A financial gift can feel generous, timely, and full of opportunity. But without the right guidance, even well-intentioned decisions can create unexpected tax consequences.

In this episode, Joyce Ruggeri, CPA at Reynolds Bone & Griesbeck, shares a client story involving a gifted property that resulted in a $120,000 tax bill. With two decades of experience in tax compliance and strategic planning, Joyce breaks down capital gains, cost basis, step-up in basis, and the common misconceptions that often lead families to make costly mistakes.

Listen in as she explains how one missed phone call changed the outcome of a major financial decision, what families should understand before gifting or inheriting property, and why coordination between your CPA and financial advisor can protect both your wealth and your peace of mind.

What You’ll Learn:

• The difference between gifting property and inheriting property from a tax perspective.
• What a step-up in basis is and why timing matters.
• How capital gains are calculated on real estate sales.
• Why the old “buy another house to avoid tax” rule no longer applies.
• What qualifies as a home improvement that increases your cost basis.
• Why communication between your CPA and investment advisor matters.
• The long-term cost of withdrawing money early from a 401(k).

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “If she had called me, I would say, ‘Just wait. You inherit a property—dad passes away, and you inherit the property. Then you get what is called a step-up in basis.’” - Joyce Ruggeri
• “Capital gains… has such a negative connotation… People think of it as a penalty… It's a tax, but it can be lower than normal. Good news, you made money” - Joyce Ruggeri
• “This happens more often than not because people trust what they hear from their neighbor. And in today's day and age, people trust what they hear from AI, and they Google things to get answers. And really what you should do is call your CPA.” - Joyce Ruggeri

Resources:

• Joyce Ruggeri: LinkedIn
• Genevieve George: Website | LinkedIn
• Reynolds Bone & Griesbeck, PLC
• Quicken
• QuickBooks

Connect with Us:

If you're ready to stop avoiding your finances and start building the future you deserve, schedule a free call with me at pelicanfinancialplanning.com and let’s create your personalized financial plan together.

And if you want ongoing guidance, clarity, and confidence as you grow your wealth, subscribe to our newsletter for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

Divorce doesn't start when you file the paperwork. It starts the moment you realize your marriage might end, and what you do in that space between realization and action can determine if you move through the process with clarity or chaos.

In this episode, Linda Weiksnar, a seasoned family law attorney, walks through exactly what someone should be doing before they ever schedule that first consultation. She covers getting your emotional house in order, understanding your finances, and managing expectations about custody. Listen in to get a rare look at what actually matters in court, how preparation (both practical and psychological) shapes everything that follows, and why the work you do before filing determines the outcome more than most people realize.

What You’ll Learn:

• The most overlooked step before divorce.
• How to gather financial information even if you never handled the bills.
• What a financial affidavit requires and how to prepare ahead of time.
• Why courts don’t consider fault or heartbreak (and what they do consider).
• How Florida’s 50-50 time-sharing presumption changes custody expectations.
• What dissipation of assets means and when infidelity actually matters.
• Why friends, family, and non-family-law attorneys aren’t reliable guides.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “The court can't fix your heartache. I can't fix your heartache. I can probably counsel you pretty well after a bajillion years of doing family law, but that's not what I'm trained for.” - Linda Weiksnar
• “Divorce is similar [to marriage] because you can't come out of it thinking, “Okay, I'm divorced now, I'm healed, I'm ready to move on.” - Linda Weiksnar
• “You want your money to send your kids to college, not send my kids to college.” - Linda Weiksnar

Resources:

• Linda Weiksnar: LinkedIn
• Genevieve George: Website | LinkedIn
• Crary Buchanan

Connect with Us:

If you're ready to stop avoiding your finances and start building the future you deserve, schedule a free call with me at pelicanfinancialplanning.com and let’s create your personalized financial plan together.

And if you want ongoing guidance, clarity, and confidence as you grow your wealth, subscribe to our newsletter for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

Estate planning rarely feels urgent… until life forces it to be. Too often, families postpone these decisions because they’re uncomfortable, complicated, or easy to ignore. But when illness, loss, or sudden responsibility arrives, the absence of a clear plan can turn grief into chaos, leaving loved ones to make impossible decisions at the worst possible time.

