Episode: 292: Financial Caregiving 101 with Journalist & Author Beth Pinsker

What if planning now could be the greatest act of care?

Journalist and MarketWatch columnist Beth Pinsker joins Melissa Joy, CFP® for a compassionate, practical conversation on financial caregiving—the real work we do for the people we love (and our future selves). Beth opens up about the whirlwind that followed her mom’s surgery: hospital stays, paperwork marathons, and a long-term care scare that nearly derailed benefits. Through her new book, My Mother’s Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving, she lays out a simple roadmap—documents to have before a crisis, a one-page medical “cheat sheet,” and why simplifying accounts and beneficiaries might be the most loving step you take this year.

Together, Beth and Melissa unpack how to connect the legal, medical, and financial lanes so caregivers can act quickly (and confidently). From the $100 POA that can save $18,000+ and a year of guardianship hassles, to making sure trusted contacts and online access are current, this episode turns overwhelm into a plan.

This is your nudge: fear and uncertainty are inevitable—but you can still take control of the plan.

💡 Key Themes Covered

• How a simple medical + contacts cheat sheet can save precious time in emergencies
• The “$100 vs. $18,000” reality: POA/healthcare proxy/HIPAA before a crisis vs. guardianship later
• Why women often shoulder caregiving—and how to prepare even if you’re not the household “money person”
• Long-term care pitfalls (missed paperwork, past-due notices) and how to prevent coverage lapses
• Simplify to protect: consolidate old 401(k)s, confirm beneficiaries/TODs, set legacy/phone access
• The caregiver wallet: cash-flowing expenses, reimbursement timelines, and organizing receipts
• Conversation starters with parents, partners, and siblings to align on roles and next steps

Connect with Beth Pinsker

🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bpinsker

🌐 Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/bethpinsker.bsky.social

📸 Instagram: @bethpinsker_ny

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