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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

“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

 

 

 

“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/