Financial Bliss with Kelley Long

New Year, same me... One of the primary reasons we find it impossible to stick to new habits or goals or routines, especially when they are aspirational as New Year's Resolutions tend to be, is because we forget to consider a really important aspect of what it takes.In this episode, Kelley Long gets into what it is that we often forget to factor in and why sometimes it's ok to not have ANY new goals while still feeling like you're making progress in life.If you're sick of the constant push for self-improvement or feeling like you're spinning your own wheels on working toward your goals, this episode is for you.

If you're keeping your savings at a big bank with lots of branches, there's a good chance you're losing hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dollars a year without realizing it. But switching banks feels overwhelming, and how do you even know which one to pick?In this episode, Kelley Long, financial coach for women, cuts through the noise around high-yield savings accounts, credit unions, and online banks to help you figure out where your money should actually live. You'll learn the red flags to avoid, the surprisingly simple criteria that actually matter, and why making the switch might be easier than you think.

Why do so many people struggle to pay off debt—even when they're doing "everything right"? In this episode, I reveal the one habit that's sabotaging your progress (and keeping you stuck in the cycle). If you're serious about becoming debt-free for good, this is the uncomfortable truth you need to hear. It's not about budgeting harder or earning more—it's about breaking the pattern that got you here in the first place. Plus, I'll share the deeper work you need to do to make sure you stay out of debt forever.

While everyone's debating the big-picture politics of the new tax law, financial expert Kelley Long cuts through the noise to reveal three under-the-radar changes that could actually impact your wallet this year. From a surprising shift that might bring back itemizing deductions for homeowners, to new rules about car loan interest that sound better than they actually are, to a clever 529 strategy for working professionals—this episode focuses on the practical money moves you can make right now. Whether you're cleaning out your closet, car shopping, or paying for professional certifications out of pocket, these insights could be the difference between overpaying Uncle Sam and keeping more of your hard-earned money where it belongs.

Child-free and single women face unique financial pressure from constant wedding and baby shower gift-giving with no reciprocal celebrations. This isn't about financial hardship - it's about intentional spending choices and opportunity cost. Society places gendered expectations on women to be generous and nurturing, labeling those who prioritize their own goals as "selfish" - pressure rarely applied to men. The solution isn't to stop celebrating friends, but to set conscious celebration budgets, create boundaries around gift-giving, and establish your own meaningful milestones worth celebrating. True generosity comes from choice, not obligation, and your financial goals matter too.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all of the personal finance advice out there. In this episode, Kelley Long breaks down the top 3 things she thinks every woman (and really, every person) should know about their own finances, bare minimum. You’ll learn what those three things are, why they are important and how to figure them out for yourself.Resources to support this episode:www.annualcreditreport.comDecoding Credit Scores3 Common HSA Mistakes to Avoid8 Game-Changing Facts About HSAs I Wish I Knew SoonerThe 4 Ways That a Roth IRA Can Help With Your Savings

Are you stuck in patterns that keep you from the life you want, but can't pinpoint what's holding you back? In this eye-opening episode, host Kelley Long explores how the unconscious stories we tell ourselves—especially about money—become the invisible barriers to our dreams. Drawing from the pioneering work of financial therapy experts, she reveals how childhood beliefs about money can sabotage our adult success, even when our circumstances have dramatically changed.Through a powerful interactive exercise featuring 30 thought-provoking prompts, you'll uncover your hidden "money scripts" and learn to identify which beliefs are keeping you trapped in outdated narratives. Whether you're the person who still feels "poor" despite financial success, or someone who can't enjoy their money even with substantial savings, this episode offers practical tools to rewrite your story. Kelley shares real-world examples of how these unconscious beliefs play out—from missing once-in-a-lifetime experiences to making automatic decisions that conflict with our true goals. Ready to break free from the stories that no longer serve you and create space for the future you actually want?

Based on her work with numerous new and hopeful parents, Kelley Long, CPA financial planner and unbiased money coach shares the top 3 financial considerations for new parents she hears about the most. In this episode, she covers how to think about making decisions around the best way to save for a child's future, what estate planning things you need to figure out ASAP and the new expenses that tend to cause the most challenges with growing families.Resources mentioned in this episode:www.savingforcollege.comhttps://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2023/mar/saving-college-new-529-to-roth-irs-transfer-rule/https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2022/oct/the-ins-outs-roth-iras-for-children/https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2022/aug/strategic-uses-roth-iras-beyond-retirement/https://www.financialblisscoach.com/post/want-surprisingly-flexible-savings-options-the-one-account-that-can-help

