Can You Really Afford to Die? - with Hospice and Oncology Nurse Suzanne O’Brien
#606: Hospice nurse and end-of-life educator Suzanne O’Brien joins us to discuss the financial realities of dying in America — and they might surprise you.
Remember Aretha Franklin? Her handwritten will was found in her couch cushions after she passed away. Despite her substantial wealth, this simple document was legally upheld. It's a powerful reminder that having any form of will is better than none at all.
But there's more to worry about than just having a will or trust. The costs of aging and dying can add up fast.
Long-term care costs can quickly deplete even substantial savings. Suzanne shares a story about a couple with over $5 million who were shocked to learn how quickly 24/7 care for dementia would consume their nest egg.
Traditional funerals average between $7,000-$11,000, but there are much more affordable alternatives:
Home wakes and natural burials can cost just a few hundred dollars
Water cremation offers an environmentally friendly option
Whole body donation to medical institutions costs nothing while contributing to education
Planning ahead gives you control over these decisions and spares your loved ones additional stress. Multi-generational living arrangements can also reduce caregiving costs and address concerns like isolation and safety for aging family members.
Suzanne also shares stories about the emotional side of dying. Did you know some people seem to choose when they go? She tells us about a 99-year-old woman in a coma who somehow held on for days until she turned 100, then passed away that very night.
Resources Mentioned:
Anatomical Board of the State of Florida » College of Medicine » University of Florida
US Programs » Anatomical Board of the State of Florida » College of Medicine » University of Florida
NATIONAL HOME FUNERAL ALLIANCE - Home
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1:17:52
Q&A: My Boss Said Return to Office. So I’m Quitting.
#605: In light of recent federal mandates to return to the office, Pedro is having a hard time giving up on his fully remote lifestyle. Is there a creative solution to his dilemma?
An anonymous caller is excited to move abroad permanently. How should she structure her investments to support her international lifestyle while maintaining a home base in the US?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
P.S. Got a question? Leave it at https://affordanything.com/voicemail
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46:57
First Friday: How April’s Tariffs Changed the Economy
#604: The biggest trade shake-up in 135 years is happening right now.
April brought tariff levels that economists say haven't been seen since the 1890s, creating ripple effects throughout the economy.
We're seeing a stark disconnect between official economic data and how people feel about their financial future.
While the economy added 177,000 jobs in April — beating forecasts — consumer confidence has plummeted to alarming levels.
Almost 70 percent of Americans now expect higher unemployment ahead, despite the strong job numbers.
The tariffs have triggered some unexpected behaviors. Companies rushed to import goods before prices increased, which ironically pushed the trade deficit to record levels.
Consumers went on buying sprees for cars, computers, and other expensive items, fearing they'd soon cost much more.
Meanwhile, inflation expectations have surged to their highest levels in decades.
What does this mean for investors? Bond markets reacted dramatically, with Treasury yields posting one of the sharpest spikes on record mid-April before settling back down.
The dollar weakened significantly, and economists have raised recession probability to 45 percent — up from 30 percent just last month.
Small businesses are feeling the uncertainty too.
After initial optimism about potential tax cuts and deregulation, their expectations have soured amid concerns about how tariffs might hurt smaller firms disproportionately.
Market volatility has hit retirement savers particularly hard. We take a call from a listener named Johanna who shared that she lost 30 percent of her portfolio due to recent tariff-related swings.
She’s wondering whether she’s still "Coast FIRE" — even when market shocks alter her retirement math.
Join us as we break down April's economic data, explain what's behind the market volatility, and discuss what these historic tariffs might mean for your money in the months ahead.
Timestamps:
Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising run times. The provided timestamps are approximate and may be several minutes off due to changing ad lengths.
(00:00) The Economic Experiment
(02:00) April 2025 Job Gains
(05:41) Interest Rate Forecast
(07:04) Benefit of Roth Conversions during market declines
(08:17) Tariffs and the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act
(13:23) The Bond Market
(17:49) The Dollar’s Decline
(19:31) Economist's Recession Predictions
(22:20) Consumer Sentiment
(25:29) Consumer Spending Rises
(27:13) Is Johanna still FIRE after the drop?
