Episodes

Today we dive into the meaningful topic of estate planning for families with young children with special guest, Bahar Geslin. Bahar is an estate planning attorney with a unique background in psychology, joins Neela and Mary Beth to shed light on the often overlooked aspects of financial planning for your children's future. From tax planning to guardianship decisions, Bahar shares valuable insights and guidance on how to navigate the complexities of estate planning. Join us as we explore the fear...

Whether you're approaching 60 or you're years away, it's never too early to be curious what retirement might look like. Today, we're joined by financial advisor Barrett Porter to help us explore the concept of retiring early and create a life where work is no longer a necessity. We dive into what options you have for retirement independence, the emotional readiness of actually retiring, and the idea of FIRE – what it truly means to have the option to retire at any moment. Barrett shares insights...

Looking for inspiration to navigate a career transition? On this episode of If Money Were Easy, we're joined by special guest, Susan Olson, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst at Abacus Wealth Partners. Susan shares her inspiring journey of making a career pivot and finding success in an unexpected field. From taking a significant pay cut to feeling overwhelmed in her new role as a financial advisor, Susan's story reminds us of the power of embracing change and l...

On this episode of If Money Were Easy, we'll be diving deep into the fascinating yet challenging topic of self-leadership and "giving yourself permission." Our guest today is Amanda Flisher, who shares a captivating analogy that perfectly captures the process of pursuing our goals – from sitting on the dock, yearning for the future, and taking that brave step into the unknown. We discuss the importance of understanding ourselves, giving ourselves permission to be authentic, and making decisions ...

Today we dive into the unique financial planning needs of the LGBTQ+ community. To navigate this often overlooked area of finance we talk with special guest Christopher Stroup, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with expertise in LGBTQ+ financial planning. Together, we explore the financial implications of marriage, adoption, surrogacy, and estate planning for LGBTQ+ individuals. We'll shed light on the challenges faced, from workplace discrimination to systemic barriers in the insurance industry, a...

AI and ChatGPT are red hot topics, with questions surrounding their effect on many industries, including finance. Mary Beth and Neela explore the current state of AI, how it is revolutionizing the business world and bringing automation and efficiency to financial planning. They weigh the pros and cons of these tools and touch upon the visible impact of AI – particularly in the education industry, where ChatGPT is already a valuable resource for students and educators alike. They highlight the si...

On this episode of If Money Were Easy, Manisha Thakor takes listeners deep into the journey of self-discovery and emotional well-being, guiding them to find financial harmony and contentment in spite of what our complex world demands. Neela and Mary Beth explore with Manisha the importance of living an authentic life and taking time to recharge, as well as using that authentic self as a positive influence in the financial industry. Understanding what drives a toxic relationship with money is a c...

On this episode of If Money Were Easy, Mary Beth Storjohann and Neela Hummel dive into the world of real estate and explore what it takes to become a real estate mogul. They share insight into the role real estate can play in a financial plan and how to maximize it. They address common myths about real estate investing, the benefits and risks of having real estate as part of your portfolio, the potential tax advantages, and how it can be leveraged to create generational wealth. They also explore...

On today's episode of If Money Were Easy, Mary Beth and Neela talk with Raena Boston, Co-founder of the Chamber of Mothers and thought leader in the women's and maternal rights space. Together, they discuss the impact of uniting mothers as advocates for change regarding childcare and paid leave. Raena shares eye-opening statistics about the stark difference in childcare investments between the United States and other countries, urging real federal investment to ensure families aren't burdened by...

On this episode of If Money Were Easy, Mary Beth Storjohann and Neela Hummel take you behind the scenes of what co-leadership looks like and share their unique journey to becoming Co-CEOs of Abacus Wealth Partners. They explore balancing work and family life while also managing their time through delegation and outsourcing. They acknowledge the unconventional nature of their arrangement – discussing the skepticism they faced and the need to explain why collaborative co-leadership was best for th...

As an investor, you are part owner in the company you're invested in, and therefore have the platform to use your voice and advocate for change within that company. But how? Today, Abacus Wealth Partners Director of Impact, Kate Barron-Alicante joins Mary Beth Storjohann and Neela Hummel to discuss how investors can be active owners and engage with the companies they're invested in through shareholder advocacy. She'll share some inspiring stories of when shareholder engagement compelled companie...

