profile

The Simply Retirement Newsletter

Simply Retirement | June 26, 2025

Published 23 days ago • 3 min read

It was absolutely amazing. As my mom (her great-grandmother) said perfectly, it makes you want to laugh and cry all at the same time. Our granddaughter took her first steps on her own. What's more amazing is that we were on FaceTime with my daughter as it happened. Not the greatest picture below from the FaceTime video, but amazing nonetheless. The other image is from just about two weeks earlier, when she would walk everywhere, but only holding someone's finger. It was as if she had just decided she wasn't scared anymore.

"Other caregivers will see they can do it. It’s hard. I did not say, ‘Oh, I sailed through this. I had all the answers.’ No, you have hardly any answers. And so you take it day by day and you’re an advocate for your loved one."

SANDY MOSS MODER

What happens when love meets life-altering diagnosis and financial pressure?

For Sandy Moss Moder, it meant stepping into the unknown and documenting every step of the way.

In this episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast, I talk with Sandy about her raw and revealing story as a caregiver for her husband battling frontotemporal degeneration. She opens up about the emotional, medical, and financial hurdles she faced—and how her journaling eventually became a published memoir.

This conversation shines a light on caregiving, planning ahead, and the power of art and community.

On this week's episode Sandy and I discuss:

  • The early behavioral changes that led to her husband's FTD diagnosis and the lack of awareness among medical professionals
  • The emotional toll and day-to-day unpredictability of caregiving for a spouse with cognitive decline
  • The financial planning steps she took—including setting up a trust, adjusting Social Security, and building a support team
  • Her process of documenting the disease through journaling, which turned into her memoir
  • The importance of finding the right care facility, asking the right questions, and leaning on senior living advisors
  • And more!

Did you miss it?

You can catch every episode of The Simply Retirement Podcast on the website - or on your favorite podcast app.

Have more questions about retirement planning? Just hit reply to this email. I read and respond to every message. 😃

Keeping Retirement Simple,

Eric Blake, CFP®

Do You Need Professional Retirement & Tax Planning Help?

Learn how to improve retirement success + lower taxes:
​

​Thanks for subscribing! 📬
Not getting what you need? Unsubscribe​

​

​Content here is for illustrative purposes and general information only. It is not legal, tax, or individualized financial advice; nor is it a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security, or engage in any specific trading strategy.

All investing involves risk including loss of principal. Results will vary. Past performance is no indication of future results or success. Market conditions change continuously.

Information here is provided, in part, by third-party sources. These sources are generally deemed to be reliable; however, neither Blake Wealth Management nor RFG Advisory guarantee the accuracy of third-party sources. The views expressed here are those of Blake Wealth Management. They do not necessarily represent those of RFG Advisory, their employees, or their clients.

This commentary should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by Blake Wealth Management or RFG Advisory, or performance returns of any client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice.

Advisory services offered by Investment Advisory Representatives of RFG Advisory, LLC ("RFG Advisory" or "RFG") a registered investment advisor. Blake Wealth Management and RFG Advisory are unaffiliated entities. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where RFG Advisory and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advisory services may be rendered by RFG Advisory unless a client agreement is in place. RFG Advisory is an SEC-registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of RFG by the Commission, nor does it indicate that RFG or any associated investment advisory representative has attained a particular level of skill or ability.

​
201 W Virginia Street, Suite 102
McKinney, TX 75069
972-426-7237
​
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​

The Simply Retirement Newsletter

Eric Blake, CFP®

Straightforward retirement education for women delivered to your inbox weekly. 🎙️ Host of the Simply Retirement Podcast. Whether you are divorced, widowed, or simply ready to take control of your financial future, your retirement planning needs are special.

Read more from The Simply Retirement Newsletter

I recently had the pleasure of joining Nancy Griffin on the Glowing Older podcast to discuss the unique financial challenges women face as they near or enter retirement—especially those who are divorced, widowed, or single by choice. We covered everything from Social Security strategies and tax-smart withdrawal planning to the emotional and behavioral aspects of money. I also shared why my work is so personal and how Blake Wealth Management helps women create a retirement plan that gives them...

2 days ago • 2 min read

This week was the first of two weeks that we are keeping our grandbaby. I've decided that the cliche about grandparents spoiling their grandchildren and sending them back to their parents is misleading. Grandparents really only have a few days of energy to keep up and have to squeeze in as much spoiling as possible before we run out of that energy. But I'll take every second. 😄 "Answering the financial questions now lets you focus more on what you want life to look like." ERIC BLAKE What’s...

9 days ago • 2 min read

We recently spent a few days with my grandmother in Amarillo, Texas, where I was born and where most of my extended family lives. My grandmother turned 90 years old a couple of months ago. She is experiencing a number of health issues, as you might expect at her age, but I truly treasure the time spent with her. Most of our time is spent watching her favorite shows (a Yellowstone marathon if we can find it) or a movie she likes, but we always end up sharing memories of my grandfather and our...

16 days ago • 2 min read