altogether. That does not appear to be accurate.

According to Klinner herself, the missing amounts were combat-pay related, including things such as hostile-fire or imminent-danger pay and combat-zone tax treatment. After she raised the issue publicly, the Air Force contacted her and began an audit to determine whether her family has received everything to which it is legally entitled. As of September 2, the Air Force has not publicly explained why those amounts were initially excluded.

That distinction matters because the federal government provides several substantial benefits when a service member dies on active duty, and most do not require Congress to have formally declared war.

As a financial planner—and as someone who has served—I want military families to remember that military benefits should be part of your financial plan, not the entire financial plan. SGLI is excellent and inexpensive coverage while you are eligible for it, but military status changes. People separate, retire, divorce, remarry and change careers. Benefits change with them. Building your own investments, emergency reserves and appropriate additional life insurance gives your family another layer of protection that does not depend entirely upon your current military status.

Jackson.

Class Schedule:

Every 1st Thursday: Fireside Chat (Money Q&A)

Every 2nd Thursday: 7-Figure Business Building

Every 3rd Thursday: Real Estate Investing 101

Every 4th Thursday: Empowered Entrepreneur

Every 5th Thursday: Wildcard or replay

How to watch? Social Media @JJKnowsTheWay

Join us on JJ's Facebook Channel

Join us on JJ's YouTube Channel

Join us on JJ's LinkedIn

How to ask a question?

Post a comment on the live video

Ask anonymously at LadiesOfWealth.com

Ask in-person (virtually) during our Group Coaching Calls (JJCLink.com/group)

Music License Granted to JJ Conway for "Crestone" by Michael Payne through Filmstro. This license grants a Commercial use of the above named musical composition for synchronisation with one or more creative media projects for worldwide distribution and in perpetuity in accordance with the Filmstro terms of use to the license holder and/or the license holder's client(s).

Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, has made headlines by saying he is approximately $1.2 billion in debt. For someone like me—a financial planner who teaches people to eliminate personal debt and build wealth without borrowing—that certainly gets my attention.

But it doesn't change what I teach.

First, let's add some context. Kiyosaki isn't saying he ran up $1.2 billion buying clothes, cars, and vacations. Much of his borrowing is tied to investments, especially income-producing real estate. His philosophy has long been that he would rather use borrowed money to acquire assets than use his own cash.

I understand the strategy. I just don't teach it.

Borrowing allows an investor to control a much larger asset with less of their own money. If everything goes according to plan, that can dramatically increase the return on the investor's cash. But leverage doesn't eliminate risk—it magnifies it. Properties can sit vacant. Tenants can stop paying. Insurance and property taxes can soar. Repairs happen. Interest rates change. Property values fall. And no matter what the investment is doing, somebody still expects that debt payment.

There's also an important distinction when we see headlines like this. The financial infrastructure surrounding a sophisticated real-estate investor with hundreds of properties, business entities, partners, and professional advisers looks very different from the finances of the average household. Please don't look at a wealthy investor carrying enormous amounts of leverage and conclude that your car loan, credit cards, HELOC, or investment-property mortgage suddenly doesn't matter.

His debt may be measured in billions, but your debt can still control your life.

Every monthly payment represents money you've already committed before the next paycheck arrives. The fewer people who have a claim on your income, the more freedom you have to decide what happens to it. And yes, my philosophy includes investment debt.

This is where I differ from many financial educators. I don't teach "bad debt versus good debt." I teach getting out of personal debt—including debt used to purchase investments. That doesn't mean I don't understand leverage. It means I've made a different judgment about the kind of financial life I want to help people build.

There are ways to invest in real estate without signing up for decades of personal debt. There are ways to build businesses gradually instead of financing everything upfront. There are ways to invest consistently while increasing your income and acquiring assets as your resources grow. Will that sometimes mean growing more slowly than someone who is highly leveraged? Absolutely. But maximizing the speed of wealth accumulation isn't my only definition of financial success.

I want the people I teach to reach a point where nobody owns their paycheck. I want you to have investments. I want you to own real estate if that's one of your goals. I want you to build businesses, accumulate assets, and create generational wealth. I just don't believe you have to owe somebody in order to become wealthy.

