The Special Needs Trust Playbook: Protecting Your Child’s Benefits and Future Care

Navigating the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: A Comprehensive Guide for 2026-2030

What do the latest tax law changes actually mean for your money, and are you making the most of the opportunities available right now? The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was enacted and made effective in 2025, creating an unusually compressed window for planning that caught many professionals off guard. It touched nearly every corner of personal finance: standard deductions, SALT caps, estate tax exemptions, inherited IRAs, and charitable contribution rules, all in one sweeping bill. In this episode, Aaron Hattenbach, founder of Rapport Financial, breaks down the key elements of the new legislation and how they show up in real financial decisions. He explains the most consequential provisions of the OBBBA and how each piece connects, so you can bring more questions to your financial planner and CPA before the next planning window closes. Listen in to learn how to evaluate planning opportunities within this new structure, align tax strategies with your long-term goals, and make informed decisions that support both your current financial life and the legacy you want to build. What You’ll Learn: * Why the OBBBA created a compressed planning window inside the 2025 tax year. * How the $40,000 SALT cap increase works and when it phases out. * When Roth conversions make sense and how to avoid a higher tax bracket. * How the Secure Act 2.0 inherited IRA rule affects legacy planning. * What the $30 million estate tax exemption means for families through 2030. * How donor-advised funds reduce taxes while growing your charitable giving power. * Why standard deduction filers now qualify for a $1,000-$2,000 charitable deduction. * How cash balance pension plans help small business owners lower taxable income. Ideas Worth Sharing: * “With the passing of the OBBBA, there's certainty with tax planning… for the next four years. We can do a lot of tax planning for our clients.” - Aaron Hattenbach * "Each little decision matters, and that's why you don't want to make a decision in isolation because it will impact something else in your financial plan." - Aaron Hattenbach * "A hundred million people in the United States don't even have a basic will. It ends up putting an unnecessary burden on your spouse, on your children to interpret. Probate is very expensive and public." - Aaron Hattenbach Resources: * Aaron Hattenbach: Website [https://rapportfinancial.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronhattenbach] * Genevieve George: Website [http://pelicanfinancialplanning.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevievegeorge2010] * DAFgiving360 [https://www.dafgiving360.org/daf-giving-360-faq] (Schwab Charitable) * Fidelity Charitable Giving Account [https://www.fidelity.com/building-savings/charitable-giving] 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 [https://calendly.com/genevieve-pelicanfinancialplanning/30-minute-exploratory-call] at pelicanfinancialplanning.com [http://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 [https://www.pelicanfinancialplanning.com/] for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

The Special Needs Trust Playbook: Protecting Your Child’s Benefits and Future Care

If something happened to you tomorrow, do you know exactly how your special needs child would be cared for—and by whom? Planning for the future often means preparing for scenarios no one wants to face. For families caring for a loved one with special needs, the financial and legal decisions made today can directly impact long-term stability, access to benefits, and quality of life. As government programs evolve and costs continue to rise, proactive planning has become not just important, but essential. In this episode, Nancy Ferraro, estate planning attorney and founder of Ferraro Law in Palm Beach, shares both her professional expertise and personal experience as a special needs parent. She breaks down how special needs trusts work, why they are critical for protecting government benefits, and the common mistakes families make when trying to navigate this complex space on their own. Listen in as Nancy explains how to create a plan that protects your loved one without jeopardizing essential support, how to avoid costly missteps, and how thoughtful legal structures can provide both flexibility and peace of mind for the future. What You’ll Learn: * Why improper inheritance can disqualify someone from Social Security or Medicaid. * How special needs trusts protect assets while preserving government benefits. * The difference between revocable, irrevocable, and self-settled trusts. * Common estate planning mistakes that can create long-term financial risk. * How to choose and structure the role of a trustee responsibly. * Why naming minors directly as beneficiaries can create serious complications. * How to plan for disabilities that arise later in life. Ideas Worth Sharing: * “If you fail to plan, the state of Florida has a plan for you—I always say. And you’re probably not going to like it.” - Nancy Ferraro * “Love alone is not enough. But advocacy is love in motion.” - Nancy Ferraro * “You cannot have more than $2,000 in his own name because that would technically disqualify him from Social Security disability.” - Nancy Ferraro Resources: * Nancy Ferraro: Website [https://ferrarolawpalmbeach.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ferrarolaw] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/nancy.annferraro/] * Genevieve George: Website [http://pelicanfinancialplanning.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevievegeorge2010] * When the Bough Breaks: A Mother's Story of Carnage, Courage, and the Triumph of Faith [https://www.amazon.com/When-Bough-Breaks-Mothers-Carnage/dp/1954907443] by Nancy Ferraro 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 [https://calendly.com/genevieve-pelicanfinancialplanning/30-minute-exploratory-call] at pelicanfinancialplanning.com [http://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 [https://www.pelicanfinancialplanning.com/] for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

