MONEY WITHOUT MATH

What happens to our money if our ability to manage it changes?

In this episode of Money Without Math, Karen Coyne talks with Christine Moriarty, CFP®, founder of MoneyPeace, about the financial considerations that accompany changes in memory and cognition. Christine shares the personal experience that brought this issue into focus for her: watching her mother, a lifelong bookkeeper who balanced her checkbook to the penny, begin to struggle with financial tasks that had always been second nature.

Together, Karen and Christine explore what separates ordinary forgetfulness from a change worth noticing, why a new pattern of missed bills or unusual financial behavior can be an important warning sign, and how families can add safeguards without stripping away independence all at once.

This episode is about preparing while you can still decide what support, protection and independence might look like for you. That means making sure financial knowledge doesn’t live with just one person, bringing someone you trust into your financial life, and putting simple protections in place before you need them.

In this episode:

00:00 Normal Forgetfulness vs. Dementia

01:23 What Happens to Money When Memory Fades?

03:50 Why Memory Loss Is a Financial Planning Issue

07:12 The Personal Experience That Changed Christine's Work

09:24 Protecting Financial Independence Without Taking Over

11:25 Secrecy, Scams and Financial Exploitation

14:26 Early Warning Signs of Cognitive Decline

17:08 Financial Behaviors That Can Signal a Problem

19:42 How Families and Financial Advisors Can Prepare

23:14 When "Help" Becomes Financial Exploitation

26:52 Simple Steps to Protect Your Money Now

30:16 Final Takeaways for Families and Caregivers

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Christine Moriarty on LinkedIn
• MoneyPeace Website
• Money and Memory Resources

What if some of the financial decisions you make today are being shaped by a story you learned decades ago?

At 16, Sarah Walton faced a choice: use her first paycheck to pursue a dream she had worked toward for years, or help buy groceries for her family. She chose the groceries. Years later, despite building an impressive career, Sarah realized she had been carrying beliefs from that moment with her: she couldn't take care of her family and pursue what she wanted at the same time.

In this episode, Karen and Sarah explore the invisible beliefs and expectations that can shape our relationship with money, success, and self-worth. They dig into why highly capable women can still question whether they're “good with money,” how scarcity can influence our decisions, and why changing behavior without examining the beliefs underneath it can only take us so far.

You'll also hear Sarah's perspective on abundance, overgiving, the “invisible unpaid work” many women take on, and simple ways to begin recognizing the money stories that may still be running unchallenged in the background.

In this episode:

00:00 Invisible Rules and Overgiving

01:08 Learning to Dance Without Lessons

03:10 The Grocery Store Decision That Changed Everything

07:21 When a 16-Year-Old Was Running My Life

10:30 Why Sarah's Mission Is Putting More Money in Women's Hands

12:45 What Is High-Functioning Codependence?

17:27 Scarcity Stories vs. Abundance Truths

25:14 Simple Practices to Build Wealth Consciousness

31:10 Why Your Subconscious Always Wins

35:25 Sarah's Final Message: You're Already Enough

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Sarah Walton on LinkedIn
• Sarah Walton Coaching

We live in a culture that celebrates more. More productivity. More habits. More goals. More optimization. More commitments.

But what if the path to greater impact, fulfillment, and even financial well-being isn't adding more to your life? What if it's learning what to remove?

In this episode, Karen is joined by leadership strategist, keynote speaker, author, and self-described "subtraction activist" Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey to explore why so many high achievers find themselves overwhelmed despite doing everything "right."

Nell shares the personal experiences that transformed her thinking, from missing pivotal moments with family while pursuing purpose to surviving a life-changing car accident. Those experiences led her to develop a framework she calls Systematic Subtraction: intentionally removing what no longer serves so you can create more space for what truly matters.

Together, Karen and Nell discuss why our brains naturally overlook subtraction as a solution, how success often becomes an accumulation of obligations rather than fulfillment, and why creating capacity may be the greatest competitive advantage we have.

Whether you're juggling work, family, caregiving, finances, or simply feeling stretched too thin, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on success, fulfillment, and what it means to have enough.

In this episode:

00:00 Meet the "Subtraction Activist"

03:04 Why Our Brains Naturally Ignore Subtraction

05:30 The Hidden Cost of Legacy Habits

08:09 From Gold Star Junkie to Subtraction Advocate

09:04 When Purpose Became Too One-Dimensional

12:35 The Car Accident That Changed Everything

16:14 Why Subtraction Is a Hidden Advantage

18:16 Why Taking Care of Yourself Helps Others

19:07 What Are You Modeling for the Next Generation?

32:35 The One Thing You Need Before You Can Improve Anything

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey on LinkedIn
• Nell 3D website
• Subtract To Succeed 

For generations, retirement was viewed as the final chapter. Today, it may be the start of an entirely new one.

