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A few months ago, “Evergreen Legacy Law” popped up in my Instagram feed. Sara Lyons was talking about her work as an estate planning attorney, and something about her calm, approachable presence made me stop scrolling and listen. You know I LOVE estate planning! I checked out her followers and discovered we had a mutual connection, Casey McKee, and immediately messaged Casey to ask if she knew Sara. Her response? “Yes!! She is fabulous...You will love her!! She has a bi

Last Friday, I had an incredible experience speaking at the “Power Your Potential” Women’s Conference, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Montgomery County. But guess what? It almost didn’t happen. I seriously considered bailing several times. Let’s just say public speaking has had me absolutely terrified. But when I was asked to lead a breakout session, I was so thrilled that I blurted out, “Of course I’ll speak!” Then I hung up and thought, “What the heck

Back in March, I wrote about being the “CFO of your life.” Not because you need to become a financial expert, but because when you start paying attention to your finances, something powerful happens. You gain clarity. You build confidence. And that puts you in control to live the life you want…and deserve. And one way to do this is to put a simple system in place. Nothing complicated. Just something you can stick with week after week to create a healthy habit. So this

What if the thing holding you back financially isn’t what you think? Sometimes, we know exactly what we should do with our money: Save more...Pay off debt...Update the will...Have the conversation...Make the plan... But knowing what to do and actually doing it are two very different things. Because our money decisions are often influenced by things underneath the financial task itself—how we grew up thinking about money, experiences we’ve had, mistakes we’ve made, or ev

Sometimes, you don’t realize how far you’ve come until you’re invited to a table you never expected to sit at. I’m excited to share that I’ve been chosen to be part of Trust & Will’s Financial Advisor Contributor Panel. And I’m really proud of this one. The panel brings together financial professionals who are having real conversations with individuals and families about estate planning every day. The goal is to bring those real-life conversations and insights directly to

This Friday marks 25 years since 9/11. And like many others, I remember that morning so vividly. I was 32, living in Arlington, VA, a few miles from the Pentagon. I was on maternity leave, and my daughter was a tiny baby. It was a beautiful, crisp, bright-blue-sky morning. I was sitting on our bed when suddenly our entire house shook. It felt like a hurricane hit. Except…hurricanes don’t exactly hit Northern Virginia. It was the aftermath of American Airlines Flight 77

Yesterday morning, I walked into the garage to leave for the gym, hit the garage door button, and immediately heard… CRACK! I knew it before I even looked up. The door wasn't just stuck. It was BROKEN. No pulling the emergency cord. No manually lifting it. No quick fix. The pulley had stopped dead in its track, and the garage door was barely open. And there sat my car, trapped inside, going absolutely nowhere. After a few good screams (and several curse words!), I start

I can't stop thinking about Dolly Parton. While the world is remembering the singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist, I keep thinking about the woman behind the legend. One of 12 children, Dolly grew up in rural Tennessee in a tiny home without running water or electricity. She came from very little and went on to build an absolutely extraordinary life. But what strikes me most isn't just what she accomplished. It's that she never seemed to apologiz

I think I’ve been approaching estate planning all wrong. It often feels heavy…and complicated. Something we keep moving to the bottom of our to-do list because we'll "get around to it someday." But here's what I've learned after helping women through this process over the last few years: Estate planning isn't really about death. It's about life and the people we love. It's about making things a little easier for our children, our spouses, and our families. And if yo

Have you ever had so much going on that you feel like you just want to shut down? Too many decisions. Too many things on your plate. Too many unknowns. You feel overwhelmed, you don’t know where to start, and you’re just…stuck. I get it. When I was 34 and going through my divorce, I had moved back into my parents’ house with my 4-year-old daughter. I was single mom, broken, and full of fear. Talk about feeling stuck...I was rock bottom. I remember looking at myself in

One of the best investments I've made wasn't in the stock market. It was in my education. Books, courses, mentors, and a willingness to keep learning have all shaped who I am today...but especially books. They have always been some of my greatest teachers. So this week I'm sharing with you eight books that have influenced the way I think about money, life, and helping women build financial confidence. Every one of these has given me a different perspective. Some remin

If I could sit down with my 20-year-old self over a cup of coffee, I'd tell her one simple thing: Use your resources. Find people who have already walked the path you're on. Ask questions. Be curious. Listen more than you talk. When I was younger, I thought I had to figure everything out on my own. Looking back, I realize there were incredible teachers and examples all around me. They had made mistakes, recovered from setbacks, found success, and discovered what really

When our twins were born on April 14, 2009, they arrived two months early and instantly turned our family of four into a family of six. Lauren was 10. Lexi was 8. I was 40 years old... and before I even opened my eyes on that first morning as a mom of four, I knew one thing for sure: I was in way over my head! There were bottles, diapers, sleepless nights, school schedules, sports, laundry, and enough chaos to make me wonder if I had somehow landed on another planet.

Last week, we unplugged for a much-needed vacation with family and friends. As much as I love getting away, I've come to believe the greatest gift of a vacation isn't the time away, it's the perspective you bring home. Stepping away clears my mind, sparks new ideas, and reminds me why I love the work I do. I always return feeling refreshed, re-energized, and ready to focus on what matters most. And the timing couldn't be better. Believe it or not, there are only 169 d

Last week was a tough one. On Thursday, our family gathered to celebrate the life of my father-in-law, James F. Burns, Sr., who passed away unexpectedly just a week earlier. If you knew Jim, you knew his passions. He was a South Philly guy – born and raised – who loved his Philadelphia sports, the Jersey Shore, his favorite TV shows, and his dog, Prinny. He never passed up a chance to tell a great story—or an even louder joke. He adored my mother-in-law and was a devote

Not too long ago, I opened a piece of mail that read: "Your life insurance policy is approaching expiration." Wait... what? I had purchased that policy decades ago after my divorce when I was a single mom and wanted peace of mind that if something happened to me, my daughter would be financially protected. But now I suddenly found myself asking a question that many women eventually face: "What do I do now?" At the time, it was one of the most important financial decis

Some days feel heavier than others. When they do, it's okay to slow down and just pause. It's okay to step off the treadmill for a moment and simply be where you are. And I often have to remind myself of this very thing. We don't always have to push through, check another box, or keep moving at full speed. Instead, we can take a moment to breathe. Take a walk. Or simply sit quietly with a cup of coffee. Give yourself permission to slow down. The way we care for ot

Not too long ago, my mom ended up in the hospital for an extended period of time. Thankfully, she is doing much better now. But during those weeks, life felt like it had been turned upside down. It was emotional, stressful, and overwhelming. There were moments when I thought my head was going to explode!... from keeping track of everything that needed attention while also worrying about my mom. As difficult as that time was, one thing made an enormous difference: my mom

In last week's Wednesday Wisdom, I shared about my recent guest appearance on my friend Sandy Joy Weston, M.Ed.'s podcast. One topic we homed in on was the negative self-talk so many women struggle with, especially when it comes to their finances. Sandy asked what I do to get out of that negative headspace. My answer was pretty simple but has been incredibly powerful for me. When I'm feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or discouraged, I think about my bestie - the person I call

Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to join Sandy Joy Weston, M.Ed. on her podcast, “Hey, I've Got Something to Say!". We had an honest and heartfelt conversation about money, life transitions, and starting over. We talked about something many women quietly carry: fear and uncertainty around money. The truth is, life happens. Divorce happens. Businesses fail. Relationships change. Financial mistakes get made. And sometimes we find ourselves rebuilding at age 3