Her Wealth: Unscripted

When music icons like Dolly Parton and Prince pass away, their legacies extend far beyond their chart-topping hits—they reveal crucial lessons about estate planning. From Prince’s six-year legal battle to Dolly’s intentional, private legacy, how you structure your assets today determines the peace of mind your loved ones experience tomorrow.Have you ever wondered what actually happens to your assets if you pass away without a will or trust? Are you worried that a lack of clear planning could create unnecessary family conflict or public court battles? Or are you unsure how to choose guardians, line up beneficiaries, or keep your financial privacy intact?In this episode, Susan Jones, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Sara Gelsheimer, MBA, CFP® break down the striking contrast between Prince’s multi-million-dollar intestate nightmare and Dolly Parton’s proactive estate design.In this episode, we cover:The Privacy Power of Trusts: How avoiding public probate protects your personal asset details from becoming court records.The High Cost of Intestacy: Why dying without a will leads to multi-year legal disputes, IRS valuation battles, and massive fees.Planning Without Direct Heirs: How women and single individuals can structure meaningful distributions even without natural beneficiaries.Wills vs. Revocable Trusts: Understanding how a trust provides lifetime incapacity protection while a fallback pour-over will captures stray assets.Better Than the State's Plan: Why making imperfect estate decisions today protects your family better than state law defaults.Preserving Family Harmony: How clear estate documentation functions as a final gift to keep loved ones united.If you don't create your estate plan, the state will create one for you—and stepping up to make decisions today is the ultimate act of love for your family.Chapters: 0:00 - Remembering Dolly Parton's Legacy & Impact5:01 - Probate & The Privacy Advantage of Trusts7:18 - Intestacy Laws & Planning Without Direct Heirs9:38 - Prince's Estate Nightmare: IRS Valuations & 6-Year Disputes15:41 - Key Differences: Will vs. Revocable Living Trust18:41 - Managing Lifetime Incapacity with a Trust19:50 - Overcoming Decision Paralysis & Making Today's Choices23:48 - Life & Legacy Memos: Organizing Your Estate Details👋 If this episode resonated, give it a like, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway, and subscribe so you don't miss next week's conversation.📖 Read our blog for more financial insights: https://www.sorellewealthpartners.com/blogHer Wealth: Unscripted is hosted by Susan Jones, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Sara Gelsheimer, MBA, CFP®, co-founders of Sorelle Wealth Partners, a fee-only fiduciary wealth management firm serving women and families navigating divorce, widowhood, retirement, and other major life transitions, with offices in Boca Raton, FL and St. Louis, MO. Learn more at sorellewealthpartners.com.#EstatePlanning #FinancialLegacy #HerWealthUnscripted

Many business owners hand over a massive chunk of their hard-earned revenue to the IRS every year simply because no one ever showed them there was a proactive alternative. Are you relying on reactive tax preparation instead of a forward-looking strategy? Are you paying unnecessary penalties on your quarterly estimates or leaving money on the table by missing deductions?In this episode, Susan Jones and Sara Gelsheimer sit down with CPA and Certified Tax Coach Kimberly Tara to break down how women entrepreneurs can stop chasing revenue, take back their financial power, and build long-term wealth through year-round tax strategy.In this episode, we cover:The Engineering Mindset: How a background in chemical engineering shapes a uniquely analytical, puzzle-solving approach to the tax code.Prep vs. Strategy: Why your traditional tax preparer isn't bringing proactive ideas to the table—and how to engage the right professional.Common Costly Pitfalls: The most frequent tax mistakes small business owners make, including missed quarterly estimated payments and untracked expenses.Hiring Thresholds: Knowing exactly when your profit margin signals it's time to outsource to a dedicated tax strategist.Vetting Financial Pros: Red flags to watch out for and key questions to ask when interviewing CPAs and advisors.The Limits of AI: Why relying on ChatGPT or social media trends for tax advice can lead to costly IRS compliance risks.Stop dreading tax season and take control of your numbers to build real freedom.Kimberly Tara, CPA and Certified Tax Coach, is the founder of the Tara CPA firm. She specializes in proactive, year-round tax strategy that helps female entrepreneurs legally keep more of what they earn and turn their businesses into genuine wealth-building machines. Based in Charlotte, NC, Kimberly combines technical rigor with real-talk entrepreneurial experience to help business owners stop chasing revenue and build true financial freedom.Connect with Kimberly: https://taracpafirm.com/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Introduction & Kimberly’s Unconventional Journey 5:37 - Tax Preparation vs. Proactive Tax Strategy 12:09 - Top 3 Tax Pitfalls Small Business Owners Make17:03 - When Is Your Business Ready for Professional Tax Help?19:21 - How to Vet a CPA and Red Flags to Watch For25:42 - The Pitfalls of Using AI and Social Media for Tax Advice31:54 - Taking Your Power Back as a Business Owner👋 If this episode resonated, give it a like, drop a comment with your biggest tax takeaway, and subscribe so you don't miss next week's conversation. 📖 Read our blog for more financial insights: https://www.sorellewealthpartners.com/blogHer Wealth: Unscripted is hosted by Susan Jones, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Sara Gelsheimer, MBA, CFP®, co-founders of Sorelle Wealth Partners, a fee-only fiduciary wealth management firm serving women and families navigating divorce, widowhood, retirement, and other major life transitions, with offices in Boca Raton, FL and St. Louis, MO. Learn more at sorellewealthpartners.com.#TaxStrategy #WomenInBusiness #HerWealthUnscripted