As people live longer and healthier lives, the traditional path of working, retiring, and slowly winding down no longer reflects reality. In this conversation, Karen sits down with JoAnne Moore to explore why retirement is becoming reinvention, how longevity is reshaping the way we think about purpose and contribution, and why the biggest challenge may not be saving enough money, but imagining what's possible in the decades ahead.

Together, they discuss the emotional shift from saving to spending, why many retirees struggle to enjoy the assets they've worked so hard to accumulate, and how financial planning is evolving to encompass purpose, health, social connection, and lifelong learning alongside dollars and cents.

They also explore what it means to plan for a 30- or 40-year retirement, how learning from others can expand your vision of what's possible, and why giving yourself permission to invest in experiences, hobbies, and well-being can be just as important as growing your portfolio.

Whether retirement feels years away or you're already living it, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on designing a life rich in purpose, connection, and possibility.

In this episode:

00:00 Why the Traditional Retirement Roadmap No Longer Works

02:17 Do You Want to Live to 100?

04:36 Why Saving Is Easy but Spending Is Hard

09:58 Planning for a 40-Year Retirement

11:45 Retirement Is Becoming Reinvention

16:40 What If You Feel Behind on Retirement Savings?

18:43 How Social Connection Supports Healthy Aging

20:04 Solo Retirement and Planning Without a Partner

23:35 Why It's Okay to Say "I Don't Know"

26:10 Investing in Joy During Retirement

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• JoAnne Moore on LinkedIn
• Corebridge Financial
• Your Longevity Action Planner 
• Family longevity conversations

What if one of the greatest retirement risks isn’t market volatility, but losing healthy years of life?

In this episode of Money Without Math, Karen sits down with Joshua Herring, CEO of the Longevity Science Foundation, to explore the rapidly evolving science of healthy longevity and how it might affect how we think about health, wealth, and aging.

Joshua explains why longevity isn't about chasing immortality or extending life indefinitely. It's about increasing health span, reducing the burden of chronic disease, and helping people enjoy more years healthy, active, and able to enjoy life.

The conversation also explores how longer, healthier lives could reshape financial planning. From retirement savings and healthcare costs to spending on nutrition, fitness, and preventive care, you’ll hear why longevity planning isn't just a medical conversation. It's a financial one.

Karen and Joshua also examine what makes philanthropy truly impactful, why accountability and transparency matter, and why women's health remains one of the most underfunded opportunities for impact today. 

In this episode:

0:00 Cold Open: Funding Scale

0:17 Show Trailer and Host Intro

1:02 Why Healthy Longevity Now

2:10 How The Foundation Funds Research

4:16 Prevention Versus Treatment Funding Reality

7:41 100% Donations and Small Projects

12:56 Longevity Misconceptions and Healthspan Gap

15:58 Longer Lives and Retirement Planning

22:48 Accountability in High-Impact Giving

24:48 Women’s Health Funding Disparity Explained

30:51 Closing Links and Listener Requests

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Joshua Herring
• Longevity Science Foundation
• Invested In Her

What if you approached your life with the same intentionality that organizations bring to strategic planning?

In this episode of Money Without Math, Karen Coyne sits down with leadership strategist, speaker, and "Sparkologist" Dr. Katie Sandoe to explore her personal strategic planning process.

Inspired by years of leading strategic planning sessions for organizations, Dr. Katie adapted many of those same principles to help create greater clarity, purpose, and alignment in her own life. 

Together, they discuss the power of deep reflection, creating space away from everyday distractions, identifying what truly deserves your time and energy, and building a roadmap for the next season of your life. Dr. Katie shares the questions she asks herself each year, the tools she uses to make intentional decisions, and how this process ultimately led her to launch her own business and design a life she loves.

Whether you dedicate a full week, a single day, or just an hour, this conversation will inspire you to stop drifting and start living with greater intention.

In this episode:

00:00 Why You Need a Personal Strategic Plan

01:12 Turning Strategic Planning Into a Life Plan

03:33 Four Rules for a Successful Planning Retreat

06:35 How to Design Your Personal Retreat

10:43 Making Time for What Matters Most

12:35 The Questions to Clarify Your Next Chapter

17:56 Using the Wheel of Life to Find Clarity

19:31 Creating Your Personal Strategic Roadmap

21:28 Build Your Own Board of Directors

23:56 What You Need to Let Go Of

28:33 Turning Reflection Into Action

30:49 How Personal Strategic Planning Changed My Life

33:25 The Secret to Loving Your Life

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Katie Sandoe on LinkedIn
• Spark Something New

Nearly 95% of older adults are aging in place. But studies suggest that as little as 1% to 5% of U.S. homes actually have the key features needed to make that possible. Most people assume aging in place is about installing grab bars or making renovations after a health crisis; today’s guest says that’s exactly backwards.

In this episode, Karen is joined by Esther Greenhouse, environmental gerontologist and longevity strategist. Together, they explore the often-overlooked connection between housing design, independence, caregiving, and financial planning. Drawing on decades of research and her own caregiving experience, Esther explains how the environments we live in can shape our health, abilities, and quality of life long before a crisis occurs.

