Financially Ever After Widowhood

Taxes. Filing status. Adjusted gross income. Capital gains.

Just reading those words can make you want to close the tab and deal with it “later.” But here’s the truth: taxes change after widowhood. Sometimes in ways no one warns you about. Filing status shifts. Income is calculated differently. Survivor benefits can become taxable. And all of it is happening while you’re navigating one of the hardest transitions of your life.
In this episode, Stacy Francis and Allen Sakkon walk through what really happens to your tax situation after the loss of a spouse - in plain language - so you can feel more confident, ask better questions, and avoid costly surprises.

You’ll hear them discuss:

How your filing status works in the year your spouse passes, and what changes in the years that follow (including qualifying surviving spouse and head of household)

Why your adjusted gross income (AGI) is such a powerful number and how it affects Social Security taxation, Medicare premiums, and eligibility for credits and deductions

When and why Social Security survivor benefits become partially taxable and how timing major financial decisions can help

What cost basis means, how the step-up in basis works at death, and why it can dramatically reduce capital gains taxes on a home or investment account

How selling a house or investments in the wrong year can unexpectedly spike your income and how to think strategically about timing

The most commonly missed deductions after a spouse’s death, including medical expenses, property taxes, mortgage interest, charitable gifts, and capital loss carry-forwards

One simple habit - tracking your income deposits —-that can help you regain control and make your tax return far less intimidating

Resources

Allen Sakon on LinkedIn⁠ | Email

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | X(Twitter) | Email

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

Nobody wants to talk about death - until they’re sitting in a funeral home, numb, grieving, and trying to guess what their loved one would have wanted. This episode pulls back the curtain on a topic most families avoid, even though avoiding it often creates more pain, confusion, and guilt later. Stacy sits down with Frances Cangero, director of advanced planning at the Frank Campbell Funeral Chapel, to talk honestly about funeral pre-planning, why it’s actually an act of love, and how having these conversations early can spare your family emotional and financial stress when it matters most.

You’ll hear them discuss:

Why funeral planning is one of the most overlooked parts of estate planning

How grief makes decision-making harder and why planning ahead changes everything

The real story behind burial vs. cremation and why more families are choosing cremation

Common misconceptions about pre-planning, including the idea that it’s “only for the elderly”

How much flexibility exists in funeral planning, from simple services to deeply personal details

What prepaying actually means, how pricing is protected from inflation, and where the money is held

Why keeping ashes without a plan can unintentionally pass stress to the next generation

How family conflict can arise when wishes aren’t clearly documented

The importance of naming someone with legal authority to control final arrangements

Why having these conversations is a gift to the people you love - not something morbid or scary

Resources

Frances Cangero on Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel | Office number: 212-288-3500 | Cell number: 631-860-4878 | Email: [email protected] | LinkedIn

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | X(Twitter) | Email

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

Is your money really going where you want it to when you’re gone, or are taxes, outdated documents, and lack of planning quietly deciding for you? In this episode, I sit down with CPA and estate planning expert Shamisa Zvoma to unpack the truths most people miss about trusts, gifting, tax strategy, and why estate planning isn’t just for the ultra-wealthy. We talk about control, protection, legacy, and the narrow window many families are overlooking right now that could cost them millions down the road.

You’ll hear us discuss:

Why trusts aren’t just for wealthy families and how they give you control long after you’re gone

The biggest misconceptions people have about estate planning and taxes

How trusts can protect assets from creditors, divorce, and poor timing

Why giving money outright isn’t always the smartest move

How lifetime gifting can dramatically reduce future estate taxes

The annual gifting limits and how couples can maximize them

How paying tuition or medical bills can reduce your estate without triggering gift taxes

Why estate plans should be reviewed every 3–5 years (and after major life changes)

Real-life examples of what goes wrong when plans aren’t updated

How state estate taxes can create major surprises even when federal taxes don’t apply

Resources

Shamisa Zvoma on LinkedIn | Phone: 212-605-3182 | Email

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | X(Twitter) | Email

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

How do you rebuild a life when everything you planned disappears overnight — and you’re suddenly responsible for three children, major financial decisions, and a future you never asked for? In this deeply moving conversation, Stacy sits down with Merritt Minnemeyer to talk about widowhood, intuition, money, and the quiet courage it takes to start again. Merritt shares her journey of losing her husband at a young age, navigating grief while finalizing an adoption, and learning to trust herself when it mattered most. This episode is about survival, reinvention, and the power of listening to that inner voice - even when the path forward feels terrifyingly unclear.

You’ll hear them discuss:

What it’s really like to have your entire life plan collapse suddenly, and how grief, caregiving, and parenting don’t wait for each other

Why crisis often leaves no space for planning and how survival mode can carry you further than you think

The emotional moment when holding it all together finally becomes impossible, and why that release matters

How life insurance and financial preparation became a lifeline, even when money had never been the focus

What it feels like to become the sole financial decision-maker overnight, and the weight that carries

Why trusting intuition - especially when choosing advisors and making big moves - can be more powerful than logic alone

The long-term lessons about balancing big dreams with practical money management, and why building the right support team changes everything

Resources

Merritt Minnemeyer on the Web | LinkedIn

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | X(Twitter) | Email

FrancisFinancial.com

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!

Cognitive Behavioral and Grief Coach Jordan Schwartz Hendin joins host Stacy Francis to discuss navigating the holidays after losing a spouse. Jordan draws from her personal experiences with grief, having lost her own mother at a young age and supporting her widowed grandmother through multiple losses. Now a professional coach, she works with women struggling with grief and major life transitions. In this week’s show, Jordan and Stacy explore handling loss and loneliness, honoring traditions, and staying financially sound.

The holidays can bring up complex emotions such as sadness, anger, and loneliness. This is normal after a major loss.

Avoid unhealthy coping strategies like becoming an “isolator” or “doer.” Don’t overcommit to events or hide away alone.

Reflect on your core values. Focus on traditions that align with what matters most, like family time.

Make new memories and experiences, especially with children. Gift experiences rather than material items. 

Have open conversations with family about your grief. Don’t pretend to be okay if you’re not.

Manage your finances by focusing on your values, not material possessions. Stick to a budget for holiday gifts and activities.

You don’t have to navigate the holidays alone. Seek support from family or a grief counselor during this difficult time.

Resources

Jordan Schwartz on Website | Instagram | Email | Phone: 917-947-6037

 

Stacy Francis on LinkedIn | X(Twitter)

Email: [email protected]

FrancisFinancial.com

Instantly get advice from our guide, Financial Help for Widows, a resource designed for supporting women who need to navigate finances after the loss of a partner.

Reach out to receive a complimentary consultation! Contact Francis Financial at +212-374-9008 or visit Francis Financial today!