The term "self-care" has come to mean everything from taking a bubble bath to getting your bikini line waxed and is an area of spending that tends to get a free pass when modern women examine their cash flow.The truth is that self-care has nothing to do with appearance and has everything to do with building resilience as an act of political defiance.In this episode, Kelley Long, financial coach and money activist, gets into the nuance of this growing multi-billion dollar industry, with gentle thoughts on where we might be able to strengthen our emotional and financial resistance, by calling this spending what it really is: personal grooming and maintenance.Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Gospel of Wellness, by Rina Raphael Outwitting the Devil, by Napoleon Hill, annotated by Sharon Lechter

Unpacking the mysteries of credit scores, CPA financial planner and money coach Kelley Long reveals the truth behind those three-digit numbers that can have such an impact on our financial lives. This episode explores common misconceptions, practical strategies, and insider insights about credit reporting that every listener should know. Discover how credit scores really work, what factors truly matter, and how to navigate the complex world of financial reporting. Kelley breaks down the system in a way that's both informative and actionable. This episode offers valuable perspectives that could transform your approach to personal finance, including answering the questions: Why did my credit score drop when I paid off a debt and should I be worried? What should I do with a credit card once I've paid it off? Shouldn't I keep a balance on it for the best score? What's the best way to build a long credit history that keeps my credit score up but also serves my financial wellness? Should I be worried about the drop to my credit score from the hard inquiry of opening a balance transfer card? And more Tune in to gain the knowledge that could save you money and stress. Resources mentioned in this episode: www.annualcreditreport.com FICO Score versions

In this episode of Financial Bliss with Kelley Long, we dive into one of the most powerful productivity tools out there: the Eisenhower Matrix. Named after President Dwight D. Eisenhower, this simple yet transformative framework helps you prioritize tasks by urgency and importance, ensuring you focus on what truly drives your goals forward. Whether you're overwhelmed by a never-ending to-do list or struggling to decide where to direct your energy, the Eisenhower Matrix provides a clear roadmap for making better decisions and staying on track. Tune in as host Kelley Long breaks down each quadrant of the Matrix and shows you how to use it to streamline your workflow, cut through distractions, and supercharge your goal-setting process. Learn practical strategies to tackle high-priority tasks, delegate what doesn’t require your immediate attention, and finally, say goodbye to procrastination. If you’re ready to take control of your time and achieve more with less stress, this episode is for you! Mentioned in this podcast: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

In this episode, Kelley Long opens up about the emotional and personal journey of navigating a major life transition—choosing to remain child-free after years of pursuing parenthood. Through this vulnerable storytelling, she reflects on the process of grieving an imagined future and finding peace with a new direction. Kelley explores how this personal experience has shaped her understanding of self-discovery, acceptance, and how these themes apply not only to life’s emotional decisions but also to the emotional side of managing money. She encourages listeners to embrace uncertainty, letting go of rigid timelines and expectations, and instead exploring new possibilities with curiosity and flexibility. Kelley shares insights into how she and her husband reimagined their life together after realizing that having children wasn’t in the cards. This required confronting their financial and lifestyle decisions—many of which were made with parenthood in mind—and shifting their focus toward new, unexpected opportunities. From making decisions about spending and saving to trying out new ventures like buying a second home or pursuing hobbies, Kelley discusses the importance of small steps and mindful exploration. She emphasizes that it’s okay to take time to adjust and to allow yourself to explore without pressure, helping you find a path that aligns with your values and goals. Ultimately, Kelley ties this personal journey back to the financial realm by illustrating how emotional clarity can drive better financial decisions. Whether it’s overcoming impulse spending, shifting from scarcity to abundance, or overcoming fears around money, the key is aligning your financial habits with a larger sense of purpose. Through self-awareness and a mindset shift, Kelley helps listeners move from financial stress to financial bliss by making decisions that reflect their true desires, both emotionally and financially.

In this episode, Kelley Long shares valuable insights about Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and the lessons she learned about health insurance that changed everything about her choices and, really, her whole life. Reflecting on her early experiences, she highlights common misconceptions around high-deductible healthcare plans and the potential benefits that many people overlook, particularly those in good health. This is super important to better understand because getting this right could make early retirement or at least a mini-retirement or career sabbatical possible. Kelley introduces eight key facts about HSAs that most people don't know, including their portability, rollover options, and tax advantages. She also discusses how HSAs can be a strategic tool for managing future healthcare costs, de-coupling health insurance coverage from a job and maximizing savings for retirement. Tune in to discover how to make the most of your HSA and why it might be worth re-evaluating your health insurance options during open enrollment! Followup resources to support this episode: The ins and outs of IRA-to-HSA rollovers 3 Common HSA Mistakes to Avoid Schedule a coaching session with Kelley

