Blake Wealth Management

07/15/2026

Losing a spouse often brings emotional and financial decisions that can affect your future for years to come.

What happens when one of the largest assets you inherit is a retirement account?

How do you know which choices may affect taxes, healthcare costs, income planning, and retirement flexibility?

In this episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast, Eric Blake, CFP discusses one of the most important financial decisions many widows face after losing a spouse: what to do with an inherited IRA or retirement account.

We explain the unique options available to surviving spouses, how inherited IRAs differ from rolling assets into your own IRA, and why those choices can influence retirement income, taxes, healthcare costs, and required distributions.

We also share a real client example, common mistakes to avoid, and five key questions every surviving spouse should ask before making a permanent decision about inherited retirement assets.

Losing a spouse often brings emotional and financial decisions that can affect your future for years to come.

05/20/2026

What happens when the life you expected changes, and you’re left asking what comes next?

In this episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast, Eric Blake, CFP sits down with Oona Metz, LICSW, CGP, licensed clinical social worker and certified group psychotherapist, to talk about the emotional journey women face during divorce and how it connects to retirement planning.

We explore the role of shame in financial decision-making, the power of community through support groups, and how women can begin to rebuild their identity.

Oona also shares practical ways to reduce overwhelm, reconnect with purpose, and move forward with clarity.

There are moments in life when everything shifts at once: your identity, your roles, and your plans for the future.

05/16/2026

05/13/2026

How do you make clear decisions when everything feels uncertain? And how can the right guidance help you avoid costly mistakes along the way?

In this episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast, Eric Blake, CFP sits down with Carolyn Daly, Managing Partner at Cohen Seglias, to talk through how women can approach divorce with clarity and structure.

We cover the importance of understanding your assets, avoiding emotional decisions, and working with the right professionals early.

Carolyn also shares how alternative processes like mediation can reduce stress and costs, along with practical ways to move forward with confidence and protect your financial future.

Divorce can feel overwhelming, especially when emotions and financial uncertainty collide.

04/29/2026

Especially when the future is unclear, and the stakes are high.

How do you move forward when fear, finances, and identity are all shifting at once?

In this episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast, Blake, CFP, chats with Claudia Porter, CFP®, CDFA®, Wealth Advisor at RFG Advisory, about navigating divorce, financial uncertainty, and rebuilding life with purpose. She shares her personal journey from feeling financially powerless to taking control, the mindset shifts that helped her move forward, and how small steps can create momentum.

Claudia also explores the importance of support systems, journaling for clarity, and empowering women to take an active role in their financial lives.

Facing major life changes can feel overwhelming, especially when the future is unclear and the stakes are high.

04/22/2026

What happens when retirement stops being a finish line and starts being a choice?

What if the biggest barrier between you and financial freedom isn't the math, it's the mindset?

In this episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast, Eric Blake, CFP sits down with Bernadette Joy, author and CEO of CRUSH Your Money Goals®, for a candid conversation about what it really takes to take control of your finances, redefine what retirement means to you, and finally stop waiting for the "right" time to live the life you actually want.

We talk about the moment Bernadette discovered she had $72,000 in student loan debt she didn't know was growing, how she paid off $300,000 in debt and reached financial independence, and why she believes financial fluency matters far more than financial literacy.

This conversation will challenge how you think about money, work, and what retirement could actually look like for you.

What happens when retirement stops being a finish line and starts being a choice?

04/15/2026

One hundred episodes in.

More than a milestone, this is a window into the heart behind the work.
In this episode, Blake, CFP reflects on what it means to reach Episode 100 of The Simply Retirement Podcast, alongside the people who know him best, my family, Dawn Husson Blake, Kaitlyn Blake-Lolliot, and Eric Blake.

We talk about why helping women feel confident around money matters so deeply, how communication and compassion shape our work, and what it means to build a business rooted in trust.

This conversation also pulls back the curtain on the personal side of Blake Wealth Management, from client relationships to family legacy. More than anything, this episode highlights the values that have carried us this far and the purpose that continues to guide what comes next.

One hundred episodes in. More than a milestone, this is a window into the heart behind the work.

04/08/2026

When divorce puts the future of your home into question, the biggest risk is making decisions before you fully understand your options.

In this episode, Eric Blake, CFP sits down with Stacey Ellison, Certified Divorce Lending Professional and Divorce Mortgage Planner at Divorce Mortgage Solutions, to walk through how mortgage planning, settlement language, and income rules can shape what is actually possible when it comes to keeping a home.

We talk through how assets, support payments, and loan strategies factor into qualification, especially for women navigating this transition later in life. We also address the emotional pull of the family home and how to balance that with long-term financial stability.

When divorce puts the future of your home into question, the biggest risk is making decisions before you fully understand your options.