Childfree Life by Design
Childfree Life by Design is a podcast for people who are Childfree or permanently childless and thinking seriously about money, legacy, and what comes next. It tackles financial planning, estate planning, and life decisions for adults building a future without children and without a default script to follow.
Hosted by experts in financial and life planning, the show cuts through outdated assumptions about family, retirement, and aging. Conversations focus on utilizing wealth, solo aging, long-term care, relationships, and how to plan with clarity when you don’t have kids.
This isn’t about justifying your choices or debating labels. It’s about practical guidance for planning life without children making smart financial decisions, defining legacy on your own terms, and building support systems that actually work.
If you’re Childfree, childless, or planning without kids and want thoughtful, trusted education, this is where those conversations happen.
Disclosure: This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Please consult your professional advisors before implementing any ideas discussed. For full disclosures, visit Childfreewealth.com.
Childfree Life by Design
Unpacking Your Perks: Making the Most of Your Employee Benefits with Christy Smith, Ep 155
Ever feel like your employee benefits package is a mystery? You're not alone! In this episode, Bri sits down with benefits expert Christy Smith from The Horton Group, a Marsh & McLennan Agency, to demystify the world of workplace perks. Christy, who has extensive experience in HR and as an employee benefits broker, shares insights on everything from health, dental, and vision insurance to the often-overlooked benefits like disability and legal support. Get ready to learn how to ask your HR team for new benefits (yes, you can do that!) 2, why understanding your options is crucial, and the surprising ways some companies are making benefits more inclusive (think doggy daycare!). Plus, we dive deep into the power of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and why they might be your secret weapon for retirement savings. Tune in and empower yourself to make the most of your workplace benefits!
Timestamps:
- 00:52: Christy's journey from HR to employee benefits broker.
- 02:24: Common misconceptions about workplace benefits and how to approach your HR team.
- 06:41: Navigating multiple health plan choices and software to assist in decisions.
- 09:50: The evolution of vision and dental insurance.
- 13:17: Inclusive benefits like "doggy daycare" and pet insurance.
- 15:56: The importance of understanding company culture for tailored benefits.
- 18:48: Deep dive into short-term and long-term disability, including state-paid leave benefits.
- 23:14: Understanding legal benefits and Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).
- 27:50: The one employee benefit Christy wishes everyone would maximize (hint: it's about retirement!).
- 33:28: Key advice for open enrollment season.
Connect with Christy:
- LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/christy-smith-cebs-49283810
- The Horton Group, a Marsh & McLennan Agency https://www.thehortongroup.com/
