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Retirement talk tends to fixate on a magic number, but Melissa Joy, CFP®, and fellow financial planner and podcaster Stephanie McCullough argue the real work happens well before and long after that number is reached. In this candid conversation, the two planners compare notes on what they see in their own practices: clients who retire on a fixed rule of thumb only to discover it doesn't flex with real life, retirees who under-spend out of fear even when the plan says they can afford more, and families quietly overwhelmed by aging parents' finances, unspoken inheritances, and adult children who haven't yet launched.
Melissa and Stephanie also dig into the myths that shape how people think about retirement long before they get there, from the outdated idea that retirement equals age sixty-five, to the belief that a portfolio should get more conservative simply because a client is getting older.
They close with a rapid-fire round covering the most overrated retirement rule of thumb, the most underestimated expense, and what people should and shouldn't be losing sleep over, before reflecting on how their own work with retirees has shaped how they each plan to retire themselves.
What You'll Learn
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...
What is money actually for? On this episode of Women's Money Wisdom, Melissa Joy, CFP®, welcomes Shanna Due, CFP®, founder of Due Financial and editor of the book series More Than Money and Even More Than Money, back to the podcast to talk about her newest project.
Shanna walks through how a group of advisors turned an idea into a traditionally published book, why the follow-up book needed to go further than the first, and how the five-purposes framework, living, changing, dreaming, giving, and enduring, reframes money as a tool for a meaningful life rather than an end in itself.
The conversation also digs into how readers can use the book to find and vet a financial advisor, from understanding the alphabet soup of credentials to knowing what questions to ask and what a real advisor relationship looks like over time.
Melissa and Shanna talk candidly about permission to spend versus permission to save, giving during your lifetime, and why finding an advisor you genuinely like and trust matters just as much as their credentials. All proceeds from the book benefit Third Decade, a nonprofit that provides long-term financial coaching to people rebuilding their financial lives.
What You'll Learn
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...
Real estate decisions carry enormous financial weight, and yet many people navigate them with a realtor who treats the work as a side hustle rather than a true advisory relationship. Melissa Joy, CFP® sits down with Donna Castillo, a top 1% producer realtor with Intero Real Estate Services in Silicon Valley, to talk about what separates a transactional agent from a real financial partner. Donna shares how she works with clients neighborhood by neighborhood, weighing schools, square footage, and competitive dynamics so buyers can win a home without overpaying by six figures.
The conversation turns to Donna's R.E.A.L. Method, a framework she created specifically for homeowners over 55 who are weighing whether to stay put, downsize, or explore new options like an ADU or a 55-plus community. Melissa and Donna cover capital gains exposure on long-held homes, the role of a good lender in structuring financing around equity compensation and investment portfolios, and why having candid family conversations about aging in place, trusts, and estate plans is one of the most generous things a person can do for the people they love.
What You'll Learn
Connect with Donna:
Website: donnacastillo.com
Facebook: facebook.com/gotodonna
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...
Most investors assume the key to building wealth is picking the right stock. Melissa Joy, CFP®, says the far more important decision is how you structure your portfolio in the first place, and how much risk you choose to take on. In this solo episode, Melissa breaks down asset allocation, the mix of cash, bonds and stocks that make up an investment portfolio, in plain language, without requiring a finance degree to follow along.
Melissa walks through the fundamentals of stock and bond investing, explains the common shorthand investors use to describe their portfolios (like 60-40 or 80-20), and shares how she helps clients think through allocation decisions using broader, 15 to 20 percent notches rather than micromanaging every 5 percent. She also digs into the questions that matter most when setting your own mix: your time horizon, your investing psychology, your tax situation, and how you would actually feel if your portfolio dropped 20 to 30 percent for an extended period. The goal, she says, is not the perfect allocation. It is one that helps you stay invested through both difficult and exuberant markets.
What You'll Learn
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...
AI has made everyday life more convenient, but it has also given scammers a powerful new set of tools. In this episode, Melissa Joy, CFP®, is joined by Patrick Coughlin, CEO of Savi Security and author of the new book The Dark Side of the Boom: How Scammers Hijacked the AI Revolution. After building and selling a cybersecurity company to Splunk, Patrick shifted his focus to protecting everyday families following a deeply personal experience: a sophisticated AI voice cloning scam that targeted his own mother.
Patrick walks through how AI tools are supercharging scam operations around the world, why imposter scams have become the most reported fraud type in the country, and the practical habits families can build to protect themselves, from creating a family code word to running a second channel check before sending money. Melissa and Patrick also discuss the role financial advisors and trusted contacts can play in catching fraud early, and how parents can talk to kids and teens about digital safety without shame.
What You'll Learn
Download the Digital Fraud Protection Guide
Connect with Patrick: LinkedIn
Follow Patrick: Instagram
Savi Security: Website
Savi Security LinkedIn: LinkedIn
Savi Security Instagram: Instagram
The Dark Side of the Boom: Book
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...
