The photos we almost skip often become the ones we wish we had most.

In this episode of Women and Wealth, Regina sits down with family photographer and entrepreneur Jessica Hinds to talk about preserving the moments that matter, even in the middle of chaos, motherhood, and busy careers. Jessica shares how she built her photography business, why she always encourages moms to get in the frame, and how family photos become part of the legacy we leave behind.

They also talk about the challenges of balancing business ownership with family life, the pressure professional women put on themselves, and why health is one of the most important investments we can make if we want to enjoy the wealth we're building.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

0:35 - Episode open, meet Jessica Hinds

3:57 - A glimpse into what it's like to be a professional photographer

11:05 - Why Jessica became an entrepreneur

14:07 - Where you can go to learn more about Jessica and her photography

14:41 - Challenges Jessica has faced as a professional woman

19:40 - Jessica's vision for retirement

21:38 - Action item and wrap-up

ABOUT REGINA MCCANN HESS

Regina is the author of Super Woman Wealth: How to Become Your Own Financial Hero. As an advocate for women's financial freedom, she wrote this book to help empower women to take a bigger role in handling their money.

Regina has appeared on Schwab TV, Yahoo Finance, Forbes.com, NTD Television, CBS 3 Philadelphia, Fox 29 Philadelphia, King 5 Seattle, KTLA 5 Los Angeles and Scripps News. She has also been quoted in numerous articles in publications such as Forbes, Business Insider, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, USA Today, USA Wire, Word in Black, WTOP News, Mind Body Green, Money Digest, New York Post, Defender, Authority Magazine, GoBankingRates.com, Scripps and The Muse.

As Founder of Forge Wealth Management, Regina utilizes her 25+ years of financial services experience to help individuals plan, preserve and diversify their wealth. She focuses on educating her clients while building long-term relationships with them and their families. Her experience throughout major shifts in the markets, enables Regina to structure balanced portfolios to address specific financial goals.

CONNECT WITH REGINA

Website: https://www.forgewealth.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginamccannhess/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForgeWealth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgewealthmanagement/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ForgeWealth

Email: reginahess@forgewealth.com

CONNECT WITH JESSICA HINDS

Website: https://www.jessicahindsphotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicahindsphotography/

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC www.finra.org, www.sipc.org

Third-party posts found on this profile do not reflect the view of LPL Financial and have not been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness.

For a list of states in which I am registered to do business, please visit www.forgewealth.com.

A lot of women have no idea they may still be entitled to Social Security benefits tied to an ex-spouse.

In this week's episode, Regina unpacks what divorced spouses, widows, and widowers need to know, including the rules that apply, how much may be available, and why filing too early can cost you far more than you realize.

She also walks through real examples that show how a smart claiming strategy can make a meaningful difference in your long-term retirement income.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

0:52 - Rules first!

5:24 - 2 factors to consider for the spousal benefit

7:12 - The survivor benefit

10:04 - Calculating and using or 'turning on' the benefits

14:01 - Circling back to the survivor benefit

15:17 - The drawback of taking it earlier

20:48 - Call to action

ABOUT REGINA MCCANN HESS

Regina is the author of Super Woman Wealth: How to Become Your Own Financial Hero. As an advocate for women's financial freedom, she wrote this book to help empower women to take a bigger role in handling their money.

Regina has appeared on Schwab TV, Yahoo Finance, Forbes.com, NTD Television, CBS 3 Philadelphia, Fox 29 Philadelphia, King 5 Seattle, KTLA 5 Los Angeles and Scripps News.

She has also been quoted in numerous articles in publications such as Forbes, Business Insider, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, USA Today, USA Wire, Word in Black, WTOP News, Mind Body Green, Money Digest, New York Post, Defender, Authority Magazine, GoBankingRates.com, Scripps and The Muse.

As Founder of Forge Wealth Management, Regina utilizes her 25+ years of financial services experience to help individuals plan, preserve and diversify their wealth. She focuses on educating her clients while building long-term relationships with them and their families. Her experience throughout major shifts in the markets, enables Regina to structure balanced portfolios to address specific financial goals.

