Rachel Schuster is an employment lawyer. She has also danced for the Golden State Warriors and cheered for the San Francisco 49ers. Far from being a contradiction, her experiences in both arenas have complimented one another. Rachel sat down with Palisades Hudson Client Service Manager Brianna Aviles, Financial Planning Manager (and Broncos Stampede member) Ashley Luhmann, and “Something Personal” host Amy Laburda for a deep dive into her career, from the challenges of law school during COVID lockdown to the highs of cheering at the Super Bowl. Learn why, as she wrote for Law360, cheering made her a better lawyer — and how negotiation tactics came in handy with at least one young and enthusiastic fan.

Links:

• More about Rachel
• “Cheered Up: You Can Be a Dancer and a Lawyer,” California magazine
• “Cheering In The NFL Makes Me A Better Lawyer,” Law360 (paywall) 
• Pro Cheerleading Podcast

Ben Hall has worked for The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum for more than 15 years, and he still describes it as “the coolest place in the world.” In this chat with Palisades Hudson VP/CIO Ben Sullivan and “Something Personal” host Amy Laburda, Ben Hall opens up about the central importance of building relationships in his work as a vice president in the Hall’s development office. Both Bens also explore the ways that philanthropy can help individuals to shape the world to look a little more like they want it to. Listen in for thoughts on how a mission you’re passionate about naturally builds community, the importance of cultivating gratitude, and more than a few fascinating tidbits about music history.

Links:

• The Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum
• CMHoF Digital Archive
• Hatch Show Print
• “The Benefits of Volunteering” (featuring Paul Jacobs)
• “Taxes, Tariffs And ‘All That Government Stuff’” (featuring Ben Sullivan, along with Larry Elkin and Paul Jacobs)
• “Why I Serve On A Nonprofit Board” by Ben Sullivan
• American Currents: State of the Music

Open enrollment season offers Medicare participants a chance to reconsider their enrollment options for the year. But whether you (or your loved one) is performing an annual coverage review or enrolling in Medicare for the very first time, understanding how the program works is key to finding the right fit. Rebecca Pavese, CPA, sits down with host Amy Laburda to talk listeners through the Medicare basics. Is it really advantageous to opt for Medicare Advantage? What is Medigap coverage? Beyond costs, how should you compare insurance plans? Learn the answers to these questions and more.

Links:

• “Is Medicare Advantage An Advantage For You?” by Rebecca Pavese
• “Social Security And Medicare” (Something Personal S1E13)
• More on Medigap plans
• “Long-Term Care” (Something Personal S1E10)

Applying to college can be a stressful and involved process for many students and their families. But good advice can help — not only with getting into a school you’re excited about, but with keeping family relationships strong throughout the process. Rick Clark is the Executive Director of Strategic Student Access at Georgia Tech, as well as the co-author of “The Truth About College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together.” In this episode, he offers lessons from his decades in college admission to help students and their families communicate clearly, make the most of campus visits, tackle discussions about paying for a given school, and keep the overall process in perspective. Join Rick and host Amy Laburda for an honest talk about navigating a new family chapter together.

• Rick on LinkedIn
• Rick’s book and podcast
• Learn more about Rick’s work at Georgia Tech

Intimacy professional and dance choreographer Nicole Perry wants to build a world where artistic collaborators are respected, valued, and safe in their workplaces. She joins us to talk about the increasing recognition of the role intimacy professionals play in creating live performances, films and television, as well as how the growing profession is finding its niche even in unexpected places. In a conversation with Palisades Hudson’s President Larry Elkin and "Something Personal” host Amy Laburda, Nicole also explains how she cultivated the skills she uses in her current professional roles; how she builds a life in the arts in South Florida; why empowering collaborators to say “no” leads to better art; and much more. 

