Childfree Life by Design

Women could not open their own bank accounts without a man's signature until 1974. That is not ancient history. The people who lived through it are still alive. And the financial world Childfree women are navigating today was built in that shadow.In this episode, Bri Conn, CFP® sits down with Grace L. Williams, financial journalist and author of Give Her Credit, to trace the women's banking movement from a living room in Denver to the laws that changed everything. Grace spent nearly a decade researching the founders of Women's Bank, the legislation that finally gave women access to credit, and the remarkable, often overlooked stories of the women who made it happen. In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why women's access to credit is recent history that still shapes how Childfree women plan today.How the founders of Women's Bank in Denver built something extraordinary within the constraints of their time, and what their stories reveal about financial autonomy, resilience, and the power of collective action.Why lenders once required women to disclose their reproductive plans before applying for a loan.How access to credit changed the calculus of marriage, independence, and life design for women, and what it means to build a financial life grounded in choice rather than circumstance.Why financial rights remain fragile and worth protecting, and what the arc of the women's banking movement can teach us about where we are now and what we stand to lose.Episode Host:Bri Conn, CFP® is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, Childfree Wealth Specialist® at Childfree Wealth®, and Customer Experience Manager at Childfree Trust®.Episode Guest:Grace L. Williams is a financial journalist, content strategist, and author with over 20 years of experience translating complex financial and cultural topics into accessible, engaging narratives. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and Yahoo Finance. She is the author of “Give Her Credit” (Little A, 2025), which chronicles the women's banking movement and the rise of female financial empowerment. Grace is an alumna of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and has spent her career following the money to understand what people buy, why they buy it, and what it reveals about culture and power.Find Grace on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-l-williams-547a054/Give Her Credit is available at independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Target.About Childfree InsightsChildfree Insights delivers education for financial and estate planning without children. It supports people with no kids in making informed decisions about retirement, legacy planning, beneficiaries, and long-term care. Home of Childfree Wealth® and Childfree Trust®.Connect with Us:Ready to work on building better financial habits? Connect with our financial planning team at childfreewealth.com or learn more about estate planning at childfreetrust.com.Follow Childfree Life by Design on your favorite podcast platform and join the conversation on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childfreeinsightsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChildfreeInsights/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/childfreeinsightsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChildfreeInsightsDisclaimer: This podcast is for educational & entertainment purposes. Please consult your advisor before implementing any ideas heard on this podcast.

A candid look at how historical laws and current data shape finances for women without children. They unpack the lifelong cost of singlehood and why Childfree women 55+ often hold higher net worth. Practical planning topics include a tailored eight-step roadmap, insurance and estate tools for solo aging, and strategies for caring for aging parents while protecting your autonomy.

Zeena Regis, Director of Priority Populations at Compassion & Choices and former hospice chaplain with nearly 20 years of end-of-life experience, joins to discuss medical aid in dying as one option within end-of-life care. She explains legal safeguards and who it serves. They cover disparities in access, why planning and proxies matter, and practical ways to document wishes and reduce risks for childfree adults.

Chris Dale, CFP® and Certified Financial Transitionist® who founded Life After Grief Financial Planning, brings grief-informed, practical end-of-life planning. He recounts real cases of setting powers of attorney, managing medical crises without next of kin, coordinating rehab and hospice care, and why a professional fiduciary team matters for protecting decisions and finances.

In this episode, Maddy Roche and Bri Conn, CFP®, explain why legal documents alone aren’t enough. Estate plans grant authority. Care plans provide direction. They spell out the details that make real-world care possible: where to find your mailbox key, your alarm code, how to feed your pets, what medical history your doctors should know, and what living with dignity truly means to you.They also discuss documenting cultural or religious preferences and why these plans should be treated as living documents, updated as your life, relationships, and values evolve.Key Takeaways:Estate plans give the who, care plans give the how. Legal documents grant someone the power to make decisions. Care plans outline what those decisions should actually look like, from daily routines to end-of-life wishes.Document the everyday details others wouldn't know. Alarm codes, mailbox locations, pet feeding routines, storage facilities, and where to find important items are all critical for someone stepping into your life.Define what life with dignity means to you. Cultural preferences, religious practices, LGBTQ+ identity, and personal boundaries should be clearly stated so your wishes are honored, not someone else's assumptions.Build a team to support you as you age. Financial planners, doctors, and aging care managers all play a role in ensuring your care plan can actually be executed when you need it.Treat your care plan as a living document. Update it as your life changes. New pet, new home, new diagnosis, new preferences. The goal is to keep it current so it reflects who you are now.Episode Hosts:Maddy Roche - Chief Growth Officer at Childfree Trust® and responsible for all sales & marketing initiatives.Bri Conn, CFP® - Customer Experience Manager at Childfree Trust®. Bri coaches clients through estate planning and care plan development, helping them document their wishes and build support teams.About Childfree InsightsChildfree Insights is a trusted resource for life planning without children. It explores financial planning, estate planning, relationships, and long-term decisions for adults building a future without kids. Home of Childfree Wealth® and Childfree Trust®.Connect with Us:Ready to work on building better financial habits? Connect with our financial planning team at childfreewealth.com or learn more about estate planning at childfreetrust.com.Follow Childfree Life by Design on your favorite podcast platform and join the conversation on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childfreeinsightsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChildfreeInsights/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/childfreeinsightsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChildfreeInsightsDisclaimer: This podcast is for educational & entertainment purposes. Please consult your advisor before implementing any ideas heard on this podcast.