In this episode, Dana Gliniecki shares what it looks like when estate planning moves from theory to reality. After years of thoughtful preparation following a major business exit, Dana unexpectedly found herself relying on those plans when her husband passed away. She offers a rare, firsthand perspective on how preparation (or lack thereof) shapes emotional capacity, family dynamics, and decision-making during profound loss. Listen in to learn why estate planning is less about wealth and more about responsibility, clarity, and care.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why estate planning decisions are harder to make during grief and loss.
• How a clear estate plan reduces stress for surviving spouses and families.
• What happens when trustees must make financial decisions after a death.
• How estate plans should change as children become adults and start families.
• Why family communication is critical to avoiding conflict after a parent passes.
• The difference between managing an estate and protecting family relationships.
• How planning ahead creates clarity and stability during emotionally overwhelming times.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “At the end of the day, we're all gonna die. You'd rather be in charge of how everything goes down.” - Dana Gliniecki
• “You either do the hard stuff upfront and things go relatively smoothly, or you do nothing, and you make it much harder on yourselves, and other people potentially end up making very important decisions for you.” - Dana Gliniecki
• “You have to ultimately live with the consequences, and you don't get to say at the end, ‘Well, I didn't know.’ Well, that's on you.” - Dana Gliniecki

Resources:

• Dana Gliniecki: LinkedIn
• Genevieve George: Website | LinkedIn
• The Community Foundation for McHenry County
• Impact100 Global
• Marguerite H. Griffin | Northern Trust
• Women & Money by Suze Orman
• Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World by Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen

Connect with Us:

If you're ready to stop avoiding your finances and start building the future you deserve, schedule a free call with me at pelicanfinancialplanning.com and let’s create your personalized financial plan together.

And if you want ongoing guidance, clarity, and confidence as you grow your wealth, subscribe to our newsletter for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

Estate planning is often treated as a box to check: documents signed, files stored away, and the assumption that everything will work as intended. But when plans aren’t communicated, updated, or properly executed, families are left facing confusion, conflict, and costly consequences during moments that are already emotionally overwhelming.

In this episode, David Darby, CFA, managing director of the investment strategy team at Farther, shares real stories from decades of experience helping families unwind estate planning mistakes after it’s too late. He explains how unfunded trusts, outdated documents, and lack of coordination between advisors can turn good intentions into years of legal and emotional strain. Listen in as David breaks down what actually goes wrong behind the scenes, how thoughtful execution creates clarity instead of chaos, and why proactive planning is one of the most meaningful gifts you can leave your family.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why having estate documents doesn’t guarantee they’ll work as intended.
• How unfunded or outdated trusts can trigger costly legal battles.
• The role communication plays between advisors, attorneys, and families.
• When life events should prompt an estate plan review.
• Why healthcare directives are just as critical as financial documents.
• How advisors help reduce administrative burdens during times of grief.
• What clarity looks like when estate planning is done well.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “The value-add of a good advisor is that we give people time in their lives by taking care of the minutia that they probably don't want to have anything to do with. They just want to know that it's getting done.” - David Darby
• “As you get more experienced in life and in our business, you'll see clients that have health issues, and I think we tend to forget that our clients are people first. And that when you have a health issue, it's almost the only thing you can think about.” - David Darby
• “The first time you're probably looking at estate planning is [when] we get married or have kids, and then as they get older, we may be updating it.” - David Darby

Resources:

• David Darby: Website | LinkedIn | Email: david@farther.com | Contact: (347)-385-8572
• Genevieve George: Website | LinkedIn

Connect with Us:

If you're ready to stop avoiding your finances and start building the future you deserve, schedule a free call with me at pelicanfinancialplanning.com and let’s create your personalized financial plan together.

And if you want ongoing guidance, clarity, and confidence as you grow your wealth, subscribe to our newsletter for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

Homeowners across the country are hitting pause on moving, holding tight to low-interest mortgages while still craving updated, functional spaces. With renovation demand rising and project costs climbing, understanding the legal side of home improvement has never mattered more.

