Building wealth is one thing. Defining what wealth means is another. In this episode, Cary Sinnett sits down with Dr. Brian Portnoy, one of the world’s leading experts on the psychology of money, to explore why the future of financial advice isn’t just about technical expertise — it’s about emotional intelligence, perspective, and purpose.

Brian unpacks his powerful concept of “funded contentment” — the idea that true wealth is the ability to live a meaningful life, not just grow a bigger balance sheet. He shares practical ways advisors can help clients escape the hedonic treadmill, have deeper conversations about what matters, and reframe financial planning around purpose before numbers.

They also dive into how AI and technological disruption are reshaping the advisor’s role, pushing EQ skills like empathy, self-awareness, and connection to the forefront of practice. As the financial landscape evolves, the ability to understand and guide clients as humans, not just portfolios, is becoming a defining skill.

Key Topics Covered

• The difference between being rich and being truly wealthy
• How to help clients define their future selves and avoid future regrets
• Why financial conversations should start with meaning, not money
• The advisor’s evolving role from mechanic to guide
• Why EQ is becoming an essential advantage in the age of AI

AICPA Resources:

PFP Podcast: How emotions affect financial decisions

PFP Learning: Emotional Intelligence

PFP Learning: MBAexpress: Emotional Intelligence

PFP Podcast: Turning Panic into Trust with Dr. Lurtz

When families look to CPA financial planners, they’re often asking more than just tax or investment questions. They want to know: Will my kids be ready when it’s their turn to inherit?

In this episode, Cary Sinnett welcomes Mindy Kalinowski Earley, consultant to ultra-high-net-worth families and Chief Learning Officer at Family Office Exchange. With two decades of experience at the intersection of family dynamics and education, Mindy challenges planners to move beyond balance sheets and into legacy stewardship.

Together, they explore:

· Why preparing heirs is about purpose, values, and emotional intelligence—not just financial literacy.

· How advisors can help design learning experiences that build resilience, trust, and stewardship across generations.

· The hidden lessons families pass down through behavior and how advisors can help surface values more intentionally.

· Practical ways to start the conversation about rising-generation education with clients.

For CPA financial planners, this conversation offers insight into one of the most complex and rewarding areas of planning: ensuring that wealth transitions are not just tax efficient, but truly human-centered.

Resources:

Podcast: How to talk to your kids about your estate plan

Podcast: Guiding families in their philanthropic endeavors

Article: Talking to your kids about money

Video: Financial independence: Rethinking retirement

Video: Discover how to have impactful legacy conversations

This episode is brought to you by the AICPA’s Personal Financial Planning Section, the premier provider of information, tools, advocacy, and guidance for professionals who specialize in providing tax, estate, retirement, risk management and investment planning advice. Also, by the CPA/PFS credential program, which allows CPAs to demonstrate competence and confidence in providing these services to their clients. Visit us online to join our community, gain access to valuable member-only benefits or learn about our PFP certificate program.

Subscribe to the PFP Podcast channel at Libsyn to find all the latest episodes or search “AICPA Personal Financial Planning” on your favorite podcast app.

When business owners skip exit planning, the fallout can be brutal; value lost, families divided, legacies diminished. But with the right strategy, an exit isn’t chaos, it’s a launchpad: valuations climb, transitions smooth out, and owners step confidently into their next chapter.

In this episode of the AICPA Personal Financial Planning Podcast, host Cary Sinnett welcomes Daniel D. Meiklejohn, JD, CPA, PFS. With his rare combination of legal, tax, and financial planning expertise, Daniel helps business owners turn exits from reactive scrambles into deliberate successes, covering everything from succession and valuation to wealth transfer and legacy planning.

Listeners will learn:

· The #1 risks owners overlook before selling

· Why building the right advisory team changes the outcome

· How early planning boosts valuations (and reduces stress)

· Where CPA financial planners fit into the exit conversation

· Practical ways to help clients start planning today

This episode is a must-listen for CPA financial planners who work with business owners—or anyone who wants to sharpen their edge in succession and legacy planning.

AICPA Resources: https://www.aicpa-cima.com/cpe-learning/webcast/business-exit-planning https://pfplanning.libsyn.com/business-exit-transitions-for-cpa-financial-planners https://www.aicpa-cima.com/professional-insights/article/pcps-succession-planning-survey