Michael Krasny

"Helga writes from the heart and she puts lucidly into prose good, sound and wise advice about the ways for us to begin needed conversations across the generation chasm."

– Host of KQED Forum and author of Spiritual Envy: An Agnostic's Quest

Testimonials

Stan Jernigan

"A pathway, guide and instruction book for dealing with two taboo subjects – money and death. Helga shows how families can avoid misunderstandings about these two issues. This book should be mandatory reading for every parent and adult child."

–Founder, The Mentor Group

Testimonials

Robert Burton, M.D.

"A common sense approach to rethinking personal relationships in the light of not-so-intuitively obvious cognitive science discoveries."

– – Author of On Being Certain: Believing That You Are Right Even When You're Not

Testimonials

Bruce Feldstein, M.D.

"I've seen the peace that comes to families who can have the conversations included in this book."

– Director, The Jewish Chaplaincy
Stanford University Medical Center

Testimonials

Financial Planners and Estate Attorneys

“Helga provided the inspiration for many of our clients to open meaningful dialogue into their financial planning issues and desires. I call it “getting to the heart of the issues.”

Paul S. King, CFP, President
King Wealth Planning, Inc. http://www.kingwealth.com

“Helga provided our clients specific questions and ways for families to begin the conversations that lead to peace and understanding in relationships, bringing generations closer through clearing up long held misunderstandings. Helga’s conversations with our clients add an invaluable complement to our services. Making the effort to have the tough conversations now allows for people to experience grace and certainty in life’s most difficult times.”

Craig Martin, Principal,
Family Wealth Consulting Group (FWCG) http://www.fwcg.net

“Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.” John Lennon

Increased longevity, remarriage, blended families, geographical mobility and the largest transfer of generational wealth in history makes legacy planning more complicated than ever. What keeps people from taking action is, too often, not knowing how to begin the conversation.

Study after study shows that there is a disconnect between what people say they do, and what they actually do. For example, a study by Allianz Life in 2005 found that although boomers and seniors say they are having talks about legacy and inheritance, most of the conversations are not resulting in meaningful or productive action.

Boomers say they feel morbid, greedy and intrusive asking their parents personal questions about health, estate planning, end of life preferences and inheritance. Many admit to concerns that their parents haven’t provided the legal structures they would need to be able to help them if needed. They realize how urgent these personal questions are, but often defer to their parents to raise them.

Their parents also feel awkward about raising the subjects of inheritance and legacy. This generation isn’t comfortable discussing “touchy subjects’ , talking about their feelings or initiating conversations that make their children uncomfortable.

Opening up the emotional channels to conversations from the heart gives boomers and seniors the impetus to overcome their denial and procrastination and get the planning process going. Then the planning tools that are available are more likely to be utilized.

Helga has been a speaker for:

Norcal Financial Planners Conference, 2009
King Wealth Planning
Family Wealth Consulting Group
Deposition Reporters Association
Coldwell Banker
Opes Financial Advisors
American Society on Aging
Marin Financial Advisors
New York Life
Merrill Lynch

Topics include:

Conversations from the Heart: Crucial Conversations before It's Too Late

It's Not about the Money: Why Inheritance is all about Relationship

Transforming Intentions into Action: Why People Resist Planning and How to Move Them Forward

Build Your Own Legacy Binder

What Readers Say

Are there relationship issues which need to be cleared up? Have you shared your important values and truths with your loved ones? Are there any amends you would wish to make or forgiveness you would seek? This is a book from which all can benefit as they contemplate their own deaths or the loss of those they love. – Susan Gilbert Read More...

Money Love & Legacy offers what most of us need and desire in our heart-of-hearts --- a gentle and extremely informative guidebook for dealing with two taboo subjects: money and death. The "Legacy Binder" (a step-by-step guide to assembling critical papers and information) alone is worth the price. – Marya Charles Alexander Read More...

Helga Hayse takes emotionally charged, difficult topics between parents, children and family members, and provides wise and relevant advice on why it's so important to talk about them. Grudges, anger, perceived wrongs, misunderstandings, whatever, will all be trumped eventually by death and its finality. – E. Charnes Read More...

After buying and reading this book, my husband and I began a series of conversations with our elderly parent, our adult children and stepchildren and most important, with each other about how we want to plan our own futures. – Tira Meesue Read More...

I have seen the harm caused by families not discussing these important matters before it is too late. Yesterday, I handed my three grown daughters each a copy, and I'm actually looking forward to our future conversations with this book as our guide. – Barbara Crary Read More...