Get Ready: Before Life Happens Podcast

Tony Steuer
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Tony Steuer is a Financial Readiness Advocate, award-winning author, and host of Get Ready: Before Life Happens. Drawing on nearly 40 years of experience in insurance, financial education, and consumer advocacy, he helps people create their in-case-of-emergency plan, ask better questions, recognize red flags, and prepare before life happens.On this channel, you’ll find conversations with experts, authors, advocates, educators, and other trusted voices, along with practical ideas about financial readiness, life transitions, insurance, consumer protection, scams, and better money decisions.Create your own in-case-of-emergency plan when you Start your free Financial Readiness Plan at tonysteuer.com.  Support Get Ready: Help keep the Financial Readiness Plan free and support the podcast, trusted resources, and consumer-first financial education. Become a Get Ready Insider for $5/month at tonysteuer.com/support.

  1. 3h ago ·  Video

    How to Build the Retirement That’s Right for You

    Send us Fan Mail How can a clear view of your money help you build the future you want? Barry Cothran joined me on Get Ready Before Life Happens to talk about why many people have a visibility problem rather than an income problem when thinking about retirement and how a written financial plan can replace uncertainty with knowledge and hope. Key takeaways 🔹 Start by understanding where your money goes. 🔹 Define the retirement lifestyle that matters to you. 🔹 Calculate your own retirement number instead of chasing someone else’s. 🔹 Small steps, such as automatically increasing savings by 1% each year can make a meaningful difference. 🔹 A budget gives you permission to spend on what matters 🔹 It is never too late to begin saving and investing Tony’s Take: A financial plan should help you see what is possible. When you understand where you are, what matters to you, and what your future may require, you can make informed decisions without measuring your life against someone else’s number. Connect with Barry Cothran: Vision and Hope Planner Website: www.visionandhopellc.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrycothran/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/visionandhopefinancial/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/visionandhopefinancial/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VisionandHopeFinancial Bio:  Barry Cothran is a financial educator and entrepreneur who helps individuals and families gain clarity and control over their financial future. As the founder of Vision and Hope® Financial, he developed a practical personal financial planning system built in Microsoft Excel that transforms complex financial decisions into clear, actionable insight. Barry’s perspective is grounded in real experience. He went from $85K in debt to building a seven-figure portfolio through disciplined saving and investing in a 401(k) plan. Today, he teaches others how to replace confusion with confidence and build a financial plan they can follow. For almost two decades, Barry has served as a trusted business analyst and consultant to the United States Department of War working with numerous companies on more than half-a billion dollars in government-funded programs. Corporate executives around the world have called on his keen business insight for business strategy and growth ideas. 👉 Start Your Financial Readiness Plan: A free, practical plan that helps you create your in-case-of-emergency Financial First Aid Kit, organize what matters, and prepare before life happens. Start Your Free Financial Readiness Plan  https://www.tonysteuer.com 👉 Support Get Ready. Become a Get Ready Insider and help keep the Financial Readiness Plan free, support the podcast, trusted resources, and consumer-first financial education. You’ll receive access to the Get Ready Library. Support Get Ready here. www.tonysteuer.com/support Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  2. 23h ago ·  Video

