In this thought-provoking conversation, Karen Coyne sits down with Ken Stern, author of Healthy to 100, founder of the Longevity Project, and former CEO of NPR, to explore the critical but often overlooked role of social health in living longer, healthier lives. Drawing from global research and firsthand reporting from places like Japan, Singapore, and Italy, Ken reveals why countries with the highest life expectancies are intentional about fostering intergenerational relationships, purpose-filled work, and community connection, especially in the second half of life. 

Ken shares surprising longevity insights from around the globe, including why a poor Texas county outperforms wealthier regions in life expectancy, how Japan redesigned work for older adults, and why loneliness poses health risks equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Together, Karen and Ken examine cultural norms, policies, and personal choices that shape how we age, as well as how our own internalized ageism may unknowingly limit our health and happiness. 

Tune in and walk away with practical steps to build meaningful social connections, rethink retirement, and intentionally design a more purposeful, connected life, no matter your age.

In this episode:

• Why social health may be the most overlooked factor in long-term wellbeing
• How other countries intentionally design connection into later life
• The role work, purpose, and proximity play beyond traditional retirement
• How ageism and mindset quietly influence health and longevity
• Simple ways to plan for connection, not just financial security

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Ask Ken: subscribe for access to his newsletter and send him the questions you have about social connection → https://www.longevity-project.com/ht100-newsletter 

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guest: 

• Ken Stern on LinkedIn
• The Longevity Project

What do medical bills, group dinners, canceled flights, and even premarital counseling all have in common? According to Matt Schulz—Chief Consumer Finance Analyst at LendingTree and author of Ask Questions, Save Money, Make More—they’re all opportunities to take back control of your financial life simply by asking the right questions.

In this insightful conversation, Matt and Karen uncover the everyday moments where speaking up can save you money, strengthen relationships, and reduce stress. From negotiating medical bills and navigating travel chaos, to smoothing out friendship friction at big group dinners, Matt shares practical scripts, real-life stories, and the empowering reminder that you have more power over your money than you think.

In this episode:

• Why most people underestimate how much leverage they actually have
• How asking early can prevent awkward or expensive situations later
• Why tone and timing matter more than having the perfect words
• How everyday money moments reveal deeper communication patterns
• Small mindset shifts that make money feel less intimidating
  
  
  

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Matt Schulz’s website
• Matt Schulz on LinkedIn

Money has a way of slipping into every corner of life, shaping how we feel, how we make decisions, and even how we show up for the people we love. So when the online noise insists that “nobody needs an advisor anymore,” it ignores the part of money that isn’t mechanical at all. In this conversation, Daniel Crosby brings a grounded, deeply human view of what advice actually does for people — the calm it creates, the guardrails it provides, and the way it helps us carry what feels heavy on our own.

In this episode:

• Why online critics misunderstand what advisors really do
• The emotional and time value hidden behind good advice
• How trust and rapport shape financial decisions
• When DIY investing starts to work against you
• Why simple conversations can be more powerful than complex strategies
• The role advisors play in helping clients stay steady during uncertain moments

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Daniel Crosby on LinkedIn
• Orion Advisor Solutions

Patterns shape the way we lead, work, spend, save, and even show up in our relationships, and still, most of us rarely stop to notice the ones shaping us behind the scenes. In this conversation, Karen sits down with leadership strategist and keynote speaker Bukola Oguntala, whose work centers on helping people recognize the unconscious behaviors that drive burnout, miscommunication, and resistance.

Bukola’s perspective comes from her own experience. As a first-generation Nigerian American who lost both parents at 12, she learned early how patterns can help you, and how they can also work against you. Her experience spans a 20-year career across consulting, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and HR leadership, and now informs the SHIFT™ framework she teaches to leaders who feel stretched thin.

In this episode:

• How early experiences shape our patterns as adults
• Why high performers often cling to habits that eventually hold them back
• The role of culture and context in how we show up at work
• What burnout can reveal about the patterns we’ve outgrown
• Small shifts that help create space for new ways of leading and living
  
  

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Bukola Oguntala on LinkedIn
• Bukola Oguntala Website

Generation X has officially entered the “wait… how close is retirement?” era. And while most of us still feel mentally 35, the numbers are inching closer whether we’re ready or not. This conversation with Kerry Hannon and Janna Herron, co-authors of Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future, feels like a warm, clear-eyed check-in about where we stand, what we can do now, and why it’s not too late to build a retirement that actually feels good.