In this episode, construction attorney Jared Gillman breaks down the legal risks most homeowners overlook. He explains how remodel projects go sideways, why due diligence matters, how lien rights actually work, and the contract protections every homeowner should have in place long before demo day begins.

Listen in as Jared shares the practical steps that help homeowners avoid costly surprises and how to spot red flags before they become expensive problems.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why today’s interest-rate environment is pushing more homeowners toward renovation rather than relocation.
• The most common disputes in construction projects and where they originate.
• How to vet a contractor before signing anything.
• What an owner’s representative does and why it can save homeowners time, money, and stress.
• How lien laws work and how to avoid the risk of double payment.
• The right way to structure payment schedules and track subcontractor releases.
• When permits, licenses, and insurance become critical protections.
• Why change orders create budget surprises and how to manage them proactively.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “​So much of [a dispute] can be adequately addressed at the front end of a project with having the right contract in place, having realistic expectations, and also with doing your due diligence on a contractor.” - Jared Gillman
• “If you go ahead and put 50% upfront or 70% upfront, and… the contractor flakes on you for whatever reason… you're gonna put yourself in a bind.” - Jared Gillman
• “Owner’s reps are excellent for everyone.” - Jared Gillman

Resources:

• Jared Gillman: Website | LinkedIn | Email: jared@gillmanlawpa.com
• Genevieve George: Website | LinkedIn
• Construction Law
• Construction Liens

Connect with Us:

If you're ready to stop avoiding your finances and start building the future you deserve, schedule a free call with me at pelicanfinancialplanning.com and let’s create your personalized financial plan together.

And if you want ongoing guidance, clarity, and confidence as you grow your wealth, subscribe to our newsletter for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

The world of college athletics has entered a new era. With Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) now in play, student athletes are gaining access to real income opportunities earlier than ever, often before they even step onto a college campus. But with these new possibilities come major responsibilities around money, contracts, and long-term planning.

In this episode, Domenick Macri, NIL consultant and partner at Via Vitae Partners, breaks down what NIL really is, who’s actually earning money, and the biggest misconceptions surrounding these deals. He shares what families need to know before signing, how sudden income can impact young athletes, and why education and structure are critical in this fast-moving space.

Listen in as Domenick explains how young athletes can avoid common financial mistakes, develop smart spending and saving habits, and build a foundation that protects their future, whether their path continues in sports or leads elsewhere.

What You’ll Learn:

• What Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) means and how student athletes earn income from it.
• The biggest misconceptions about NIL and who is actually receiving large contracts.
• Why financial literacy is critical for young athletes managing sudden money.
• How spending habits, optimism, and lifestyle inflation can impact long-term wealth.
• The importance of saving early and planning for life beyond athletics.
• How personal branding and social media factor into NIL success.
• Why wraparound support systems can help protect athletes and their families.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “Being too optimistic about the future sometimes can be painful in the current, and so if you get all this money and you think, ‘Oh, it's just gonna keep coming, or I can play my way to more money,’ you tend to spend more because you're optimistic that that's gonna happen.” - Domenick Macri
• “The best thing to do is set up a nest egg so that you have that for the future. That allows you to be a better planner in the future and have the ability to make decisions.” - Domenick Macri
• “Our goal… is to help them transition from high school to college to either professional athletes or into professional employment.” - Domenick Macri

Resources:

• Domenick Macri: LinkedIn
• Genevieve George: Website | LinkedIn
• Dreams2Elite
• Via Vitae Services

Connect with Us:

If you're ready to stop avoiding your finances and start building the future you deserve, schedule a free call with me at pelicanfinancialplanning.com and let’s create your personalized financial plan together.

And if you want ongoing guidance, clarity, and confidence as you grow your wealth, subscribe to our newsletter for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

Generosity isn't reserved for the ultra-wealthy. Whether you have $50 or $5,000 to give, your dollars can go further and your impact can grow exponentially when you give collectively. In this episode, Lisa LaFrance, philanthropic advisor and founder of LaFrance Project, breaks down how pooling resources through giving circles is changing modern philanthropy and creating significant change in local communities.