Robert Kiyosaki's $1.2 billion in debt doesn't make me reconsider teaching debt freedom. If anything, it gives us a great opportunity to discuss something we don't say often enough:

Understanding how debt can be used to build wealth doesn't obligate you to use it.

Sometimes the strategy that produces the biggest spreadsheet isn't the strategy that produces the greatest peace, flexibility, and freedom. You don't have to chase maximum leveraged growth if it costs you control of your life. Choose the path that helps you build wealth with confidence—and choose financial freedom over the biggest possible balance sheet.

Class Schedule:

Every 1st Thursday: Fireside Chat (Money Q&A)

Every 2nd Thursday: 7-Figure Business Building

Every 3rd Thursday: Real Estate Investing 101

Every 4th Thursday: Empowered Entrepreneur

Every 5th Thursday: Wildcard or replay

How to watch? Social Media @JJKnowsTheWay

Join us on JJ's Facebook Channel

Join us on JJ's YouTube Channel

Join us on JJ's LinkedIn

How to ask a question?

Post a comment on the live video

Ask anonymously at LadiesOfWealth.com

Ask in-person (virtually) during our Group Coaching Calls (JJCLink.com/group)

Music License Granted to JJ Conway for "Crestone" by Michael Payne through Filmstro. This license grants a Commercial use of the above named musical composition for synchronisation with one or more creative media projects for worldwide distribution and in perpetuity in accordance with the Filmstro terms of use to the license holder and/or the license holder's client(s).

JJ talks about Nicole Jackson, the Baton Rouge Woman who bought her house in cash almost 20 years ago and is now losing her house because her boyfriend's heir is forcing the sale of the property.

Ms. Jackson put her boyfriend on the deed in case she died first. He died first and unfortunately did not name Ms. Jackson as an heir. The court determined his sister to be his heir, and she is now forcing Ms. Jackson to sell her home to claim her brother's share of the house.

There are so many mistakes made in this situation, and JJ breaks them down with solid advice for ways YOU could handle a similar future situation without falling into the same trap as Ms. Jackson.

Class Schedule:

Every 1st Thursday: Fireside Chat (Money Q&A)

Every 2nd Thursday: 7-Figure Business Building

Every 3rd Thursday: Real Estate Investing 101

Every 4th Thursday: Empowered Entrepreneur

Every 5th Thursday: Wildcard or replay

How to watch? Social Media @JJKnowsTheWay

Join us on JJ's Facebook Channel

Join us on JJ's YouTube Channel

Join us on JJ's LinkedIn

How to ask a question?

Post a comment on the live video

Ask anonymously at LadiesOfWealth.com

Ask in-person (virtually) during our Group Coaching Calls (JJCLink.com/group)

Music License Granted to JJ Conway for "Crestone" by Michael Payne through Filmstro. This license grants a Commercial use of the above named musical composition for synchronisation with one or more creative media projects for worldwide distribution and in perpetuity in accordance with the Filmstro terms of use to the license holder and/or the license holder's client(s).

Episode 571: Don't Let Fear-Based Politics Control Your Pocketbook

JJ discusses the trend of letting fear-based politics derail our critical thinking and activism, ultimately damaging our family's financial future. Using the race for Texas Governor as an example, JJ outlines what actions could have been taken back in March by people who repeatedly complain about the current governor (Abbott) and discusses different reasons why people are afraid not to vote for a candidate they complain about.

JJ also gives examples of actions people COULD take to prevent their communities from changing in a way they don't like, if only they would stop wasting time complaining in the moment and, instead, take strategic action.

It's not as simple as voting Democrats vs. Republicans in November. Protecting the politics that impacts your pocketbook ALSO includes getting active in the Feb/March primaries.

Class Schedule:

Every 1st Thursday: Fireside Chat (Money Q&A)

Every 2nd Thursday: 7-Figure Business Building

Every 3rd Thursday: Real Estate Investing 101

Every 4th Thursday: Empowered Entrepreneur

Every 5th Thursday: Wildcard or replay

How to watch? Social Media @JJKnowsTheWay

Join us on JJ's Facebook Channel

Join us on JJ's YouTube Channel

Join us on JJ's LinkedIn

How to ask a question?