The 3M Wealth Formula: How to Give Every Dollar a Job and Align Your Money With Your Values

What if the problem isn’t how much money you make, but what your money is doing once you earn it? Money decisions don’t usually fall apart because of bad math. More often, they break down because life gets busy, habits take over, and financial choices lose connection to what actually matters. In a world built for convenience and constant consumption, managing money with intention has never been more important. In this episode, Sherron Permashwar, CPA/PFS and founder of Modern Savvy CPA, introduces her 3M Wealth Formula to create sustainable financial clarity. She explains why financial progress requires more than budgeting tactics, how everyday choices quietly shape long-term outcomes, and what it really takes to create a financial life that feels aligned and sustainable. Listen in as Sherron breaks down the mindset shifts, decision-making patterns, and practical strategies that can help you feel more in control of your money, more confident in your choices, and more connected to the life you’re building. What You’ll Learn: * What the 3M Wealth Formula is designed to help you do. * Why financial success is about more than just numbers. * How unintentional spending quietly pulls you away from your goals. * The role mindset plays in your financial decision-making. * Why your financial “why” matters more than most people realize. * How to create better habits around spending, saving, and planning. * How entrepreneurs can use their numbers more strategically. Ideas Worth Sharing: * “We do so much unintentionally. We really need to take money as a tool. And the thing about money is it is a tool if I give it a job, but if I don't give it a job, it's like a cartoon that it finds its own jobs.” - Sherron Permashwar * “It doesn't matter how much money you make… high earners without discipline and education still is poverty.” - Sherron Permashwar * “A lot of times people lie to themselves… With money, especially, they tell themselves that they're good at it. They tell themselves that they're bad at it. They tell themselves whatever story they want to tell themselves to make the excuse to not address it. But it's part of your life.” - Sherron Permashwar Resources: * Sherron Permashwar: Website [https://themodernsavvycpa.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/themodernsavvycpa/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Modern-Savvy-CPA/100088873519387/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sherronpermashwar/] * Genevieve George: Website [http://pelicanfinancialplanning.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevievegeorge2010] * The Rich Life Blueprint [https://learn.modernsavvycpa.com/the-rich-life-blueprint] * The Prosperity Academy [https://themodernsavvycpa.com/the-prosperity-academy/] * Get Wealthy With Me Podcast [https://www.youtube.com/@getwealthywithmepodcast] 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 [https://calendly.com/genevieve-pelicanfinancialplanning/30-minute-exploratory-call] at pelicanfinancialplanning.com [http://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 [https://www.pelicanfinancialplanning.com/] for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