    Why Human Connection Matters in the Age of AI

    Send us Fan Mail How can AI create more time for the human connections that help businesses grow? Derrick Kinney joined me on this episode of Get Ready Before Life Happens to talk about using technology to create more time for clients and customers and focusing that time on the problems they want help solving. While AI can make businesses more efficient, human connection helps people feel understood. While the conversation centers on financial advisors, the lessons apply to anyone who serves others: understand the problem, communicate simply, and become the person who truly gets them. Key takeaways Use AI to create more time for people.Ask clients and customers about their comfort level with AI.Lead with the problem you solve, not your products or services.Explain your value in clear, relatable language.Reflect on why your best clients chose to work with you.Be human. People connect with people who feel real.Tony’s Take: AI can provide information and improve efficiency. The opportunity for anyone serving clients or customers is to add context, understand what matters, and become a trusted voice who walks alongside them. Connect with Derrick Kinney: Website: SuccessForAdvisors.comWebsite: www.derrickkinney.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derrickkinney/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derricktkinneyBooks: Good Money Revolution: How to Make More Money to Do More Good (Amazon)  Master the Media to Attract Your Ideal Clients: A Personal Marketing System for Financial Professionals (Amazon)  Bio:  Derrick Kinney is changing how you feel about money. He believes money is not bad and good people should have more of it. Derrick is the author of the Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY national bestseller, Good Money Revolution.  After applying these proven principles with thousands of clients, Derrick sold his multimillion-dollar financial advisory business to teach these success principles to all financial advisors. As CEO of Success for Advisors, Derrick and his team teach independent financial advisors a 5-step marketing framework to build 7-figure businesses that impact the world. Known for making complex financial and business topics easy to understand, Derrick has been interviewed on CNBC, FOX News, CNN, FOX Business, Yahoo Finance!, PBS, Wall Street Journal, among others. As host of the top-rated Good Money podcast, he inspires business owners and entrepreneurs to make more money to do more good. His guests include Matthew McConaughey, Mel Robbins, Ed Mylett, Jon Gordon, Daymond John, and Sharon McMahon. Recently Derrick set a big goal to positively impact one-million teens by giving them money, business, and life skills that aren’t taught in schools. As a passion project, he founded SimpleTeenSuccess.com, a new online program for teens to become money and business smart, build trust with adults, and stand out for the best opportunities. 👉 Start Your Financial Readiness Plan: A free, practical plan that helps you create your in-case-of-emergency Financial First Aid Kit, organize what matters, and prepare before life happens. Start Your Free Financial Readiness Plan  https://www.tonysteuer.com 👉 Support Get Ready. Become a Get Ready Insider and help keep the Financial Readiness Plan free, support the podcast, trusted resources, and consumer-first financial education. You’ll receive access to the Get Ready Library. Support Get Ready here. www.tonysteuer.com/support Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  3. 3d ago ·  Video

    Making Financial Planning Work for Women

    Send us Fan Mail Women need financial planning that reflects real life. Cary Carbonaro, author and CFP joined me on the Get Ready Before Life Happens podcast to talk about making financial planning work better for women. Cary shares why advisors need to listen first, educate clearly, and understand the real-life path behind the plan. Key Takeaways Financial planning starts with listening and rapport.AI can provide answers, but financial confidence still takes human support.Women need to be active participants in money decisions.Women’s financial paths often include caregiving, career breaks, and life transitions.Traditional planning tools often miss women’s real-life experiences.Advisors need to understand the emotions behind the numbers.Education and empowerment help clients make decisions with confidence. Tony’s Take: Financial planning should fit the person. Women need planning conversations that reflect their real lives, their questions, and their future choices. Connect with Cary Carbonaro, CFP: Website (here)LinkedIn (here)Facebook (here)Instagram (here)X (here) Books: The Money Queen's Guide: For Women Who Want to Build Wealth and Banish Fear (Bookshop)Women and Wealth: A Playbook to Empower Clients and Unlock Their Fortune (Bookshop) Cary’s article that was the basis for this episode:  What is the total wealth gap for women based on caregiving, longevity, the pay gap? (Read on LinkedIn)  Bio:  Cary Carbonaro is an award-winning Certified Financial Planner™ with over 25 years of experience. She is the Managing Wealth Advisor and Women and Wealth Ambassador at Ashton Thomas, where she leads a multimillion-dollar financial planning practice focused on empowering women. Cary is the bestselling author of The Money Queen’s Guide and Women and Wealth: A Playbook to Empower Clients and Unlock Their Fortune, which offers actionable strategies for better serving women in financial services. Wealth Management listed it in the TOP Books of 2025 for Financial Advisors. A respected industry voice, she’s been named to Investopedia’s Top 100 Financial Advisors list six times and is the first female member of the 2024 Nasdaq Advisor Council. She was named 2025 DEI Trailblazer of the Year by Investment News.  She has been a CFP Board Ambassador for over a decade.  Through speaking, media appearances, and advocacy, Cary champions financial literacy and female empowerment. 👉 Start Your Financial Readiness Plan: A free, practical plan that helps you create your in-case-of-emergency Financial First Aid Kit, organize what matters, and prepare before life happens. Start Your Free Financial Readiness Plan  https://www.tonysteuer.com 👉 Support Get Ready. Become a Get Ready Insider and help keep the Financial Readiness Plan free, support the podcast, trusted resources, and consumer-first financial education. You’ll receive access to the Get Ready Library. Support Get Ready here. www.tonysteuer.com/support Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  4. Oct 2 ·  Video