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1:00:41
Q&A: Who Actually Makes Money From Gold and Silver These Days?
#603: Bethany’s partner wants to invest most of their money in gold and silver, but no one seems to talk about this kind of investing. Is this a red flag or a potential opportunity?
Diana is worried she’s been saving too much for her kids’ college - hundreds of dollars a month since they were born. How does she know when to stop?
Wendy’s pension and social security will cover all her basic expenses during retirement. Does the four percent rule still apply to her discretionary nest egg, or is there another approach?
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I tackle these questions in today’s episode.
Enjoy!
P.S. Got a question? Leave it here.
For more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode603
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1:04:57
The Surprising Science of Six-Figure Thinking
#602: Ever looked back at an old Facebook post and cringed? According to Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic, that discomfort is evidence of something powerful: your personality has changed, even if you didn't notice it happening.
In our latest episode, Khazan, who recently wrote a book on the science of personality change, breaks down how our personalities aren't fixed traits but flexible characteristics we can intentionally shift to achieve our goals.
The conversation centers on the "Big Five" personality traits — Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism (OCEAN) — and how they impact financial success and career advancement.
If you work a regular 9-to-5, personality development can boost your career trajectory. Khazan highlights that conscientiousness — being organized, timely and detail-oriented — directly correlates with workplace success.
She suggests decluttering both your physical space and your commitments to increase productivity.
For introverts navigating office politics, she recommends "cosplaying as an extrovert" by signing up for regular group activities that are hard to back out of. Over time, social interactions become less draining, creating more opportunities for advancement.
And when engaging with colleagues, focus on asking meaningful questions about their experiences rather than collecting basic facts — this builds genuine connections that can lead to promotions and new opportunities.
If you’re intimidated by new financial ventures like entrepreneurship or real estate investing, Khazan suggests learning from others who've succeeded in similar situations. Research shows you're more likely to implement strategies when you learn them from peers rather than experts.
When discussing successful entrepreneurs, Khazan reveals they typically share three key traits: high extraversion (energy for interacting with others), low agreeableness (ability to make tough decisions), and low neuroticism (emotional stability for risk-taking).
Think Steve Jobs — not always the nicest person, but his combination of vision, decisiveness and comfort with risk built one of the world's most valuable companies.
The most important takeaway? Never tell yourself you can't do something because "that's just not who you are." Instead, take small daily steps toward your goal, and you'll gradually develop the personality traits needed for success.
Timestamps:
Note: Timestamps will vary on individual listening devices based on dynamic advertising run times. The provided timestamps are approximate and may be several minutes off due to changing ad lengths.
(0:00) "The Surprising Science of Six-Figure Thinking"
(1:16) What is personality - behaviors that help meet goals
(2:24) Personalities change over time
(3:34) Personality impacts success
(4:12) OCEAN - the Big Five traits explained
(5:48) Origins of personality research
(8:20) Changing personality intentionally
(9:52) Low vs high openness traits
(12:05) Increasing openness gradually
(15:36) Boosting conscientiousness strategies
(23:09) Time management techniques
(30:31) Extraversion benefits careers
(33:19) Introvert's guide to social skills
(37:25) Healthy boundaries, not people-pleasing
(46:06) Meaningful conversations build connections
(51:16) Reducing anxiety with mindfulness
(56:52) CEO traits - extroverted, disagreeable, emotionally stable
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You can afford anything, but not everything. We make daily decisions about how to spend money, time, energy, focus and attention – and ultimately, our life.
How do we make smarter decisions? How do we think from first principles?
On the surface, Afford Anything seems like a podcast about money and investing.
But under the hood, this is a show about how to think critically, recognize our behavioral blind spots, and make smarter choices. We’re into the psychology of money, and we love metacognition: thinking about how to think.
In some episodes, we interview world-class experts: professors, researchers, scientists, authors. In other episodes, we answer your questions, talking through decision-making frameworks and mental models.
Want to learn more? Download our free book, Escape, at http://affordanything.com/escape. Hosted by Paula Pant.
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