Purposeful Money

10/15/2026

Shredding the wrong document could cost you 💸

Most people apply one blanket rule to every financial document they own, and it works fine until it suddenly doesn't.

Before anything goes in the shredder, run through these three questions:

1. Is this tied to a tax return? The IRS standard window is 3 years from filing. But if income may have been underreported, that window stretches to 6 years. Never filed for that year? Keep it indefinitely.

2. Is this tied to an asset you still own, or sold recently? Property improvement records, investment purchase confirmations, inherited asset valuations — these need to stay until 3 years after you sell. Your cost basis lives in those documents.

3. Is this related to a Roth contribution or conversion? Form 8606 filings and Roth records belong in a permanent file. Their shelf life can stretch decades.

If a document answers no to all three? Utility bills, old pay stubs, bank statements older than a year — those can go, no guilt.

Thirty seconds per document, and the "but what if I need this" anxiety disappears.

If you're in the middle of a paper purge and want to talk through what your records situation actually looks like, book a Learn More Call: https://m.levitate.ai/c3829e-3m1p5f/Learn-More-Call

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Purposeful Money is a financial advisor serving Women in their 50s and beyond approaching or already in retirement.

10/13/2026

October is National Financial Planning Month—a timely reminder to look beyond the numbers and make sure your retirement plan still supports the life you want to live.

For women approaching or enjoying retirement, a year-end review can bring clarity around:
• Retirement income and investment strategy
• Tax planning, including required minimum distributions
• Social Security and Medicare decisions
• Estate and legacy planning
• The goals and priorities shaping your Season of You™

At Purposeful Money, I take a holistic, plain-English approach to retirement planning so you can move forward with greater confidence.

Ready for a thoughtful review of where you are and what comes next? Reach out to schedule a Learn More Call.

10/13/2026

Most women don't realize their 2026 income sets their 2028 Medicare premiums 👀

And if you cross the wrong threshold, you could be paying nearly $1,000 more per year in Medicare surcharges, before you've even filled a single prescription.

This is called IRMAA, and it catches a lot of smart, well-prepared women completely off guard in retirement.

Here's the good news: when you have a mix of traditional IRA, Roth, and taxable accounts, you actually have a choice about which bucket your income comes from each year.

That flexibility is the key to keeping your Medicare costs predictable and under control.

Roth conversions, strategic withdrawals, Social Security timing, and cash flow don't each live in their own silo. When they're coordinated together, your Medicare bill isn't a surprise. It's a number you planned years in advance.

If you're a woman in your 50s or early 60s starting to think about this, now is exactly the right time to look at the full picture.

Privacy Policy and Disclosures/Terms of Use documents are linked in the website footer. Disclosures document URL: https://irp.cdn-website.com/0b5a1e75/files/uploaded/DISCLOSURES+-+TERMS+OF+USE+-+PURPOSEFUL+MONEY.pdf. Privacy Policy URL: https://irp.cdn-website.com/0b5a1e75/files/uploaded/Privacy-Policy-Updated.pdf. CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ marks used with trademark symbols throughout.

Purposeful Money is a financial advisor serving Women in their 50s and beyond approaching or already in retirement. Specific client markets include: Baby Boomers, Generation X, singles (widowed, divorced, never married). Clients generally have at least $1.5 million in investable assets or meet a $15,000 annual minimum fee. Married couples are also served, with both spouses included in the planning partnership.

10/12/2026

National Savings Day is a helpful reminder that meaningful progress does not always start with a major financial change. Often, it begins with a few intentional decisions that support the retirement and life you want to create.

For women over 50, saving with purpose may mean reviewing retirement contributions, building flexibility into a retirement income plan, preparing for future taxes, or clarifying how today’s choices fit your next Season of You™.

Swipe for practical ways to make your savings habits more intentional.

If you would like a judgment-free conversation about holistic retirement planning, I am here to help. Purposeful Money serves clients in Naples and virtually nationwide.

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

Having the resources to pay for care is important. But long-term care planning is about more than whether you can write the check.

It is about protecting the retirement lifestyle you have worked hard to create, preserving flexibility for your spouse or family, and considering how care costs could affect taxes, investments, estate plans, and the legacy you want to leave.

For women approaching or living in retirement, a thoughtful long-term care strategy can bring clarity to an uncertain part of the plan. The goal is not to predict the future. It is to understand your options and make decisions that support the life you want to live.

If your long-term care plan has not been reviewed alongside your retirement income, insurance, tax, and legacy planning, I would be glad to help you look at the full picture.

10/08/2026

Sold before 2 years? You might still exclude six figures 👀

Most people assume that if they sell their home before the 2-year mark, they owe taxes on every dollar of gain. But that's not always the case.

The IRS has a provision that lets you claim a prorated version of the standard home sale exclusion if you sell early for a qualifying reason, like a job relocation, a health issue, or an unforeseen life change.

The standard exclusion is up to $250,000 for single filers and $500,000 for married couples filing jointly. But if you haven't hit that 2-year threshold, you don't automatically lose all of it.