The Missing Piece of Estate Planning: What Happens to the Stuff We Leave Behind

How prepared is your family to handle more than just your money? Major life transitions often come with more than paperwork and financial decisions. They also come with homes, storage units, closets, and inherited belongings full of items that carry emotional weight, practical questions, and sometimes real financial value. As wealth and possessions are passed between generations, families are increasingly faced with difficult decisions about what to keep, what to let go of, and how to handle it all thoughtfully. In this episode, Robin Cartwright, founder of Mindful Moveouts, shares how she helps individuals and families deal with downsizing, estate cleanouts, inherited belongings, and major move transitions. She breaks down the emotional and logistical challenges that come with sorting through a lifetime of possessions, how to identify what may hold financial or sentimental value, and why having a plan for your physical belongings is just as important as having a plan for your money. Listen in as Robin explains how to reduce overwhelm during life transitions, make intentional decisions about inherited items, avoid costly storage mistakes, and create more clarity for the people you love. What You’ll Learn: * Why physical belongings can become a major financial and emotional burden during life transitions. * How inherited items may hold emotional value, financial value, or neither. * Why “wealth” passed down through generations often includes more than money. * The hidden long-term cost of keeping storage units for unused belongings. * How to thoughtfully sort items into what to keep, donate, sell, or revisit later. * Why families should document plans for household contents alongside estate documents. * How meaningful items can be preserved without keeping everything. * Why having passwords, records, and key documents accessible can reduce stress for loved ones. Ideas Worth Sharing: * “Wealth does not mean dollar. Wealth could be collections of items.” - Robin Cartwright * “You can keep the memory and not the item." - Robin Cartwright * “If we had just gone in with a slash-and-burn mentality—clean it out so we can sell the condo—we might not have found things like that.” - Robin Cartwright Resources: * Robin Cartwright: Website [https://mindfulmoveouts.com/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MindfulMoveouts] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmoveouts/] | Email [mindfulmoveouts@gmail.com] * Genevieve George: Website [http://pelicanfinancialplanning.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevievegeorge2010] * Sotheby’s [https://www.sothebys.com/en/] 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 [https://calendly.com/genevieve-pelicanfinancialplanning/30-minute-exploratory-call] at pelicanfinancialplanning.com [http://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 [https://www.pelicanfinancialplanning.com/] for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.

Divorce in Motion: Understanding the Legal and Financial Process

What actually happens after the first call to a divorce attorney? Once the decision has been made and legal proceedings begin, individuals enter a structured process that can involve filings, financial disclosures, mediation, and sometimes, a trial. For many people, the uncertainty surrounding timelines, legal requirements, and financial decisions can make an already difficult transition feel even more overwhelming. In this second half of the conversation with family law attorney Linda Weiksnar, we continue the discussion on divorce by walking through what actually happens once the process begins. Drawing on decades of experience guiding clients through family law matters, Linda explains the real-world mechanics of divorce, from petitions and mandatory financial disclosures to mediation, settlement negotiations, and court proceedings. Listen in as she outlines the stages of divorce and explains how courts approach property division, spousal support, and parenting plans. You’ll get practical insights that can help anyone move through the process with clearer expectations and greater confidence. What You’ll Learn: * The first legal steps that officially begin a divorce case. * Why financial affidavits and mandatory disclosure are essential to the process. * How equitable distribution works when dividing property, accounts, and debts. * What courts consider when determining spousal support. * Why mediation is required before most divorce cases go to trial. * How parenting plans and time-sharing arrangements are structured. * What happens during a divorce trial if a settlement cannot be reached. * Why preparation and patience are critical throughout the process. Ideas Worth Sharing: * “The judge is going to tell you the same thing I'm going to tell you right now: I can't fix your heartache.” - Linda Weiksnar * “You can be more creative in mediation. You can be the captain of your own ship in mediation.” - Linda Weiksnar * “Listen to your attorney because your attorney does want what's best for you, but has to get you there within what the law allows.” – Linda Weiksnar Resources: * Linda Weiksnar: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-weiksnar-132457a] * Genevieve George: Website [http://pelicanfinancialplanning.com] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevievegeorge2010] * Crary Buchanan [https://www.crarybuchanan.com/] * Rule 12.285. MANDATORY DISCLOSURE [https://flcourts-media.flcourts.gov/content/download/345287/file/01-2344_rule.pdf] 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 [https://calendly.com/genevieve-pelicanfinancialplanning/30-minute-exploratory-call] at pelicanfinancialplanning.com [http://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 [https://www.pelicanfinancialplanning.com/] for financial insights delivered right to your inbox.