When divorce puts the future of your home into question, the biggest risk is making decisions before you fully understand your options.

In this episode, I sit down with Stacey Ellison, Certified Divorce Lending Professional and Divorce Mortgage Planner at Divorce Mortgage Solutions, to walk through how mortgage planning, settlement language, and income rules can shape what is actually possible when it comes to keeping a home.

We talk through how assets, support payments, and loan strategies factor into qualification, especially for women navigating this transition later in life. We also address the emotional pull of the family home and how to balance that with long-term financial stability.

Key takeaways:

• Why divorce mortgage planning should happen before the settlement agreement is finalized
• How settlement language can affect whether support, assets, or other funds count as qualifying income
• What options may be available when someone wants to keep the house, including loan assumptions, FHA, and asset depletion strategies
• Why emotions around the marital home can lead to costly decisions if long-term affordability is not considered
• How women going through gray divorce can use retirement income, Social Security, and other assets to qualify more effectively
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap
• 2026 Tax and Retirement Planning Cheat Sheet

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube

Connect with Stacey Ellison:

• (908) 229-2705
• LinkedIn: Stacey Ellison
• Website: Divorce Mortgage Solutions
• Instagram: Divorce Mortgage Solutions
• Facebook: Stacey Ellison, Certified Divorce Lending Professional

About our Guest:

Stacey Ellison, CDLP®, is a Certified Divorce Lending Professional and Divorce Mortgage Planner with a deep understanding of the financial complexities that arise during and after divorce. With over 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Stacey brings a unique blend of technical knowledge and compassionate guidance to individuals navigating one of life’s most challenging transitions.

Since earning her CDLP® designation in 2020, Stacey has worked closely with family law attorneys, mediators, financial planners, and other divorce professionals to provide strategic mortgage guidance tailored to each client’s needs. Her role is to ensure that both parties in a divorce understand their options when it comes to home equity, mortgage qualification, and long-term housing goals. Whether helping a client determine if they can keep the marital home, qualify for a new mortgage, or explore equitable buyout solutions, Stacey provides clarity, structure, and confidence in the decision-making process. Her goal is to help divorcing homeowners make sound financial choices that support both their immediate needs and long-term stability.

When life feels noisy, the real issue is not always a lack of time; it is often a lack of clarity.

The biggest decisions in life rarely get solved by doing more. They get solved by cutting through the clutter, focusing on what matters most, and taking one small step at a time.

In this episode, I talk with Jill Beck, founder of Go Long, about why so many women stay stuck during major life transitions and how accountability, clarity, and small actions can help them move forward. Jill shares her own path out of high-pressure corporate life, why women often put themselves last, and how her text-based coaching helps make hard changes feel more manageable.

Key takeaways:

• How Jill’s health journey and corporate experience led her to help women through major transitions
• Why fear, perfection, and helping others can keep women from facing the changes they need to make
• How text-based accountability can make hard decisions feel more manageable
• The value of narrowing your focus, understanding your why, and being willing to get uncomfortable
• Why breaking a big task into smaller steps can reduce overwhelm and create momentum
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap
• Ultimate Guide to Women’s Social Security Success

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube

Connect with Jill Beck:

• LinkedIn: Jill Beck
• Website: Go Long
• Instagram: @justgolong
• Substack: Go Long
• YouTube: Go Long

About our Guest:

Jill Beck worked at one of the top investment banks, traveled extensively, and built what many would describe as a dream career.

Behind the scenes, she was exhausted, overwhelmed, and neglecting her own well-being. She was working 90+ hour weeks, skipping meals, relying heavily on Diet Coke, and getting very little sleep.

Even after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, she continued pushing forward. She told herself she would focus on her health when things slowed down, but that moment never came.

It was not until she reached a breaking point that she realized something had to change. She began making small, intentional adjustments, focusing on what she could do instead of trying to meet every expectation at once.

Today, at 53, she is in the best shape of her life. She takes active vacations with her husband, hikes regularly, and wakes up feeling energized about her day.

What made the difference was not a complete overhaul overnight. It came from simplifying, focusing, and creating space for herself without guilt.

Now, she helps others take a similar approach through practical, personalized steps that align with their life, goals, and priorities.

Many women approaching retirement worry that Social Security may not be there when they need it most. That uncertainty can make retirement planning feel overwhelming.

But what do the numbers actually say?

In this episode, I break down the real projections behind Social Security and what they mean for women approaching retirement. I explain why benefits are not expected to disappear, how potential reductions could work, and how to plan conservatively without making decisions based on fear. Most importantly, I walk through how Social Security fits into the broader retirement income puzzle.

Key Points:

• Why Social Security is projected to continue paying benefits even if the trust fund faces depletion
• What the projected 81% funding level actually means for future benefits
• Why Social Security remains a foundational piece of retirement income for many women
• How to stress test your retirement plan with a possible 20% benefit reduction
• How Social Security should fit into your broader retirement income strategy
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap
• What’s New with Social Security? 8 Topics to Watch in 2026
• The 2025 OASDI Trustees Report

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube

Many people ask whether retiring early will help them live longer. The real conversation is much bigger than that.

Statistics and social media posts often push simple conclusions, but retirement decisions are rarely simple. Health, caregiving responsibilities, longevity, and financial readiness all play a role.

In this episode, I explore a study about retirement timing and longevity and explain why statistics alone should never guide your retirement decisions. I walk through how planning, financial preparedness, and understanding what you are retiring to matter far more than the age you stop working. The conversation also highlights why women in particular must plan for longer retirements and how reducing financial stress can influence both physical and emotional well-being.