CONNECT WITH REGINA

Website: https://www.forgewealth.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginamccannhess/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForgeWealth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgewealthmanagement/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ForgeWealth Email: reginahess@forgewealth.com

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC www.finra.org, www.sipc.org

Third-party posts found on this profile do not reflect the view of LPL Financial and have not been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness.

For a list of states in which I am registered to do business, please visit www.forgewealth.com.

So many women are taught to downplay their accomplishments, even when they've done something extraordinary.

In this episode of Women and Wealth, Nicole Stephenson joins Regina McCann Hess for a conversation about confidence, community, and what it means for women to show up unapologetically in their careers.

A lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and the founder of Narrativa Consulting, Nicole has spent years helping professional women recognize their value, own their stories, and move forward with greater confidence.

In this conversation, she shares how more than a decade of leading women's professional development programs shaped her perspective on mentorship, self-worth, and the power of women championing one another. She also talks about the inspiration behind her new book, the challenges women face in owning their accomplishments, and why community can be the catalyst for meaningful change.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

0:41 - Meet Nicole Stephenson

5:27 - "How to get your kudos", defining accomplishments

14:59 - Where to find more about Nicole and her book

18:20 - Some of the challenges Nicole has faced as a professional woman

22:41 - Nicole's vision of retirement

27:57 - Action item and episode wrap-up

ABOUT REGINA MCCANN HESS

Regina is the author of Super Woman Wealth: How to Become Your Own Financial Hero. As an advocate for women's financial freedom, she wrote this book to help empower women to take a bigger role in handling their money.

Regina has appeared on Schwab TV, Yahoo Finance, Forbes.com, NTD Television, CBS 3 Philadelphia, Fox 29 Philadelphia, King 5 Seattle, KTLA 5 Los Angeles and Scripps News. She has also been quoted in numerous articles in publications such as Forbes, Business Insider, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, USA Today, USA Wire, Word in Black, WTOP News, Mind Body Green, Money Digest, New York Post, Defender, Authority Magazine, GoBankingRates.com, Scripps and The Muse.

As Founder of Forge Wealth Management, Regina utilizes her 25+ years of financial services experience to help individuals plan, preserve and diversify their wealth. She focuses on educating her clients while building long-term relationships with them and their families. Her experience throughout major shifts in the markets, enables Regina to structure balanced portfolios to address specific financial goals.

CONNECT WITH REGINA

Website: https://www.forgewealth.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginamccannhess/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForgeWealth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgewealthmanagement/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ForgeWealth

Email: reginahess@forgewealth.com

CONNECT WITH NICOLE STEPHENSON

Website: https://narrativaconsulting.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-stephenson/

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC www.finra.org, www.sipc.org

Third-party posts found on this profile do not reflect the view of LPL Financial and have not been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness.

For a list of states in which I am registered to do business, please visit www.forgewealth.com.

Regina breaks down one of the biggest retirement decisions people make too quickly: when to claim Social Security.

In this episode, she walks through how benefits are calculated, why filing early can permanently reduce your income, and how waiting can add meaningful dollars to your retirement plan.

It's a practical, no-nonsense episode for anyone who wants to make a smarter Social Security decision instead of just grabbing benefits at 62.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

0:32 - Why Social Security timing matters more than people think

2:07 - How Social Security benefits are calculated

3:34 - Cost-of-living adjustments and inflation

4:39 - The age you can claim vs. the age you should claim

6:07 - What claiming at 62 really costs you

7:20 - Real dollar examples: 62 vs. 67

10:15 - Why waiting until 70 can increase your benefit

11:28 - Smart claiming strategies for spouses

13:16 - How survivor benefits work

14:41 - 2026 Social Security numbers and max benefits

18:04 - Working while collecting Social Security

20:23 - Regina's takeaway: build a strategy, don't guess

ABOUT REGINA MCCANN HESS

Regina is the author of Super Woman Wealth: How to Become Your Own Financial Hero. As an advocate for women's financial freedom, she wrote this book to help empower women to take a bigger role in handling their money.

Regina has appeared on Schwab TV, Yahoo Finance, Forbes.com, NTD Television, CBS 3 Philadelphia, Fox 29 Philadelphia, King 5 Seattle, KTLA 5 Los Angeles and Scripps News. She has also been quoted in numerous articles in publications such as Forbes, Business Insider, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, USA Today, USA Wire, Word in Black, WTOP News, Mind Body Green, Money Digest, New York Post, Defender, Authority Magazine, GoBankingRates.com, Scripps and The Muse.