Discovering that your spouse hasn't been filing your joint tax returns is a terrifying realization that happens far more often than you might think. Beyond the immediate shock, unfiled taxes create serious legal, financial, and credit risks—especially if you're navigating a high-conflict or toxic divorce.Have you ever assumed your partner was taking care of the taxes, only to realize you have no paper trail? Are you worried that signing off on past tax returns might leave you on the hook for money you don't actually owe? Or are you wondering how unfiled returns could impact your ability to buy a house, rent an apartment, or finalize a divorce settlement?In this episode, Susan Jones, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Sara Gelsheimer, MBA, CFP® open up about real-world client scenarios involving non-filing spouses, financial infidelity, and the exact steps you can take to protect yourself and reclaim control.In this episode, we cover:The Root of Procrastination: Why tax filing gets put off and how missing a single year spirals into multi-year non-compliance.The e-Filing Blindspot: How modern electronic filing makes it easier for one spouse to conceal unfiled returns.Innocent Spouse Relief: The strict limitations of IRS relief and why it doesn't apply if no return was ever submitted.Uncovering the Truth: How to request your official IRS transcripts online in ten minutes to verify your filing status.Joint vs. Separate Filing: Evaluating Married Filing Separately versus Married Filing Jointly during a divorce transition.Settlement Protections: How to build tax indemnity language into divorce agreements to recover penalties and interest.Every tax problem is fixable, and stepping out of shame is the very first step toward financial freedom.Chapters:0:00 - Real Client Stories: Unfiled Taxes & Financial Infidelity2:10 - Why Tax Procrastination Happens5:15 - The Division of Labor & The e-Filing Blindspot8:53 - IRS Innocent Spouse Relief Explained10:41 - Should You Sign a Tax Return You Don't Understand?14:09 - How to Pull IRS Transcripts & Uncover Unfiled Returns17:44 - Tax Options During Divorce: Joint vs. Separate Filing21:48 - Removing Shame & Taking Your First Step Forward👋 If this episode resonated, give it a like, drop a comment with your biggest tax takeaway, and subscribe so you don't miss next week's conversation.📖 Read our blog for more financial insights: https://www.sorellewealthpartners.com/blogHer Wealth: Unscripted is hosted by Susan Jones, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Sara Gelsheimer, MBA, CFP®, co-founders of Sorelle Wealth Partners, a fee-only fiduciary wealth management firm serving women and families navigating divorce, widowhood, retirement, and other major life transitions, with offices in Boca Raton, FL and St. Louis, MO. Learn more at sorellewealthpartners.com.#TaxStrategy #DivorceFinances #HerWealthUnscripted

