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Hosted by experts in financial and life planning, the show cuts through outdated assumptions about family, retirement, and aging.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.
Episodes
192 episodes
Special Episode 20: CES 2026 | Behind the Scenes of the World's Biggest Tech Show
The Childfree Life By Design team just got back from CES in Las Vegas, and they're sharing everything: the coolest tech, the weirdest products, and what it's really like to run a booth at the world's biggest consumer electronics show.Fro...
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29:22
Legacy Without Lineage: Leadership Lessons from NASCAR | Dr. Jay Zigmont, CFP® & Drew Blickensderfer
What do you want the second line of your obituary to say? For most people, it reads "father of three" or "survived by spouse and children." For Childfree people, that line looks different. This episode tackles the identity crisis that comes whe...
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Episode 176
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38:50
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Building Your Bench | Maddy Roche & Bri Conn, CFP®
Who's on your bench? When you're building a Childfree life on your own terms, the professionals and teammates you surround yourself with make all the difference in how well you age.In this episode, Maddy Roche and Bri Conn, CFP®, walk th...
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Episode 175
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32:32
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Reimagining Wealth with Carl Richards, CFP® & Dr. Jay Zigmont, CFP®
What if the way you think about wealth is keeping you from building it? In this episode, Dr. Jay Zigmont, CFP® and Carl Richards, CFP® creator of the Sketch Guy column in the New York Times, sit down to explore how simple drawings unlock ...
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Episode 174
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27:34
Building Financial Habits | Dr. Jay Zigmont, CFP®, and Fiona Waller, MSW, LCSW, CFP®
Building better financial habits is less about willpower and more about understanding how your brain works. In this episode, Dr. Jay Zigmont, CFP®, and Fiona Waller, MSW, LCSW, CFP® dive into the behavioral side of personal finance, exploring w...
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Episode 173
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36:57
Welcome to Childfree Life by Design | Dr. Jay Zigmont & Bri Conn
Welcome to a brand new era! After two and a half years as the Childfree Wealth® Podcast, we're excited to introduce Childfree Life By Design. This isn't just a rebrand; it's an expansion of our mission. While finances remain a cornerstone, we'r...
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Episode 172
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25:23
A Fond Farewell and the Evolution to Childfree Life by Design, Ep 171
We've reached the final episode of the Childfree Wealth podcast hosted by Bri and Dr. Jay, CFP®! It's been an incredible two-and-a-half-year run with 171 episodes published and over 100,000 downloads, and we couldn't be more grat...
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19:29
My Mother's Money with Beth Pinsker, CFP®, Ep 168
Caring for aging parents is a universal experience, but for the Childfree, the dynamics are completely unique. In this episode, Dr. Jay sits down with Beth Pinsker, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® and retired MarketWatch columnist, to discuss he...
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38:53
The "Die With Zero" Dilemma: Can Don Learn to Spend?, Ep 167
Join us for a fascinating conversation with Don, a disciplined saver who's embracing the "Die With Zero" philosophy but finding it hard to shift gears! We dive into his journey of planning generous gifts to family and charities now, rather than...
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50:14
Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement with Cody Garrett, CFP®, Ep 166
What does it really take to plan your taxes to - and through - early retirement? In this week's episode, Dr. Jay sits down with Certified Financial Planner® and author Cody Garrett to unpack the key ideas from Cody’s new book, Measure T...
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Episode 166
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46:12
Navigating Your "Enough" in Retirement with Claudia, Ep 165
Ever wonder if you truly have enough to retire, or if your long-term plans are actually achievable? This week, we dive deep with Claudia, a bright, resourceful, and wonderfully human individual who, despite a significant net worth, finds hersel...
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58:43
Childfree Retirement Planning, Ep 164
Today, Bri Conn, CFP® and Dr. Jay, CFP® dig into what it really means to retire as a Childfree person—and why it might not look like what you’ve been told. Whether you're dreaming of beaches or terrified of boredom, this episode helps ...