    How to Create Your Forever Paycheck

    Send us Fan Mail Retirement confidence grows when your savings become reliable income. Jean Chatzky joined me on the Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast to talk about her new book, The Forever Paycheck. Jean explains why retirement planning needs to move beyond accumulation and focus on turning savings into income that can last for life. This conversation is about decumulation, annuities, spending confidence, women and retirement, values, and creating more freedom in the years ahead. Key Takeaways Retirement planning should help turn savings into reliable income.Running out of money is one of the biggest retirement fears.Switching to spending after a lifetime of savings can feel uncomfortable.Retirement income often comes from a maze of accounts.A forever paycheck can help simplify decumulation.Annuities can provide guarantees through risk pooling.Retirement decisions should reflect personal values and shared conversations.Women need to be engaged in retirement planning today. Tony’s Take After years of saving, spending can feel like the hardest part. A forever paycheck helps reframe the question: How can my money support the life I want for as long as I live? 👉 Start Your Financial Readiness Plan: A free, practical plan that helps you create your in-case-of-emergency Financial First Aid Kit, organize what matters, and prepare before life happens. Start Your Free Financial Readiness Plan  https://www.tonysteuer.com 👉 Support Get Ready. Become a Get Ready Insider and help keep the Financial Readiness Plan free, support the podcast, trusted resources, and consumer-first financial education. You’ll receive access to the Get Ready Library. Support Get Ready here. www.tonysteuer.com/support Connect with Jean Chatzky: Website: https://jeanchatzky.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanchatzky/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeanchatzky/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeanChatzky/ Connect with Her Money: Website: www.hermoney.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hermoneymedia/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hermoneymedia Books:   The Forever Paycheck: The New Retirement Strategy to Spend More, Worry Less, and Never Run Out of Money (Amazon)How to Money: Your Ultimate Visual Guide to the Basics of Finance (Amazon)Women with Money: The Judgment-Free Guide to Creating the Joyful, Less Stressed, Purposeful (and, Yes, Rich) Life You Deserve (Amazon)Money Rules: The Simple Path to Lifelong Security (Amazon)Talking Money: Everything You Need to Know About Your Finances and Your Future (Amazon)Pay It Down!: Debt-Free on $10 a Day (Amazon)AgeProof: Living Longer Without Running Out of Money or Breaking a Hip (Amazon)Money 911: Your Most Pressing Money Questions Answered, Your Money Emergencies Solved – A Lifesaving Guide to Managing Life-Altering Financial Events (Amazon)Not Your Parents' Money Book: Making, Saving, and Spending Your Money (Amazon)Make Money, Not Excuses: Wake Up, Take Charge, and Overcome Your Financial Fears Forever (Amazon)The Difference: How Anyone Can Prosper in Even The Toughest Times (Amazon)The Ten Commandments of Financial Happiness: Feel Richer with What You've Got (Amazon) Podcast: Her Money Podcast: https://hermoney.com/t/podcasts/ Resources mentioned: Invest for Better website (here). Check out my conversation with Invest For Better Founder: Janine Firpo on the Get Ready Before Life Happens podcast: Invest In Alignment With Your Values (here) Bio:  Jean Chatzky is the founder and CEO of HerMoney and the host of “HerMoney With Jean Chatzky.” Jean is a columnist for AARP, a coach on the PBS TV show Opportunity Knocks and a research fellow with the LIMRA Retirement Income Institute. Previously, she spent 25 years as the Financial Editor on NBC's Today Show and was a contributor to Oprah. Jean is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster, a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, and a fierce advocate for financial literacy. Her latest book is The Forever Paycheck: The New Retirement Strategy to Spend More, Worry Less and Never Run Out Of Money.  Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  5. Oct 1 ·  Video

    How to Have Better Money Conversations

    Send us Fan Mail Better money conversations start with curiosity, structure, and a willingness to learn together. Sheila Schroeder, author of “It’s Time to Talk: A Woman’s Guide to Navigating Money Conversations” joined me on the Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast to share practical ways to start money conversations and create a safe place to ask questions,  and understand each other’s money stories with partners, parents, siblings, advisors, and family members.  Key Takeaways:  Money conversations work better when people understand their own money story.Couples make stronger plans when both partners are part of the conversation.Regular money dates create structure, clarity, and connection.Advisors can help by making space for both partners to ask questions.Family money conversations work best with listening, calm, and boundaries.Talking about money helps loved ones step in when life changes.Today is a good day to ask the money question on your mind. Tony’s Take: When families avoid talking about money, they often end up making decisions from assumptions. When they talk with structure, curiosity, and openness, they can make better choices together. Connect with Sheila Schroeder: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilaschroeder/Instagram:  @SheilaSchroederMoneyTalkss Books: It's Time to Talk: A Woman's Guide to Navigating Money Conversations (Amazon)  Bio:  Sheila Schroeder is the author of It’s Time to Talk: A Woman’s Guide to Navigating Money Conversations (Wiley, 2025), a practical, step-by-step guide that helps women build confidence in financial management and navigate the money conversations that shape careers, relationships, and long-term security. Drawing on decades of experience in finance, she pairs clear guidance and suggested scripts with real-life stories to help women move past stigma and speak about money with clarity and confidence.  Alongside her writing, Sheila is a Business Development Consultant and Head of Business Development for the West Coast at Wealthspire Advisors, where she connects clients with the firm’s expertise to build thoughtful, values-aligned financial strategies. She brings more than 25 years of financial services experience and regularly leads financial literacy workshops and speaks on financial empowerment.  👉 Start Your Financial Readiness Plan: A free, practical plan that helps you create your in-case-of-emergency Financial First Aid Kit, organize what matters, and prepare before life happens. Start Your Free Financial Readiness Plan  https://www.tonysteuer.com 👉 Support Get Ready. Become a Get Ready Insider and help keep the Financial Readiness Plan free, support the podcast, trusted resources, and consumer-first financial education. You’ll receive access to the Get Ready Library. Support Get Ready here. www.tonysteuer.com/support Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  6. Sep 29 ·  Video