Post a comment on the live video

Ask anonymously at LadiesOfWealth.com

Ask in-person (virtually) during our Group Coaching Calls (JJCLink.com/group)

Music License Granted to JJ Conway for "Crestone" by Michael Payne through Filmstro. This license grants a Commercial use of the above named musical composition for synchronisation with one or more creative media projects for worldwide distribution and in perpetuity in accordance with the Filmstro terms of use to the license holder and/or the license holder's client(s).

JJ helps a young lady who is scared of her creditors because she lost her job and can't pay her bills. Learn how to prioritize when you can't pay everything and learn how to avoid getting sued by creditors with a solid Pro-Rata Plan.

JJ also quickly answers a question about how to build up savings when the client is on SSI and technically could lose her benefits if she saves more than $2,000 total.

Class Schedule:

Every 1st Thursday: Fireside Chat (Money Q&A)

Every 2nd Thursday: 7-Figure Business Building

Every 3rd Thursday: Real Estate Investing 101

Every 4th Thursday: Empowered Entrepreneur

Every 5th Thursday: Wildcard or replay

How to watch? Social Media @JJKnowsTheWay

Join us on JJ's Facebook Channel

Join us on JJ's YouTube Channel

Join us on JJ's LinkedIn

How to ask a question?

Post a comment on the live video

Ask anonymously at LadiesOfWealth.com

Ask in-person (virtually) during our Group Coaching Calls (JJCLink.com/group)

Music License Granted to JJ Conway for "Crestone" by Michael Payne through Filmstro. This license grants a Commercial use of the above named musical composition for synchronisation with one or more creative media projects for worldwide distribution and in perpetuity in accordance with the Filmstro terms of use to the license holder and/or the license holder's client(s).

How can you best use and invest a $1,000,000 inheritance? JJ answers this question for someone is worried about getting taken advantage of by financial advisors wishing to charge 1% or more in fees to manage the money.

Not only is this unnecessary but JJ walks through various options for best utilizing that money for one's current enjoyment and future security

Class Schedule:

Every 1st Thursday: Fireside Chat (Money Q&A)

Every 2nd Thursday: 7-Figure Business Building

Every 3rd Thursday: Real Estate Investing 101

Every 4th Thursday: Empowered Entrepreneur

Every 5th Thursday: Wildcard or replay

How to watch? Social Media @JJKnowsTheWay

Join us on JJ's Facebook Channel

Join us on JJ's YouTube Channel

Join us on JJ's LinkedIn

How to ask a question?

Post a comment on the live video

Ask anonymously at LadiesOfWealth.com

Ask in-person (virtually) during our Group Coaching Calls (JJCLink.com/group)

Music License Granted to JJ Conway for "Crestone" by Michael Payne through Filmstro. This license grants a Commercial use of the above named musical composition for synchronisation with one or more creative media projects for worldwide distribution and in perpetuity in accordance with the Filmstro terms of use to the license holder and/or the license holder's client(s).

In this Behind the Scenes episode, JJ discusses the complexities of being caught between multiple cultures and her desire to support Law Enforcement in keeping her town safe. Where do you draw the line? When is it your place to speak up, advocate for, and strengthen others who are fighting for peace in their community, and when is it time to let someone else fight their own battles?

JJ puts her spin on the Battle of the Beavers! Buc-ee's versus the Beaver Creek, Ohio "Beaver's Mini Mart."

JJ draws parallels between what Buc-ee's is doing to other small businesses with rodent and reptile mascots, and states to which it expands and how Whataburger flubbed its expansion Greensboro NC.

JJ also wonders why Disney hasn't sued Buc-ee's over the similarity between their logo and Alvin the Chipmunk. There must be a good reason, because Disney don't play.

In this behind-the-scenes, JJ briefly walks through the Juneteenth Legacy Conference and airs some dirty laundry.

Normally, JJ would not"air The Dirty laundry" in public, But she has noticed over the last couple of years that many people who apply to speak at the event will then unsubscribe from the mailing list (No shade! JJ does this too), or they are accomplished speakers who do not sign up for the speakers' training portal.

By posting this publicly, she hopes to reach everyone who was involved, so they can get the most up-to-date information, resolve any issues, and feel comfortable about speaking in Kansas City for next Juneteenth.