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24:33
Retire Often? How Mini-Retirements Can Supercharge Your Life & Career with Jillian Johnsrud, Ep 163
Ever feel like the traditional "work for 40 years, then retire" plan just isn't cutting it anymore? You're not alone! This week we're flipping the script with Jillian Johnsrud, author of Retire Often. We dive deep into the concept of "...
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29:21
Navigating Your "Second Half of Life": FIRE vs. FILE and Accessing Your Money Early, Ep 162
Are you tired of the traditional work-and-retire-at-65 plan? This episode is for you. We're diving into the concepts of FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and FILE (Financial Independence, Live Early), and exploring how you can break f...
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47:44
End-of-Year Checklist 2025: Tax Moves, RMDs & Childfree Strategies That Matter, Ep. 161
As the year comes to a close, it’s time to pause, review, and make sure your finances are in shape for what’s next. In this episode, Dr. Jay and Childfree Wealth Specialist® Scott Barnes walk through their 2025 Year-End Financial Checklist - co...
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Episode 161
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30:15
Expat and Digital Nomad Stories: Tales of Life Abroad with Maggie & Sibu, Ep 160
Ever fantasized about moving abroad or traveling the world while working? This episode is your permission slip to start! Join us as we talk with two incredible women living their best expat and digital nomad lives.First, we chat with Mag...
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1:05:38
Ditching the "Standard Life Script" and Building Their Childfree Dream, Ep 159
Join us for a transparent and insightful Childfree Wealth® Checkup with Casey and Garrett, a couple who are preparing to trade in the corporate grind for time abroad. We dive deep into the unique financial fears and planning complexities of a c...
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50:01
Thinking of Moving Abroad? Expat Life, Finances, and Exit Plans, Ep. 158
Is 2025 the year you’re finally considering a move outside the US? Dr. Jay and Bri dive into the increasingly popular topic of becoming an expat, an idea more and more people are considering. They get into the weeds of what it really t...
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Episode 158
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26:25
Giving with a "Warm Hand": Alison Patterson on Intentional Philanthropy, Ep 157
Ever feel like you don't have enough to make a real difference? Or maybe you're just overwhelmed by all the options for giving? You're not alone. This week, we're joined by Allison Patterson of Patterson Philanthropic Advisors, who acts as a "g...
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31:16
The Scariest Thing I've Ever Done: Behind the Scenes of a TEDx Talk, Ep 156
This episode takes a departure from the usual financial advice to get an unfiltered look at Dr. Jay’s journey to the TEDx stage. Listeners will hear about the months of intense preparation, the fear of stepping on stage, and the unexpected chal...
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25:02
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. Chr...
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31:31
The $14 Million "Problem": Jennifer's Journey to a Joyful, Work-Optional Life, Ep 154
Join us for a truly inspiring conversation with Jennifer, who's redefining retirement on her own terms! We dive deep into her desire to retire sooner rather than later, ideally without a mortgage still in play, and how she's navigating the unpr...
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47:47
The Hidden Costs of Passion: How It Can Lead to Burnout and What to Do About It with Jennifer Gray, Ep 153
Ever feel like your passion is actually… burning you out? This week, we're diving deep into the often-unseen downsides of passion-driven work with licensed mental health therapist and entrepreneurial wellness specialist, Jennifer Gray. We explo...
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44:18
I'll Make You Quit Your Job - Pt. 3: The How, Ep 152
Ever dreamed of quitting your job but wondered, "How the heck do I actually do it?" This episode is for you! In the final episode of our “I’ll Make You Quit Your Job” series, we’re diving deep into the mechanics, finances, and structure needed ...
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28:44
Quitting Amazon: Stephanie Ramos’ Inspiring Story on Designing a Life You Love, Ep 151
Ever wondered what it's like to quit a big tech job without a Plan B and actually thrive? Join us for an inspiring conversation with Stephanie Ramos, who went from "LinkedIn famous" to living her best childfree life! Stephanie shares her candid...
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Episode 133
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33:08