Recently I came across this article about longevity and how it is challenging some of us to reimagine our later years. By “us”, I’m referring to my fellow Gen Xers and younger baby boomers in particular. Not surprisingly, it’s this cohort that is carrying the most stress and burden from increased longevity. And I don’t see that this is going to change anytime soon.

We are the sandwich generation, and this is one fully loaded sandwich. Layers typically include preparing to send kids to college or on their own, traveling across the state for their sports and events, moving mom to memory care, checking on dad’s meds, leading professionally in an e

“I’ve told my children that when I die, to release balloons in the sky to celebrate that I graduated. For me, death is a graduation.” —Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

What if we celebrated leaving life as well as we do entering it? After all, it also only happens once.

Somber, staid traditions are kicking the bucket; death is experiencing a glow up. Green burial, aquamation, getting launched into space—these are just a few alternatives to traditional burial that have become available. My personal favorite? Becoming a diamond.

Similarly, I’ve been hearing and reading more stories about memorable, meaningful, and even fun events celebrating the end of life. Some of these events are held before someone passes away, such as a living wake, creating a beautiful opportunity to share stories and expressions of love and appreciation. These events can also combine party with practical, as was the case when Nicola Tomlin’s client had the idea to throw a will party.

Would you throw a will party? What about a living wake? Would you prefer a garden party, or beer and food trucks? Turn me into a diamond and pass the champagne.

If you’ve been listening to the Money Without Math podcast (previously FRESH OFF THE VINE), you may have picked up on a common theme: money intersects with nearly every aspect of our lives. From our work to our health and relationships, we must regularly address money issues that are available in a wide variety of flavors and sizes. Money doesn’t just exist in our wallets or on account statements, and math alone will only get us so far. We can’t budget our way out of a disagreement with a coworker or spouse, for example. We need to be equipped to deal with money in these various capacities, and that requires more than purely financial acumen.

In particular, the ability to have productive and healthy conversations around money—with your partner, or your parents or children—has been a reoccurring theme on the podcast. Dr. Joy Lere, a licensed clinical psychologist, described how we act out using money when communication is lacking. Denise Logan, author and former attorney, described a similar outcome for business owners during the emotional process of selling a business. Dan Solin, also a former attorney as well as New York Times bestselling au