Key Points:

• Why statistics about retirement and longevity can be misleading
• The difference between retiring early and being prepared for retirement
• How health and caregiving responsibilities influence retirement timing
• Why women must plan for longer retirements and financial longevity
• The importance of knowing what you are retiring to, not just when you retire
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap
• Article: Is Delayed Retirement Bad for Your Health?
• Ultimate Guide to Women’s Social Security Success

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube

Many women enter retirement assuming life insurance is no longer necessary, only to discover that the real issue is not coverage, but access to cash when it matters most.

In this episode, I walk through how the purpose of life insurance changes as you approach and enter retirement. I explain why the real question is not whether you should keep a policy, but what risks still exist in your plan. I share practical examples involving pensions, Social Security, mortgages, estate taxes, and the desire not to burden your children. I also outline how to evaluate existing policies and determine whether term or permanent coverage fits your situation.

Key points:

• How life insurance shifts from income replacement during working years to liquidity planning in retirement
• Why retirement accounts and investment assets may create tax or timing challenges at death
• The risks of losing pension or Social Security income for a surviving spouse
• Why adding a child as a joint owner on accounts is rarely the right solution
• How to determine the right type and amount of coverage based on risk, not product
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap
• #11 – Unlocking the Secrets of Long-Term Care with Dina Mabry
• #93 – Life Settlements Explained: Turning Life Insurance into Opportunity
• What Issues Should I Consider When Reviewing My Existing Life Insurance Policy?
• 2026 Tax and Retirement Planning Cheat Sheet

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube

Choosing a financial advisor is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as you approach retirement, especially if you’re navigating it on your own.

Yet many women don’t realize how much clarity and confidence can come from simply asking the right questions before committing to a long-term relationship.

In this episode, I walk through seven essential questions every woman should consider before hiring or changing a financial advisor. We discuss why so many women change advisors after losing a spouse, how to evaluate an advisor’s process, and what to listen for when recommendations are presented. I also explain why retirement income planning, Social Security strategy, and tax coordination require a different level of focus than simply saving for retirement, and how to think about value beyond just the advisory fee.

• Why the commonly cited statistic about women changing advisors highlights the need for better conversations
• The importance of understanding an advisor’s process before agreeing to work together
• How to evaluate whether recommendations truly align with your goals, values, and concerns
• Why retirement income planning, Social Security, and tax strategy require specialized focus
• How to assess value beyond fees, including adaptability, communication, and long-term partnership
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube

Many retirees unknowingly walk away from life insurance policies without realizing they may still hold value. For women navigating retirement, widowhood, or major life changes, understanding every available option can make a meaningful difference.

In this episode, I talk with Lisa Rehburg, President of Rehburg Life Insurance Settlements, about how life insurance settlements work and why they are often misunderstood or overlooked. We explore when this strategy may be appropriate, how it fits into retirement planning, and why timing and education matter. Lisa also explains the legal foundation, tax considerations, and the role advisors play in helping clients make informed decisions.

This conversation is about awareness, asking better questions, and making thoughtful choices before letting a policy lapse or be surrendered.

Key takeaways:

• Why many seniors let life insurance policies lapse and what may be missed
• How life insurance settlements work and when they may apply
• Legal foundations behind selling a life insurance policy
• Tax considerations and the importance of coordinating with professionals
• How this option may help fund retirement or long-term care needs
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap
• The Simply Retirement Community Facebook Group
• 2026 Tax and Retirement Planning Cheat Sheet
• Life Insurance Settlement Association (LISA)

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube

Connect with Lisa Rehburg:

• LinkedIn: Lisa Rehburg
• Website: Rehburg Life Insurance Settlements
• Facebook: Rehburg Life Insurance Settlements

About our Guest:

Lisa Rehburg is President of Rehburg Life Insurance Settlements, a life insurance settlements broker. Ms. Rehburg is passionate about assisting financial, insurance, legal, and non-profit professionals to help their clients benefit from their unwanted or unneeded life insurance policies. Lisa has been in the health and life insurance industries for over 30 years. She has presented to hundreds of organizations, including various Financial Planning Associations, Fiduciary Associations, Estate Planning Councils, Planned Giving Roundtables, NAPFA, NAIFA, and Health Underwriters Associations, to raise the visibility of life insurance settlements as an option for clients, when appropriate. She has held executive roles at carriers, general agencies, and TPAs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance and a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Development.

RMDs are one of those retirement rules that feel simple on the surface, until the tax consequences show up years later.

In this episode, I walk through what required minimum distributions are, when they start, and why missing or mismanaging them can quietly raise taxes, Medicare costs, and long-term financial stress. I explain how planning early creates flexibility, especially for women navigating retirement transitions, widowhood, or income changes. We also cover practical strategies that can help reduce the tax impact without turning retirement upside down.

Key takeaways:

• How required minimum distributions work and when they begin under current law
• The penalties and long-term damage caused by missed or unplanned RMDs
• How RMDs can increase taxes on Social Security and Medicare premiums
• Using qualified charitable distributions to reduce taxable income
• Timing strategies like Roth conversions and filling lower tax brackets
• And more!

Resources:

• Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap
• www.thesimplyretirementpodcast.com/RMD
• #52 – I Have Inherited an IRA—Now What? 5 Steps to Avoid Costly Mistakes
• #73 – Roth IRAs and Retirement: What You Need to Know
• #91 – 2026 Retirement Contributions Explained: How to Prioritize Accounts & Help Reduce Lifetime Taxes

Connect with Eric Blake:

• www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
• Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
• Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
• Blake Wealth Management
• YouTube

This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax advice. Converting to a Roth IRA is a taxable event and may increase your current-year tax liability. Roth conversions cannot be undone. Individuals should consult a qualified tax professional regarding their specific circumstances.