What would it look like if your financial plan actually included a line item for aesthetics? Melissa Joy, CFP®, sits down with Stephanie Stewart, PA-C, founder of The Aesthetic Method, an award-winning medical spa in Ferndale, Michigan, to have the honest conversation that most financial planners and patients avoid entirely. From the secret dollars women squirrel away for skincare to the emotional weight of wanting to invest in how you look and feel, this episode brings a private topic into the open where it belongs.
Stephanie shares her remarkable path from emergency medicine to entrepreneurship, sparked by a car accident at 15 that required years of facial reconstructive surgeries. She opens up about the real cost of injectable treatments, what a full face assessment actually looks like, and how to find a provider you can trust. Melissa and Stephanie also explore the parallel between financial planning and aesthetic medicine, two fields built on transparency, trust, and the courage to say no when it is not the right fit.
What You'll Learn
Connect with Stephanie
theaestheticmethod.com
Instagram: The Aesthetic Method
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...
Debt is one of the most emotionally charged topics in personal finance -- and one of the most common. This week Melissa Joy, CFP®, sits down with Bruce McClary, lead spokesperson for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), to take the stigma out of the conversation and walk through what it actually looks like to get professional help with debt. Whether you're watching balances creep up, fielding collection calls, or just feeling the financial squeeze of a world where credit card interest rates are hovering around 23%, this episode is for you.
Bruce brings decades of front-line experience as a former credit counselor, debt collector, and lender to the conversation. Together, he and Melissa break down how nonprofit credit counseling works, what a debt management plan (DMP) actually involves, and how it compares to for-profit debt settlement companies -- including the details those TV commercials conveniently leave out. They also cover when bankruptcy might be the right move and where to find trustworthy, low-cost help.
What You'll Learn
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...
In many households, one person quietly carries the full weight of the family's financial life: tracking premiums, coordinating with advisors, managing the budget, and planning for the future. Melissa Joy, CFP®, founder and president of Pearl Planning, calls this person the family's chief financial officer, and she has been seeing the role come up repeatedly in client conversations.
Whether that responsibility falls on a spouse, a partner, or a single individual managing everything alone, the invisible work of being the household CFO deserves a closer look.
In this solo episode, Melissa Joy, CFP®, explores the hidden costs of carrying that financial load, the risks that can build when only one person holds all the knowledge, and how to build a stronger financial team, with or without a financial planner.
She walks through practical steps for creating regular money meetings, shares what a productive financial check-in actually looks like, and explains when it might be time to bring in outside support. If you have ever felt the weight of managing your family's money mostly on your own, this episode is for you.
What You'll Learn
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...
As we move into the second half of the year, Melissa Joy, CFP®, takes a solo deep dive into five major themes shaping the current investment landscape. From artificial intelligence and IPO cycles to persistent inflation and the resilience of employment, Melissa unpacks what is actually happening in the markets and what it means for your financial life.
Rather than reacting to pessimistic headlines, Melissa walks through the data behind recent market performance, explains why earnings growth matters as much as price, and offers a grounded perspective on how to stay disciplined through uncertainty. This episode is a reminder that a sound financial plan, paired with a diversified investment strategy, is still the most powerful tool you have.
What You’ll Learn
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...
High-achieving women often wear exhaustion as a badge of honor, pushing through until the warning signs become impossible to ignore. For Molly Rosen, co-founder and co-CEO of Project Next Leadership, that moment came while driving between obligations, fantasizing not about a vacation, but about simply being allowed to stop. That recognition led to a sabbatical that stretched from one year to six, a journey that ultimately gave her the perspective, resilience, and clarity to build the leadership coaching company she runs today.
In this episode, Melissa Joy, CFP®, sits down with Molly to explore the realities of burnout for senior women leaders, the under acknowledged impact of perimenopause on career performance, and what it actually takes to build a life and career that is, as Molly puts it, human-sized. Drawing on more than two decades of coaching executives at companies like Pixar, Airbnb, DocuSign, and Samsung, Molly shares the patterns she sees most often in high-performing women, and the strategies that help them find their way back to themselves.
What You'll Learn
Website: https://www.projectnextleadership.com
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https...
From the publisher's feed
You’re working hard, caring for everyone else, and managing a thousand details a day - but when was the last time you focused on your finances?
As a woman, you might…
The previous presentation by PEARL PLANNING was intended for general information purposes only. No portion of the presentation serves as the receipt of, or as a substitute for, personalized investment advice from PEARL PLANNING or any other investment professional of your choosing. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy, or any non-investment related or planning services, discussion or content, will be profitable, be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation, or prove successful. Neither PEARL PLANNING’s investment adviser registration status, nor any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed that a certain level of results or satisfaction will be achieved if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. PEARL PLANNING is neither a law firm nor accounting firm, and no portion of its services should be construed as legal or accounting advice. No portion of the video content should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if PEARL PLANNING is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. A copy of PEARL PLANNING’s current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request or at https://pearlplanning.com/

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