    How to Help Your Parents As They Age

    Send us Fan Mail Helping parents as they age starts with better conversations, clearer plans, and realistic expectations. Elliott Appel, founder of Kindness Financial Planning and author of How to Help Your Parents As They Age joined me on the Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast to share practical ways families can talk about aging, understand wishes, organize documents, plan for care, and set healthy boundaries.  Key Takeaways Aging plans work best when conversations start early.Parents’ wishes, values, and goals deserve clear discussion.Caregiving works better with realistic expectations and shared roles.Healthy boundaries help families support each other with clarity.Care costs should be researched before care is needed.Legal documents and elder care planning create better options.Regular communication helps families prepare and adjust as needs change. Tony’s Take: Caregiving is a journey, it’s a series of decisions. The families who are best prepared usually have the conversations early. They understand wishes, organize documents, talk about care options, and know what each person can realistically do.  Connect with Elliott Appel, CFP®, CLU®, RLP®: Website: https://kindnessfp.com/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/elliottappelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kindnessfp Books:  How to Help Your Parents As They AgeMoney Lessons for Change: What They Should Have Taught You in School (Amazon) Podcasts and media:  Elliott Appel: YouTube (here)Me and Money Podcast with Elliott Appel and Matt Fizell: (Apple Podcasts) Resources Mentioned: Carescout Cost of Care Calculator and Survey (here)  The Aging Plan Every Family Needs with Anna Lee Kruger on the Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast (here)  How To Create An Aging Plan That Works with Carol Chiang on the Get Ready Before Life Happens Podcast (here) Bios:  Elliott Appel, CFP®, CLU®, RLP® is a fee-only, fiduciary financial planner and the founder of Kindness Financial Planning, LLC, which focuses on helping widows, caregivers, and retirees gain control of their financial life. Outside of the office, Elliott enjoys playing tennis, hiking, biking, and photography.  👉 Start Your Financial Readiness Plan: A free, practical plan that helps you create your in-case-of-emergency Financial First Aid Kit, organize what matters, and prepare before life happens. Start Your Free Financial Readiness Plan  https://www.tonysteuer.com 👉 Support Get Ready. Become a Get Ready Insider and help keep the Financial Readiness Plan free, support the podcast, trusted resources, and consumer-first financial education. You’ll receive access to the Get Ready Library. Support Get Ready here. www.tonysteuer.com/support Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  7. Sep 25 ·  Video