In this episode:

• How lifestyle creep reshapes your financial picture.
• Why Gen X often feels behind and what’s actually within your control.
• The role of work, reinvention, and staying relevant in midlife.
• Ways your home, health, and network can support a stronger retirement. 

Get the book Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future: https://www.amazon.com/dp/154170584X 

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Kerry Hannon on LinkedIn
• Janna Herron on LinkedIn

Building a life with someone means blending histories, emotions, habits, and hopes, and money is woven through all of it. In this conversation, Karen is joined by author Heather Boneparth, who spent two years interviewing couples and experts to understand what truly helps partners feel seen, supported, and financially aligned. 

Together, they explore how couples can move toward more fairness, more teamwork, and more empathy, even when life gets messy. Heather shares why caregiving is as valuable as earning, why communication needs to stay constant, and how staying curious about your partner can transform your financial life and your relationship.

In this episode:

• Why your early money “scripts” still influence you today
• How couples can approach risk when they were raised differently
• The deeper story behind a “croissant fight” and what resentment reveals
• Why contributions at home deserve equal weight to contributions at work
• The one habit Heather believes every couple should practice

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Heather Boneparth on LinkedIn
• Bone Fide Wealth

We spend so much time thinking about how to live longer, but not nearly enough time thinking about how to live better.

In this episode, Karen sits down with Dr. Kerry Burnight, known as America’s Gerontologist and author of Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half, to explore what truly drives quality of life as we age.

They go through the habits, mindsets, and small daily choices that influence not only how long we live but how deeply we enjoy those years. If we were to choose one takeaway from Dr. Burnight’s words, it’s that joy is an inside job.

In this episode:

• The four elements of joyful longevity: grow, connect, adapt, and give
• Why your mindset about aging can add years to your life
• How asking for help actually strengthens connection
• Small gratitude habits that change how we experience each day

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Dr. Kerry Burnight on LinkedIn
• Dr. Kerry Burnight’s website

When a loved one suddenly needs care, most people expect to handle the emotional and medical side, but few are ready for the financial maze that comes with it. In this episode, Karen sits down with journalist Beth Pinsker, CFP®, author of My Mother’s Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving, to talk about what really happens when you step into someone else’s financial life. They cover power of attorney hurdles to bank bureaucracy and the importance of talking about “who gets the candlesticks,” and Beth shares her firsthand lessons from caring for her mother and settling her estate.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone helping aging parents, supporting a spouse, or simply wanting to get their own affairs in order before life gets complicated.

In this episode:

• What “financial caregiving” really means
• Why the hardest part isn’t legal but logistical
• The importance of creating a clear paper trail for loved ones
• How to prepare before an emergency call changes everything

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Beth Pinkser on LinkedIn
• Marketwatch

We spend decades preparing financially for retirement, but far less time preparing emotionally. Retirement is often painted as the finish line, yet for many, it’s just the start of a very human transition filled with uncertainty and identity shifts in the search for a new purpose.

In this episode, financial planner and retirement coach Dan Haylett, host of Humans vs. Retirement and author of The Retirement You Didn’t See Coming, talks about the emotional journey that follows the mathematical calculations. Here, Dan explains how to approach this season not as an ending, but as a reinvention.

In this episode:

• The “most dangerous day” of retirement, and why it sneaks up on so many people
• Why hitting your number doesn’t guarantee fulfillment
• How loss of identity, structure, and purpose can affect your well-being
• The five pillars of a thriving retirement
• Why high achievers often struggle the most, and how to find peace in stillness

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Dan Haylett on LinkedIn
• TFP Financial Planning

What does it take to build both a thriving career and a lasting relationship? Dr. Julie Gurner has spent years working behind the scenes with executives, athletes, and entrepreneurs, and she’s seen the patterns that make or break couples under pressure. Spoiler: it’s not the flashy headlines or the dramatic stories we see in the news. It’s the quiet, intentional habits that keep partners aligned. Those habits protect both their love and their wealth.

In this episode, Dr. Gurner shares what ambitious couples do differently. If you’re building a business, balancing big goals, or simply wanting to protect the most important relationship in your life, this episode offers grounded wisdom you won’t want to miss.

In this episode:

• Why “knowing yourself” is the first step to a lasting partnership
• The role money conversations play in protecting both love and wealth
• How the best couples argue—and what makes conflict constructive
• Why saying the uncomfortable thing early can save years of regret

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Dr. Julie Gurner on LinkedIn
• Dr. Julie Gurner’s website
• Dr. Julie Gurner on Substack
• Dr. Julie Gurner on X