Have you ever wondered what influences the financial choices you make? Or why certain habits are so difficult to break? Or why reaching your financial goals seems so easy for some, but difficult for others? Today Mary Beth Storjohann and Neela Hummel talk with Brent Kessel to discuss the eight financial archetypes, The Caretaker, Innocent, Empire Builder, Pleasure Seeker, Guardian, Saver, Idealist, and Star, and the characteristics each archetype brings. Together they explore how to discover whi...

How do financial professionals manage their own money? Do they practice what they preach or make mistakes like everyone else? On today's episode, Neela Hummel and Mary Beth Storjohann get candid about their personal finances, opening up about their strengths, weaknesses, successes, failures, and what they've learned in their careers about managing money as individuals, partners, and parents. They'll also get honest about the nuances of managing finances with their partners, balancing their check...

If you're not careful, money can have an undesirable impact on your life, so it's important to remain mindful and intentional around your finances. But what does that look like exactly? And how do you achieve that when there are so many social challenges surrounding money? On this episode of If Money Were Easy, Mary Beth and Neela talk with Abacus Wealth Partners Co-Founder Spencer Sherman, MBA, CFP® to explore these questions. Spencer shares how to remain mindful around your money and how to ap...

The transition from being married to the single life can be extremely difficult emotionally. Even more challenging, divorcing couples must untangle their finances. But what do you do if you feel finances aren't your strong suit? On today's episode, Mary Beth and Neela welcome Lara Lamb, CFP® to explore what you need to know about protecting your long-term finances during a divorce. Lara is the in-house divorce expert at Abacus Wealth Partners. She's been providing financial planning for over 20 ...

The gender wealth gap demonstrates how much change is still needed in today's business world. This topic is not discussed as frequently as the gender wage gap, but there is a direct correlation between the two. Building on foundational issues raised in our Gender Wage Gap podcast, the gender wealth gap is becoming more of a challenge for women. Listen today to hear Mary Beth Storjohann and Neela Hummel discuss some staggering statistics around the gender wealth gap and what we can do to make a p...

The gender wage gap has always been a thing, but we want to know if it's getting smaller and what (if anything) is being done to close it? Will it be enough? What can companies do to help close this gap and what are some things you (as an employee) can also do? Tune in to today's podcast where co-hosts Mary Beth Storjohann, CFP® and Neela Hummel, CFP® discuss these questions and more. You'll hear about statistics behind the gender wage gap, and how and why it's still around. For additional reso...

Having a conversation about money with your parents can be challenging and uncomfortable. It's a discussion people often put off for far too long, but it's an essential conversation (or series of conversations), especially if your parents' plan is to lean on you financially down the road long after they've retired. So where do you begin? What questions do you ask to help you prepare for a better understanding of where your parents are at financially without being too invasive? Listen to this ep...

So you want to invest your money, but you also want to invest in companies doing good things for the world. Can you do that? Absolutely! You can invest intentionally and help make a change for the better. But how? On this episode of If Money Were Easy, Mary Beth and Neela talk to Lindsey Woodward from Abacus Wealth Partners about ways to invest guided by your values, what your investment options are regarding ESG, socially responsible investing, and impact investing, and how to invest with confi...

Women don't always have it easy when it comes to growing their wealth. Today on the If Money Were Easy podcast, co-hosts Mary Beth Storjohann, CFP® and Neela Hummel, CFP® address some of the unique financial challenges women face, how women can leverage their voices to take more control of their financial future, and explore strategies women can embrace in their 40s, 50s, 60s for growing and protecting their wealth, and how women can approach retirement with a newfound confidence. Growing wealt...

Being a breadwinning woman has its unique challenges. Today Mary Beth Storjohann and Neela Hummel talk about some of these challenges and how to address them. They also explore some of the societal pressures women face and how those can be amplified when you're the family breadwinner. You're not alone if you feel like you're juggling all these demands, so tune in to connect with other women's experiences and see how they've learned to help ease some of these stresses. For additional resources, ...

Welcome to the If Money Were Easy podcast! Co-hosts Mary Beth Storjohann, CFP® and Neela Hummel, CFP® explore timely topics regarding your money, including the wins and losses they've personally experienced along the way. Show guests will include leading authors, business owners, professionals, and many of the in-house financial advisors here at Abacus Wealth Partners, all discussing how to grow your wealth, make an impact with your money, and expand what's possible with your finances. Tune in ...