As Founder of Forge Wealth Management, Regina utilizes her 25+ years of financial services experience to help individuals plan, preserve and diversify their wealth. She focuses on educating her clients while building long-term relationships with them and their families. Her experience throughout major shifts in the markets, enables Regina to structure balanced portfolios to address specific financial goals.

CONNECT WITH REGINA

Website: https://www.forgewealth.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginamccannhess/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForgeWealth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgewealthmanagement/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ForgeWealth

Email: reginahess@forgewealth.com

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC www.finra.org, www.sipc.org

Third-party posts found on this profile do not reflect the view of LPL Financial and have not been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness.

This material was prepared by MFS Fund Distributors, Inc.

For a list of states in which I am registered to do business, please visit www.forgewealth.com. MFS Fund Distributors, Inc. is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by LPL Financial, Private Advisor Group, or Forge Wealth Management

Divorce does not have to mean a drawn-out court battle.

In this episode, Regina is joined by attorney and divorce mediator Sandra Zell for a candid conversation about how mediation can help families save time, money, and unnecessary heartache. They unpack the difference between mediation and litigation, why more control often leads to better outcomes, and what women should know before paying a legal retainer.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

0:53 - Meet Sandra Zell

2:17 - The difference between mediating and going to court

6:32 - The timeframe for mediation, the level of control you have

14:23 - "What if my spouse is controlling?"

17:51 - Where you can learn more about Sandra

20:35 - A challenge Sandra has faced as a professional woman

21:53 - Sandra's vision for retirement

23:36 - Call to action, episode wrap-up

ABOUT REGINA MCCANN HESS

Regina is the author of Super Woman Wealth: How to Become Your Own Financial Hero. As an advocate for women's financial freedom, she wrote this book to help empower women to take a bigger role in handling their money.

Regina has appeared on Schwab TV, Yahoo Finance, Forbes.com, NTD Television, CBS 3 Philadelphia, Fox 29 Philadelphia, King 5 Seattle, KTLA 5 Los Angeles and Scripps News. She has also been quoted in numerous articles in publications such as Forbes, Business Insider, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, USA Today, USA Wire, Word in Black, WTOP News, Mind Body Green, Money Digest, New York Post, Defender, Authority Magazine, GoBankingRates.com, Scripps and The Muse.

As Founder of Forge Wealth Management, Regina utilizes her 25+ years of financial services experience to help individuals plan, preserve and diversify their wealth. She focuses on educating her clients while building long-term relationships with them and their families. Her experience throughout major shifts in the markets, enables Regina to structure balanced portfolios to address specific financial goals.

CONNECT WITH REGINA

Website: https://www.forgewealth.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginamccannhess/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForgeWealth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgewealthmanagement/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ForgeWealth

Email: reginahess@forgewealth.com

CONNECT WITH SANDRA ZELL

Website: https://www.zdsmediation.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-l-zell-esq-752a022/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zelldivorcesolutions/

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC www.finra.org, www.sipc.org

Third-party posts found on this profile do not reflect the view of LPL Financial and have not been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness.

For a list of states in which I am registered to do business, please visit www.forgewealth.com.Forge Wealth Management

Taxes are complicated, the rules keep changing, and missing one detail could cost you.

This week, Regina joins CBS News consumer reporter Josh Sidorowicz on the "In Your Corner" podcast to bring clarity and calm to this hectic and oftentimes, stressful event.

Regina breaks down the deductions, credits, and filing strategies that could make a real difference this year. From staying organized to avoiding common mistakes and protecting your refund, this conversation helps make tax season feel a whole lot more manageable.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 — What's new this tax season?

01:30 — Your must-have tax checklist

03:20 — Missing forms, delays & brokerage statements

04:40 — Major life changes that impact your taxes

05:58 — Big new deductions & credits you should know

10:00 — State & local tax cap boost + child tax credit changes

12:41 — Standard deduction vs. itemizing: Which wins now?