They discuss why successful aging in place begins decades before someone needs care. From person-environment fit and universal design to caregiving and preserving independence, Esther shares practical ways to create homes that support people throughout their lives instead of forcing costly, reactive changes later on.

The conversation also explores why housing deserves a place in comprehensive financial planning. Thoughtful design can help reduce caregiver burden, preserve assets, delay the need for long-term care, and create better outcomes for families over time.

Whether you're planning for your own future, helping an aging parent, or advising clients through life's later chapters, this episode offers a fresh perspective on how the places we live can shape the lives we lead. 

In this episode:

0:00 Why Homes Aren’t Built For Aging

0:44 Money Without Math Show Intro

1:27 Aging In Place Starts Years Earlier

8:25 Person Environment Fit And Forced Frailty

14:35 Five Features That Change Everything

24:12 Universal Design That Helps Everyone

26:40 Caregiving Planning And Real Cost Savings

32:45 How To Follow Plus Disclosures

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Esther Greenhouse on LinkedIn
• Contact Esther Greenhouse
• Silver to Gold Strategic Consulting

Love and money are deeply connected—even when we avoid the conversation.

In this episode of Money Without Math, Karen Coyne sits down with attorney and Love Richer creator Jackie Combs to explore how women can set themselves up for financial success at every stage of life—single, dating, engaged, or married.

From subtle money conversations you can have on a first date, to the truth about prenups, to recognizing financial red flags before they become real problems, Jackie shares the legal and practical insights many women don’t learn until it’s too late.

You’ll also learn why “doing nothing” is still a financial decision, how to build true financial intimacy in a relationship, and the four-part framework that can transform how you talk about money with a partner.

This episode is your guide to building a relationship where you feel informed, protected, and confident—because love can feel good and make financial sense.

In this episode:

0:00 - Money Values Start Early

1:04 - Show Focus And Guest

3:48 - Why Love Richer Started

5:02 - First Date Money Questions

7:38 - The Default Rules If You Do Nothing

9:50 - Prenups For Wealth And Caregiving

12:38 - What If You Are Already Married

14:48 - Transparency For Life Curveballs

19:05 - Relationship Money Red Flags

23:28 - How To Have Better Money Talks

26:06 - Four Dimensions Of Financial Intimacy

30:02 - Closing And Listener Next Steps

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Jackie Combs on LinkedIn
• Love Richer
• Jackie Combs (@love.richer) • Instagram photos and videos

Where you live shapes more than your lifestyle—it influences your health, relationships, and long-term financial outcomes.

In this episode, Karen sits down with Ryan Frederick, founder of HERE and author of Right Place, Right Time, to explore why place is one of the most overlooked drivers of well-being and wealth. They discuss how your environment shapes your habits, why most people underestimate the impact of their surroundings, and how to think more intentionally about where—and how—you live.

Ryan introduces the four key dimensions of place—environment, health, community, and finances—and explains why place planning isn’t just about moving. In many cases, it’s about making better use of where you already are.

They also tackle common pitfalls—like aging in place without a real plan, overconfidence in big relocation decisions, and the tendency to think of ourselves as younger than we are when making long-term choices.

Whether you're considering a move, approaching retirement, helping aging parents, or simply want to feel more aligned in your day-to-day life, this conversation offers a framework for thinking about place in a more intentional way.

In this episode:

0:00 - Introduction 

1:16 - What Place Planning Means 

2:25 - How Place Shapes Us 

8:23 - Aging In Place Without A Plan 

14:03 - The Four Quadrants Of Place 

22:06 - Feeling Younger Versus Planning Realistically 

26:34 - Reimagining Home And Advisor Questions 

35:02 - The Fast Assessment And Closing

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Ryan Frederick on LinkedIn
• Here.Life

You might assume that receiving a financial windfall would feel exciting, freeing, or even relieving. But for many people, sudden wealth brings something much more complicated: overwhelm, identity shifts, grief, uncertainty, and emotional paralysis.

In this episode of Money Without Math, Karen Coyne is joined by financial coach and speaker Marin Laukka to explore the psychology of sudden wealth and why financial transitions are often far more emotional than people expect.

Drawing from personal experience, research, and conversations with families navigating wealth transfers, Marin shares why gain and grief can often coexist and why even financially savvy people can feel overwhelmed or lost when money changes overnight. The conversation also explores how financial professionals can better support clients through major life and financial transitions with more empathy, awareness, and human connection. 

If you’ve experienced a major financial shift, are preparing for a future inheritance, or want to better understand the emotional side of wealth, this conversation offers an important perspective that often gets overlooked.

Connect with Karen:

• Clarity Planning
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Instagram

Connect with our guests: 

• Marin Laukka on LinkedIn
• Joyful Budgeting