Lisa shares the surprising statistics behind collective giving, how democratized philanthropy puts donors in the driver's seat, and reveals why supporting grassroots organizations can be more impactful than writing checks to large institutions.

Listen in to discover how giving circles create networks of learning, engagement, and community transformation—all while making your charitable dollars work harder than you ever imagined.

What You’ll Learn:

• How collective giving has mobilized over $3.1 billion from hundreds of thousands of donors since 2016.
• The difference between giving circles and traditional charitable donations.
• Why donor-advised funds represent a major untapped opportunity in philanthropy.
• How technology and data may reshape the nonprofit sector in the coming years.
• The "3Ms" of meaningful nonprofit engagement.
• How group decision-making offers education, transparency, and deeper engagement.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “The wonderful thing about collective giving, which is it democratizes philanthropy. The people that are contributing to the pool of funds have some say in how that money gets distributed.” - Lisa LaFrance
• “Trust-based philanthropy is really about developing really strong relationships between the donor and the nonprofit, so that you can have a really open conversation and communication.” - Lisa LaFrance
• “If you give that $500 to the American Heart Association, it's great, but if you give that $500 to a small nonprofit that's just building, that maybe has a budget of a hundred thousand dollars, really impactful for them... You've changed their balance sheet significantly.” - Lisa LaFrance

Resources:

• Lisa LaFrance: Website | LinkedIn | Email: lisa@lafranceproject.com
• Genevieve George: Website | LinkedIn
• Giving Reimagined: Leveraging Technology to Transform the Way We Give by Randy Scheid
• Dan Pallotta: The way we think about charity is dead wrong | TED Talk
• Sara Lomelin: Your invitation to disrupt philanthropy | TED Talk
• Cause IQ
• Grapevine
• Philanthropy Together

Connect with Us:

If you're ready to stop avoiding your finances and start building the future you deserve, schedule a free call with me at pelicanfinancialplanning.com and let’s create your personalized financial plan together.

And if you want ongoing guidance, clarity, and confidence as you grow your wealth, subscribe to our newsletter for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

Most business owners pour their heart, soul, and every available dollar into building something meaningful, but few are thinking about how they'll eventually step away. In this episode, Bill West, Founder & CEO of ESOPable, shares a clear, grounded roadmap for building a business that is truly transferable.

Listen in as Bill breaks down the real differences between internal and external sales, how ESOPs work, why forecasting increases value, and the operational habits that make buyers lean in instead of walk away. You’ll learn how businesses are valued, what buyers pay attention to long before negotiations begin, and the structures that can maximize both liquidity and legacy.

Don’t miss this practical, candid conversation for business owners who want to ensure their company is strong, stable, and ready for whatever comes next.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why every business owner should “begin with the end in mind” from day one.
• The two primary exit paths and how to know which fits your situation.
• How buyers evaluate businesses and which red flags most commonly turn them away.
• Why forecasting (even just 90 days ahead) creates clarity, stability, and long-term value.
• The difference between asset sales and stock sales, and why the trend is shifting.
• How financing structures (SBA loans, seller notes, ESOPs) influence business value and deal terms.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “Begin with the end in mind… If you're thinking about your business with the end in mind, you're going to do the right things from the beginning. The things that you do to make your business valuable are the right things to do for business.” - Bill West
• “The best thing somebody can do is get the business to operate without them… If you can very comfortably go on a couple of vacations a year, and you know your team's got it, you've really created a lot of value with that.” - Bill West
• "Listen to your counselors… Find somebody, get referred to somebody you can trust… If it's a business valuation, listen to it... Make sure you listen to that advice and follow it.” - Bill West

Resources:

• Bill West: LinkedIn | Phone: (772) 812–5530
• Genevieve George: Website | LinkedIn
• Acquisition Experts LLC
• ESOPable
• Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You by John Warrillow

Connect with Us:

If you're ready to stop avoiding your finances and start building the future you deserve, schedule a free call with me at pelicanfinancialplanning.com and let’s create your personalized financial plan together.

And if you want ongoing guidance, clarity, and confidence as you grow your wealth, subscribe to our newsletter for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.