20:02 — Lightning round: Fastest refunds & protecting your identity

ABOUT REGINA MCCANN HESS

Regina is the author of Super Woman Wealth: How to Become Your Own Financial Hero. As an advocate for women's financial freedom, she wrote this book to help empower women to take a bigger role in handling their money.

Regina has appeared on Schwab TV, Yahoo Finance, Forbes.com, NTD Television, CBS 3 Philadelphia, Fox 29 Philadelphia, King 5 Seattle, KTLA 5 Los Angeles and Scripps News. She has also been quoted in numerous articles in publications such as Forbes, Business Insider, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, USA Today, USA Wire, Word in Black, WTOP News, Mind Body Green, Money Digest, New York Post, Defender, Authority Magazine, GoBankingRates.com, Scripps and The Muse.

As Founder of Forge Wealth Management, Regina utilizes her 25+ years of financial services experience to help individuals plan, preserve and diversify their wealth. She focuses on educating her clients while building long-term relationships with them and their families. Her experience throughout major shifts in the markets, enables Regina to structure balanced portfolios to address specific financial goals.

CONNECT WITH REGINA

Website: https://www.forgewealth.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginamccannhess/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForgeWealth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgewealthmanagement/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ForgeWealth

Email: reginahess@forgewealth.com

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC www.finra.org, www.sipc.org

Third-party posts found on this profile do not reflect the view of LPL Financial and have not been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness.

For a list of states in which I am registered to do business, please visit www.forgewealth.com.Forge Wealth Management

Clutter doesn't just steal space, it steals time, energy, and peace of mind.

In this episode, Regina sits down with Janet Bernstein of The Organizing Professionals to talk about what it really looks like to get help getting your home under control. They dig into how professional organizers can support everything from closet systems and everyday decluttering to major life transitions like downsizing, estate cleanouts, and moving. Janet shares how her team helps clients decide what stays, what goes, and even whether your favorite furniture will actually fit in the new place before the movers show up.

They also get into one of the most emotional projects families avoid for years, organizing old photos, digitizing what matters, and making sure those memories don't end up dumped in a box someday. It's a practical conversation with a bigger point behind it: don't wait for retirement to start building a life that feels lighter, more intentional, and easier to live in.

Episode Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

0:43 - Meet Janet Bernstein!

2:51 - Moving is a 'top-3' stressful event

6:18 - Helping people determine what will "fit" in the new home

11:31 - Pictures

17:02 - Where you can go to learn more about Janet

17:50 - Some challenges Janet has faced as a professional woman

19:50 - Janet's vision for retirement

23:05 - Wrap-up and action item

ABOUT REGINA MCCANN HESS

Regina is the author of Super Woman Wealth: How to Become Your Own Financial Hero. As an advocate for women's financial freedom, she wrote this book to help empower women to take a bigger role in handling their money.

Regina has appeared on Schwab TV, Yahoo Finance, Forbes.com, NTD Television, CBS 3 Philadelphia, Fox 29 Philadelphia, King 5 Seattle, KTLA 5 Los Angeles and Scripps News. She has also been quoted in numerous articles in publications such as Forbes, Business Insider, U.S. News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, USA Today, USA Wire, Word in Black, WTOP News, Mind Body Green, Money Digest, New York Post, Defender, Authority Magazine, GoBankingRates.com, Scripps and The Muse.

As Founder of Forge Wealth Management, Regina utilizes her 25+ years of financial services experience to help individuals plan, preserve and diversify their wealth. She focuses on educating her clients while building long-term relationships with them and their families. Her experience throughout major shifts in the markets, enables Regina to structure balanced portfolios to address specific financial goals.

CONNECT WITH REGINA

Website: https://www.forgewealth.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginamccannhess/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ForgeWealth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgewealthmanagement/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ForgeWealth

Email: reginahess@forgewealth.com

CONNECT WITH JANET BERNSTEIN

Website: https://theorganizingprofessionals.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janet-bernstein-cpo%C2%AE-5269a518/

Securities offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC www.finra.org, www.sipc.org

Third-party posts found on this profile do not reflect the view of LPL Financial and have not been reviewed by LPL Financial as to accuracy or completeness.

For a list of states in which I am registered to do business, please visit www.forgewealth.com.Forge Wealth Management