    How to Build a Better Relationship With Money

    Send us Fan Mail Your relationship with money shapes how you think, feel, give, and make decisions. Ellen Rogin, CPA, CFP®, Author, Speaker and consultant joined me on Get Ready Before Life Happens to talk about building a healthier, more intentional relationship with money. Ellen shares how money beliefs are formed, why early money memories matter, and how generosity, visualization, and self-awareness can create more confidence and possibility. Key Takeaways Your relationship with money influences every financial decision.Early money memories can shape beliefs that guide your choices.A belief can be examined, questioned, and updated.Confidence grows when people understand their money story.Generosity can support happiness, purpose, and prosperity.Visualization helps people connect money with meaningful goals.Advisors can create calm by listening beyond the numbers. Tony’s Take: Money is personal before it is technical. The numbers matter, but they rarely tell the whole story. Our beliefs, memories, fears, hopes, and habits shape how we make decisions. Connect with Ellen Rogin, CPA, CFP LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenrogin/Website: https://www.ellenrogin.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EllenRogin Books:   Messages from Money: How to Stress Less, Prosper More, and Reshape Your Relationship with Money by Ellen Rogin (Amazon) Picture Your Prosperity: Smart Money Moves to Turn Your Vision into Reality by Ellen Rogin and Lisa Kueng (Amazon) Bio:  Ellen Rogin, CPA, CFP®, is a money expert, intuitive, and New York Times best-selling author of Picture Your Prosperity and the Amazon best-seller Messages from Money: How to Stress Less, Prosper More, and Reshape Your Relationship with Money. A former financial advisor, Ellen combines deep financial and business expertise with a strong intuitive ability that helps people see their financial lives, opportunities, and next stage of success with a deeper level of clarity. Ellen works with successful individuals and organizations who sense there is more available to them and want to see money, opportunities, and what’s next from a deeper perspective, revealing new possibilities and a more aligned path forward. Ellen is a sought-after speaker, consultant, and TEDx presenter whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Money, Time.com, and Forbes.com. 👉 Start Your Financial Readiness Plan: A free, practical plan that helps you create your in-case-of-emergency Financial First Aid Kit, organize what matters, and prepare before life happens. Start Your Free Financial Readiness Plan  https://www.tonysteuer.com 👉 Support Get Ready. Become a Get Ready Insider and help keep the Financial Readiness Plan free, support the podcast, trusted resources, and consumer-first financial education. You’ll receive access to the Get Ready Library. Support Get Ready here. www.tonysteuer.com/support Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

  8. Sep 24 ·  Video

    Retirement Is More Than Money

    Send us Fan Mail Retirement is a life transition, not just a financial event.  In this episode, Tony Steuer talks with Andrea Maizes, author of Your Next Edit, about planning for life after work with intention. Andrea shares why retirement often involves identity, purpose, connection, time, family expectations, and experimentation. Her message is clear: do not wait until you retire to figure out what comes next. Key Takeaways Retirement is a life transition that unfolds over time.Life planning deserves as much attention as financial planning.Work can provide identity, purpose, structure, and connection.A strong next chapter starts with something meaningful to move toward.Testing new interests before retirement builds confidence.Clear conversations with family create better expectations.Your next edit can grow through small steps, patience, and curiosity. Tony’s Take: Retirement is about more than having enough money. Money gives you options, but it does not automatically create purpose, connection, or joy. Your next chapter is not something you have to solve all at once. You can test, learn, adjust, and build your next edit before life happens. Connect with Andrea Maizes, ACC, CPRC: Website: https://www.andreamaizes.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreamaizes/Substack: The Next Edit: https://thenextedit.substack.com Book: "Your Next Edit": 30 Thought-Provoking Exercises to Build the Retirement of Your Dreams (Amazon)  Bio:  Andrea Maizes is an executive transition coach and former Chief Human Resources Officer with more than 30 years of experience leading global organizations. Today she helps high-achieving professionals navigate one of life’s most underestimated transitions — life after the title. She is the author of Your Next Edit and creator of The Next Edit newsletter, where she writes about identity, reinvention, and designing the next chapter after high achievement. Andrea works with founders, CEOs, and senior leaders navigating retirement, reinvention, and major life transitions. 👉 Start Your Financial Readiness Plan: A free, practical plan that helps you create your in-case-of-emergency Financial First Aid Kit, organize what matters, and prepare before life happens. Start Your Free Financial Readiness Plan  https://www.tonysteuer.com 👉 Support Get Ready. Become a Get Ready Insider and help keep the Financial Readiness Plan free, support the podcast, trusted resources, and consumer-first financial education. You’ll receive access to the Get Ready Library. Support Get Ready here. www.tonysteuer.com/support Support the show The Get Ready Money Podcast and its guests do not provide investment advice. All content is for educational purposes. Guest opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Get Ready Money Podcast and Tony Steuer.

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About

Tony Steuer is a Financial Readiness Advocate, award-winning author, and host of Get Ready: Before Life Happens. Drawing on nearly 40 years of experience in insurance, financial education, and consumer advocacy, he helps people create their in-case-of-emergency plan, ask better questions, recognize red flags, and prepare before life happens.On this channel, you’ll find conversations with experts, authors, advocates, educators, and other trusted voices, along with practical ideas about financial readiness, life transitions, insurance, consumer protection, scams, and better money decisions.Create your own in-case-of-emergency plan when you Start your free Financial Readiness Plan at tonysteuer.com.  Support Get Ready: Help keep the Financial Readiness Plan free and support the podcast, trusted resources, and consumer-first financial education. Become a Get Ready Insider for $5/month at tonysteuer.com/support.

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