Links:

• More about Nicole and her work
• Intimacy Professional Education Collective
• 
  
• Film Florida
• 
  
  
• 
  
  
• 
  
  

“Something Personal” is back with season three, and we are diving into the news with our first ever three-guest panel. Larry Elkin, CPA, CFP®; Paul Jacobs, CFP®, EA; and Ben Sullivan, CFP®, CVA, EA sit down with host Amy Laburda for a roundtable discussion of issues including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, interest rates, the middle class “squeeze,” tariffs and others. This wide-ranging conversation offers a window into the way seasoned financial professionals look at news about the economy, tax policy, markets and more. 

Links:

• "The Baby Boomers Turn 50" by Larry Elkin
• "An Update to the Demographic Outlook, 2025 to 2055," the Congressional Budget Office
• "A Day of Strange Bedfellows" (Wake Up to Politics), by Gabe Fleisher
• "Why more and more people are tuning the news out: ‘Now I don’t have that anxiety’" (The Guardian)
• Investing Fundamentals (featuring Ben Sullivan)

Something Personal will return in the fall of 2025. This season, the podcast expands beyond the topics covered in Palisades Hudson's two books, widening the scope of discussions about the personal side of personal finance. Host Amy Laburda welcomes back financial professionals from Palisades Hudson as well as a variety of guests from industries including film, sports, academia, food service and many more. Join us for a new season of Something Personal this autumn.

For the season finale of “Something Personal,” host Amy Laburda sits down with two professionals who, in different ways, help athletes to navigate the changing landscapes of college and professional sports. Jumaane Ford is an attorney and an NFLPA-certified contract adviser with Range Sports. In more than 20 years of sports and entertainment work, Jumaane has produced film and television, negotiated major contracts for actors and recording artists, and helped college athletes navigate the world of name, image and likeness (NIL) deals. Shomari Hearn, CFP®, EA, also returns to the podcast to offer a financial planner’s perspective. Among his other responsibilities, Shomari oversees Palisades Hudson Entertainment and Sports, which provides business management services to entertainers and athletes. Together, Shomari and Jumaane walk listeners through helping their clients succeed in making smart deals in the present and investing in their future.Thanks for joining us for the second season of “Something Personal.” We plan to return for season three later this year.

Links:

• Jumaane Ford at the NFLPA
• Palisades Hudson Entertainment and Sports
• “The State Of College Pay-For-Play” by Shomari Hearn, September 2024

Paul Jacobs, CFP®, EA, has a long history of getting involved in his community. He returns to the podcast to talk about the rewards of volunteering for an organization you feel strongly about, including his own experiences in Atlanta dating back to his move there in 2008. Paul and host Amy Laburda chat about how to balance volunteering with your other priorities, when and how to step away, what to keep in mind if you want to start your own nonprofit organization, and much more. Whatever cause is close to your heart, Paul suggests taking a realistic but generous approach to making a difference in the place you live.

Links

• The High Achiever’s Guide to Wealth
• The Joy Of (Planned) Giving (featuring Eric Meermann)
• How To Succeed In Starting A Business, Shark-Free (featuring Paul Jacobs)

Moving to another county can complicate your financial planning. But that’s no reason to avoid a potentially once-in-a-lifetime experience. ReKeithen Miller, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and IRS Enrolled Agent, sits down to talk through some of the tax, retirement and estate planning adjustments an American should consider before a long-term move abroad. But he and host Amy Laburda also discuss the many upsides of exploring the world. Whether your multinational company is offering you a position outside the U.S. or you’re a digital nomad who wants to make the most of your professional flexibility, seeing the world can be life-changing. A little advance planning and experienced professional advice can make sure it goes smoothly, wherever your life takes you.

Links:

• Retiring And Living Abroad (featuring Shomari Hearn and ReKeithen Miller)
• The High Achiever’s Guide to Wealth
• “Fixing Foreign Filing Errors With The IRS” by ReKeithen Miller
• “Tax Consequences Of Expatriation” by ReKeithen Miller
• Obtaining U.S. Citizenship for a Child Born Abroad (U.S. State Department)