Going through a divorce or losing a spouse comes with a mountain of paperwork — and updating your estate plan is often the thing that falls to the bottom of the list. But one overlooked form can mean your ex-spouse inherits everything you meant for your kids.Have you ever wondered…If your power of attorney is even valid anymore after a divorce?Whether you actually need a trust — or if an attorney is just selling you one?What happens to your retirement account if you never updated the beneficiary?In this episode, Susan and Sara sit down with estate planning attorney Tamara Block to unpack why "just sign here" estate planning fails women — and what to do instead.In this episode, we cover:The beneficiary designation trap — Why a divorce decree doesn't automatically update your retirement accounts or life insurance, and how a six-figure account can end up going to an ex-spouse instead of your kids.Estate planning for solo women — What single, divorced, widowed, or never-married women need to think through differently, from picking a healthcare agent to deciding where a legacy goes without children involved.Married couples aren't exempt — Why "I'm married, so I don't need a power of attorney" is one of the most common and costly myths Tamara hears.The AI and social media myth problem — Why viral "trust loophole" posts and DIY AI legal advice are becoming harder to fact-check, and why they're often just wrong.Why relationships beat templates — What separates a good estate planning attorney (or financial advisor) from a legal-zoom shortcut, and why understanding your documents matters as much as having them.How to actually get started — Tamara's advice for tackling estate planning without getting stuck in overwhelm.The bottom line: an estate plan isn't a one-and-done document — it's something that has to grow and change with your life. And you deserve a professional who takes the time to make sure you understand it.Tamara Block is an attorney with over 25 years of legal experience, licensed in Minnesota, South Dakota, Texas, and Tennessee. Her practice focuses on estate planning, real estate, nonprofits, small business matters, and litigation, with a particular focus on single women navigating divorce, widowhood, or life without children. Learn more at https://www.tamarablockattorney.com/CHAPTERS 0:00 - Meet Tamara Block: estate attorney background and passion for helping women2:06 - Tamara's story: single motherhood and the wake-up call to get her own plan in order4:08 - Why women's longer life expectancy makes estate planning even more critical7:56 - Why updating your estate plan after divorce or widowhood is often overlooked8:24 - The beneficiary designation story: how an ex-spouse inherited a six-figure account13:49 - Estate planning considerations for women without children20:13 - Common estate planning myths: power of attorney, trusts, and "asset protection" schemes22:37 - Why everyone benefits from a financial advisor, not just the wealthy25:18 - Where AI gets legal and financial advice wrong — and why prompts and personalization matter28:09 - Tamara's #1 takeaway for listeners30:15 - How to connect with Tamara Block👋 If this episode gave you something to think about, like, comment, and subscribe — we'd love to hear which myth surprised you most. 📖 Read more on the Sorelle Journal: https://www.sorellewealthpartners.com/blogHer Wealth: Unscripted is hosted by Susan Jones, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Sara Gelsheimer, MBA, CFP®, co-founders of Sorelle Wealth Partners, a fee-only fiduciary wealth management firm serving women and families navigating divorce, widowhood, retirement, and other major life transitions, with offices in Boca Raton, FL and St. Louis, MO. Learn more at sorellewealthpartners.com.#EstatePlanning #DivorceRecovery #HerWealthUnscripted

Ever feel like you're failing at "balance" no matter how hard you try? What if balance was never the right goal to begin with?Have you ever wondered…Why "having it all in balance" feels impossible no matter how organized you are?Whether asking for help means you're not cutting it?How other women seem to build a support system that actually works?In this episode, Susan and Sara sit down with Amy Pierre-Russo — a work-life harmony coach with a background in HR and leadership coaching — to unpack why the idea of "balance" sets women up to feel shame, and what to pursue instead. It's a conversation about redefining support, reclaiming your time, and giving yourself permission to focus on one thing at a time.In this episode, we cover:The harmony reframe: Why "balance" assumes everything carries equal weight — and why that's a myth that sets women up to fail.Where the shame really comes from: Amy breaks down how societal norms and unrealistic expectations get quietly "adopted" as our own.Why asking for help is so hard: How jumping into new roles too fast can make us forget to pause and figure out what we actually need.The financial side of support: Why paying for help isn't a failure — it's a strategic investment in your time and your business.Building your village on purpose: The data behind why women with strong female networks earn more and hold higher-level titles.Living in your zone of genius: How to know what to delegate, automate, or eliminate — and why that's not selfish, it's smart.At the end of the day, harmony isn't about doing it all — it's about knowing what matters most right now, and giving yourself grace for the rest.Chapters:0:00 - Welcome & introducing Amy Pierre-Russo1:12 - Amy's path from HR to work-life harmony coaching3:34 - Reframing "balance" as "harmony"6:24 - Where mom-shame really comes from11:06 - Why it's so hard to ask for help13:29 - The financial case for buying back your time17:13 - The power of women's networks (65% stat)20:06 - Focusing on "one priority" without guilt22:55 - Working in your zone of genius26:57 - Including your kids in your work33:32 - Amy's challenge + free resourceAmy Pierre-Russo is a work-life harmony coach with a decade-plus background in HR and leadership coaching. Through one-on-one coaching and community, Amy helps women — especially moms — build intentional systems of support so they can show up fully at work and at home. Connect with Amy on LinkedIn (Amy Pierre-Russo) or Instagram (@coaching_w_amy).👋 If this episode resonated, give it a like, drop a comment about what "harmony" looks like for you, and subscribe so you don't miss next week's conversation.📖 Explore more on the Sorelle Journal: https://www.sorellewealthpartners.com/blogHer Wealth: Unscripted is hosted by Susan Jones, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Sara Gelsheimer, MBA, CFP®, co-founders of Sorelle Wealth Partners, a fee-only fiduciary wealth management firm serving women and families navigating divorce, widowhood, retirement, and other major life transitions, with offices in Boca Raton, FL and St. Louis, MO. Learn more at sorellewealthpartners.com.#WorkLifeHarmony #WorkingMoms #HerWealthUnscripted