Robert Allan, founding member of Welon Trust with CPA and CFA credentials, and John Steiner, veteran trust-company founder and governance lead, discuss creating Childfree Trust®. They describe regulatory hurdles, building processes to outlive founders, and designing emergency medical workflows. Short, candid stories reveal social bias and why traditional trusts refused this work.

What happens to your pets if you're suddenly unable to care for them? For Childfree people with animal companions, this isn't just about planning for after you're gone. It's about having a solid plan for emergencies, temporary disability, and ensuring your pets get the care they need when you can't provide it.Bri Conn, CFP® and Dr. Jay Zigmont, CFP® tackle pet protection planning, from 155-pound English Mastiffs with special dietary needs to orange cats with attitude problems. They break down the difference between temporary care (you're in the hospital for three days) and permanent arrangements (you pass away), the legal reality that pets are considered property, how pet trusts work differently than wills, and Childfree Trust®'s 24/7 emergency response system that activates care plans the moment someone is hospitalized.Key Takeaways:Temporary vs permanent care requires different plans: Emergency disability needs immediate pet care with existing sitters or facilities. Permanent arrangements require identifying long-term guardians willing to take animals with special needs.Pet trusts protect animals beyond wills: Pet trusts ensure trustees oversee that guardians actually spend funds on your pet's benefit.Care documents enable emergency response: Document feeding schedules, medical conditions, allergies, medications, veterinarian contacts, and house access information so caregivers know exactly what your pet needs.The 3 C's framework: Caretaker, Communication, Critical information: Who takes responsibility, how they're reached in emergencies, and everything they need to know about food, medicine, behavior, and routines.Mentioned in this episode:Protecting pets emergency checklist - Download it hereStart your estate planning here - www.ChildfreeTrust.comEpisode Hosts:Bri Conn, CFP® -  Customer Experience Manager at Childfree Trust®. Bri has multiple backup caretakers lined up for her dog and maintains a detailed "doggy resume" with all care information readily accessibleDr. Jay Zigmont, CFP® - Founder & CEO of Childfree Wealth®, Childfree Trust®, & Childfree Insights. Jay's 155-pound English Mastiff has extensive special needs and a precise 5:00 PM dinner schedule, making detailed care planning essential.About Childfree InsightsChildfree Insights is the trusted education hub for people who are Childfree or permanently childless. It provides guidance on finances, estate planning, relationships, and life decisions for adults without children. Home of Childfree Wealth and Childfree Trust, supporting long-term planning for people living without kids.Connect with Us:Ready to work on building better financial habits? Connect with our financial planning team at childfreewealth.com or learn more about estate planning at childfreetrust.com.Follow Childfree Life by Design on your favorite podcast platform and join the conversation on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/childfreeinsightsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChildfreeInsights/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/childfreeinsightsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChildfreeInsightsDisclaimer: This podcast is for educational & entertainment purposes. Please consult your advisor before implementing any ideas heard on this podcast.

Dr. Jay Zigmont, CFP®, founder of Childfree Wealth® and Childfree Trust®, built a nationwide fiduciary solution for people without traditional next of kin. He explains the four critical estate roles and why decisions while you are alive matter. The conversation covers when temporary decision-makers step in, why professional fiduciaries protect everyone, and practical steps to get care and trust documents in place.

A behind-the-scenes look at the coolest and weirdest tech spotted at CES, from age-tech innovations to robot dogs and voice-cloning photo frames. Team booth stories reveal surprising visitor reactions and media moments. Practical tips for showing up and running a booth mix with highlights of Vegas nightlife and a community dinner that sparked meaningful connections.

Drew Blickensderfer, two-time Daytona 500-winning crew chief turned Competition Director, shares leadership lessons from nearly 20 years in NASCAR. He talks about how being childfree extended his career, reframing identity with the obituary question, mentoring others, adapting leadership for different generations, and celebrating small wins to sustain teams during adversity.