The formula is straightforward: divide your months of qualifying use by 24, then multiply by your maximum exclusion. So if you're a single filer who's lived in the home for 12 months and you're moving for work, you could potentially exclude up to $125,000 of gain.

Life doesn't always cooperate with a 2-year clock, and this rule exists because the IRS knows that.

Before you assume the worst, run the numbers.

Privacy Policy and Disclosures/Terms of Use documents are linked in the website footer. Disclosures document URL: https://irp.cdn-website.com/0b5a1e75/files/uploaded/DISCLOSURES+-+TERMS+OF+USE+-+PURPOSEFUL+MONEY.pdf. Privacy Policy URL: https://irp.cdn-website.com/0b5a1e75/files/uploaded/Privacy-Policy-Updated.pdf. CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ marks used with trademark symbols throughout.

Purposeful Money is a financial advisor serving Women in their 50s and beyond approaching or already in retirement. Specific client markets include: Baby Boomers, Generation X, singles (widowed, divorced, never married). Clients generally have at least $1.5 million in investable assets or meet a $15,000 annual minimum fee. Married couples are also served, with both spouses included in the planning partnership.

10/06/2026

October is National Financial Planning Month—a meaningful reminder that retirement planning is about more than reacting to market headlines.

A thoughtful plan can help you stay focused on what matters most:
• Creating reliable retirement income
• Making tax-aware decisions
• Planning for Social Security and Medicare
• Investing in a way that supports your goals
• Building a retirement that has purpose as well as financial security

At Purposeful Money, I help women over 50 and couples look at the full picture in plain English, so they can move into their next season with greater confidence.

Swipe through for a few steady-planning reminders, and feel free to share them with someone who may need them. If you would like to talk through your own retirement strategy, I am here to help.

10/06/2026

Sold your home early? You may still owe less than you think. 🏡

The two-year residency rule isn't as ironclad as most people believe. The IRS actually recognizes three specific situations where you can skip it entirely.

1. Job or work relocation: If your new workplace is at least 50 miles farther from your home than your previous job, you could qualify. That includes transfers, new roles, or moves driven by a career change.

2. Health-related move: This one often gets overlooked. The health condition doesn't have to be your own. A doctor-recommended move so you can receive care, or provide care for a family member, still counts under IRS guidelines.

3. Unforeseen circumstances: Divorce, the death of a co-owner, or a natural disaster making the home unlivable. Essentially, events you couldn't have anticipated when you bought the property.

If any of these apply, you may qualify for a partial exclusion, or potentially the full $250,000 (up to $500,000 if you're married).

Selling early doesn't automatically mean a larger tax bill. Run the numbers before you assume the worst.

If this sounds like your situation, follow along for more retirement and tax planning guidance designed for women navigating big life transitions.

Privacy Policy and Disclosures/Terms of Use documents are linked in the website footer. Disclosures document URL: https://irp.cdn-website.com/0b5a1e75/files/uploaded/DISCLOSURES+-+TERMS+OF+USE+-+PURPOSEFUL+MONEY.pdf. Privacy Policy URL: https://irp.cdn-website.com/0b5a1e75/files/uploaded/Privacy-Policy-Updated.pdf. CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ marks used with trademark symbols throughout.

Purposeful Money is a financial advisor serving Women in their 50s and beyond approaching or already in retirement. Specific client markets include: Baby Boomers, Generation X, singles (widowed, divorced, never married). Clients generally have at least $1.5 million in investable assets or meet a $15,000 annual minimum fee. Married couples are also served, with both spouses included in the planning partnership.

10/02/2026

Selling your home after losing a spouse? 🏡

There's a tax break built into the rules that most people never hear about, and missing it could cost you tens of thousands of dollars.

Here's how it works:

In most states, when a spouse passes away, their half of the home's cost basis steps up to the home's value on the date of death. Your half stays where it was.

So if a couple originally paid $200,000 for their home and it was worth $600,000 when one spouse passed, the new combined basis becomes $400,000, not the original $200,000. That difference matters a lot when it comes time to calculate your taxable gain.

And there's another piece most people miss: if you sell within two years of your spouse's passing and you haven't remarried, you may still qualify for the full $500,000 capital gains exclusion under married filing jointly rules. Wait past that two-year window, and it typically drops to $250,000.

Live in a community property state like California or Texas? Both halves of the home may step up, which can be even more favorable.

Running your actual numbers before you list could make a significant difference.

Privacy Policy and Disclosures/Terms of Use documents are linked in the website footer. Disclosures document URL: https://irp.cdn-website.com/0b5a1e75/files/uploaded/DISCLOSURES+-+TERMS+OF+USE+-+PURPOSEFUL+MONEY.pdf. Privacy Policy URL: https://irp.cdn-website.com/0b5a1e75/files/uploaded/Privacy-Policy-Updated.pdf. CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ marks used with trademark symbols throughout.

Purposeful Money is a financial advisor serving Women in their 50s and beyond approaching or already in retirement. Specific client markets include: Baby Boomers, Generation X, singles (widowed, divorced, never married). Clients generally have at least $1.5 million in investable assets or meet a $15,000 annual minimum fee. Married couples are also served, with both spouses included in the planning partnership.