Death and money are two of the most taboo topics in our society yet they are inevitable for all of us. So why don’t we talk about death and money more? The fact is, we’re all going to have to face our mortality and the mortality of the people we love. During the toughest times in our life, we will also be faced with an overwhelming amount of financial and logistical decisions. These decisions have the power to bring people together or tear families apart. That’s why our mission is so important!
Here on The Currency of Grief, we bring death and money to the forefront of the conversation. We’ll feature real life stories from real life people who have navigated the intersection of grief and money. Our guests are not celebrities, they are normal people just like you and me.
My name is Justin Weidenfeld, and I’m going to serve as your Grief Financial Officer on the journey that is The Currency of Grief Podcast. My purpose for this podcast is to normalize conversations around death and money, inspire you to have deeper conversations with your loved ones (while you can), act as a resource for people currently navigating a grief and money journey, and encourage listeners to approach their own legacy head on.
Whether you’re in the midst of your own grief and money journey or need a reality check about planning for the inevitable, this podcast is for you. Each episode provides heartfelt insights, logistical nuances and practical advice that will help you navigate financial and emotional adversity WHEN you are faced with loss.
The Currency of Grief Podcast will air biweekly on Fridays and can be listened to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I am grateful that you’ve decided to join me on this journey!
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Death and money are two of the most taboo topics in our society yet they are inevitable for all of us. So why don’t we talk about death and money more? The fact is, we’re all going to have to face our mortality and the mortality of the people we love. During the toughest times in our life, we will also be faced with an overwhelming amount of financial and logistical decisions. These decisions have the power to bring people together or tear families apart. That’s why our mission is so important!
Here on The Currency of Grief, we bring death and money to the forefront of the conversation. We’ll feature real life stories from real life people who have navigated the intersection of grief and money. Our guests are not celebrities, they are normal people just like you and me.
My name is Justin Weidenfeld, and I’m going to serve as your Grief Financial Officer on the journey that is The Currency of Grief Podcast. My purpose for this podcast is to normalize conversations around death and money, inspire you to have deeper conversations with your loved ones (while you can), act as a resource for people currently navigating a grief and money journey, and encourage listeners to approach their own legacy head on.
Whether you’re in the midst of your own grief and money journey or need a reality check about planning for the inevitable, this podcast is for you. Each episode provides heartfelt insights, logistical nuances and practical advice that will help you navigate financial and emotional adversity WHEN you are faced with loss.
The Currency of Grief Podcast will air biweekly on Fridays and can be listened to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I am grateful that you’ve decided to join me on this journey!
Becoming a widow at 44 forced Michelle Swanson to confront everything she had been avoiding… grief, money, motherhood, and mortality, with no plan and no pause.
Just seven months after marrying her husband Bill, Michelle was faced with the unimaginable: a sudden decline from colon cancer, a life-changing loss, and the emotional and financial chaos that followed. As she joins host Justin Weidenfeld, Michelle reflects on the caregiving decisions she made alone, the late-night Google searches, the resentment she carried, and the strength she didn’t realize she had.
What happens when you never talk about end-of-life wishes? What if no one ever taught you how to manage money, but now you’re responsible for everything? Michelle opens up about the structure Bill brought into their lives, the silence around his illness, and the hard lessons she learned about credit, independence, and starting over. She shares how grief rewired her relationship with money, how caregiving left her emotionally exhausted, and why she’s committed to helping others get comfortable with the uncomfortable.
From raising college-aged sons through the fog of loss to advocating for colorectal cancer awareness and teaching kids at Experience Camps, Michelle’s story is a reminder that love leaves a legacy, and so does planning ahead.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
01:45 Meet Michelle Swanson
03:06 Becoming a Widow at 44
07:09 Bill’s Colon Cancer Diagnosis
09:05 Losing a Spouse and the Aftermath
13:42 Who Bill Was Before the Diagnosis
18:07 Why Colonoscopies Matter
21:07 Delayed Health Decisions and Regrets
26:07 Caregiving and Emotional Strain
30:10 Support Systems and Survival Mode
33:00 Healing, Therapy, and Self-Discovery
38:40 How Money Was Talked About Growing Up
42:09 Financial Stability and Structure with Bill
45:25 Grieving the Loss of Routine
48:25 Life Insurance and Financial Planning After Death
Links
Colon Cancer Coalition: https://coloncancercoalition.org/
Connect with Michelle Swanson:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-swanson-b2476347/
Connect with Justin Weidenfeld:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-weidenfeld/
Website: https://www.ironbridgewc.com/team/justin-weidenfeld
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
The Currency of Grief
Death and money are two of the most taboo topics in our society yet they are inevitable for all of us. So why don’t we talk about death and money more? The fact is, we’re all going to have to face our mortality and the mortality of the people we love. During the toughest times in our life, we will also be faced with an overwhelming amount of financial and logistical decisions. These decisions have the power to bring people together or tear families apart. That’s why our mission is so important!
Here on The Currency of Grief, we bring death and money to the forefront of the conversation. We’ll feature real life stories from real life people who have navigated the intersection of grief and money. Our guests are not celebrities, they are normal people just like you and me.
My name is Justin Weidenfeld, and I’m going to serve as your Grief Financial Officer on the journey that is The Currency of Grief Podcast. My purpose for this podcast is to normalize conversations around death and money, inspire you to have deeper conversations with your loved ones (while you can), act as a resource for people currently navigating a grief and money journey, and encourage listeners to approach their own legacy head on.
Whether you’re in the midst of your own grief and money journey or need a reality check about planning for the inevitable, this podcast is for you. Each episode provides heartfelt insights, logistical nuances and practical advice that will help you navigate financial and emotional adversity WHEN you are faced with loss.
The Currency of Grief Podcast will air biweekly on Fridays and can be listened to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I am grateful that you’ve decided to join me on this journey!