This episode is all about that sticky area of money where we try to separate out our wants versus needs when making decisions around how we want to spend our dollars. The themes include: Understanding Wants vs. Needs: Distinguishing between wants and needs can be complex, especially when personal values and societal judgments come into play. It’s essential to recognize that our choices around spending—like gym memberships or shopping for groceries—often straddle this line, and reflecting on these choices can help clarify what truly matters to us. Owning Your Financial Choices: It’s essential to own your spending decisions without guilt or judgment. Whether you're choosing to join a high-end health club for the social aspect or choosing food delivery services for convenience, understanding the underlying motivations can empower you to make choices that align with your values. And when you're not comfortable with the choice, that's an area to dig into. Evaluating the Trade-offs: Spending money is often a trade-off between time and energy. By assessing whether your expenses are intentional and truly beneficial to your life, you can better balance your finances and maintain alignment with your values, allowing for a more fulfilling financial life. Resources to support this episode: To find a financial therapist, visit the Financial Therapy Association directory To schedule a financial coaching session with Kelley Long, visit www.financialblisscoach.com/services

You may have heard about a back door Roth IRA, especially if you make too much money to contribute directly into one right now. While a back door Roth and a regular Roth IRA utilize the same account, performing the contribution to get around the income limits has very specific steps that you need to get right in order to avoid unnecessary taxation and issues with the IRS. This podcast episode goes over what a makes a back door Roth different than a regular IRA contribution, along with the exact steps you need to take to successfully perform the strategy. You'll also understand what account aggregation is and how those rules could cause unanticipated tax consequences, along with potential solutions to avoid taxes when doing a back door Roth contribution. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Episode 8 The 1 Account With 4 Surprisingly Flexible Savings Options Form 8606 - include this with your tax return for the year you make your non-deductible traditional IRA contribution Form 5498 - what you'll need to save to prove that your contribution was made originally to your traditional IRA; it will be supplied by your IRA provider Form 1040 - you'll show the nuts and bolts of your conversion to your Roth IRA on the line for IRA distributions Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only; every individual's situation varies and could impact the outcome so this should not be exclusively relied upon for tax, legal or investing advice. Please confirm the use of this information with your own paid professionals as Kelley C Long and Kelley C Long Consulting LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability that may arise from listeners' use of this information for their own tax and financial planning.

When you know you need to start talking with your partner about money more, but don't know where to start, these 3 questions can help. Rather than jumping right into looking at spending, budgets, balances and statements, answering these questions together can help you gain a better understanding of where the other person is coming from, particularly if you commonly have conversations about money devolve into arguments. Even if you've been together for years, this can be constructive and may actually be even more necessary. For an agenda to share monthly money dates along with suggested topic areas to discuss that ensures you'll cover all aspects of your finances at least once a year, visit www.financialblisscoach.com/moneydates to download your copy.

If you find yourself living paycheck-to-paycheck despite earning more than enough to cover your bills and lifestyle and know that you have room to save this episode is for you. When you find yourself always spending more than you intend, even when you know that you can easily cut back because you DO when your run out of money at the end of your pay cycle, there's a surprising habit that may be at play. The good news is, you can change this! The tough news is that it is about more than just crafting the perfect budget or deleting apps off your phone. Previous episodes mentioned in this podcast can be found here: Ep 2: Why You Keep Sabotaging Your Goals and How to Stop for Good Ep 12: Why Changing Your Financial Life Is About More Than Just Learning to Budget

The reasons you think you need to buy a home ASAP may not be as valid as you think. In this episode, Kelley Long gives a hot take on why home ownership is probably not the financial boondoggle a lot of us think it is. There are plenty of great reasons to want to buy a home. But there are also a lot of reasons it's not exactly the Best Thing Ever, despite what the so-called American Dream says. If you're stressed because you think you should be a homeowner by now and are frustrated that you haven't been able to get there yet, this episode is for you. Listen to the common reasons people give for needing to buy and why they may not be as true as the industry would have us believe.

It is human nature to compare ourselves to others, particularly when we are wondering whether or not we measure up. And for the most part, these types of comparisons cause us to feel like we are falling short in some way. In this episode, Kelley Long, financial coach and money mindset advocate, shares a research-backed way that we can use comparison to actually boost the way we feel about ourselves and our lives that can ultimately lead to better financial behaviors that are in support of your own personal life goals and values. It's true that comparison is the thief of joy. Except in this one instance. Give it a listen to learn more! Visit the episode page here.

This episode is all about self-exploration to uncover the root cause of financial anxieties. When we have a better understanding of our own origin stories and how they are showing up for us today, we can really accelerate any changes we’d like to make to our mindset and our behaviors, around money: how we earn it, how we spend it, how we save it, how we avoid it, etc. Grab a pen and a journal, and settle in for an exercise that will have you re-thinking your assumptions about money "truths" based on who you are today, versus who you were when the beliefs were formed. Enjoy! Full episode site here.

Get a breakdown of ALL the options you might want to explore before deciding what to do with your old 401k plan. This episode explores the pros and cons of each of the 4 options available while also touching on related retirement and tax rules at play, including: - The rule of 55 - Net-unrealized appreciation rules for company stock - Why a rollover IRA might be a choice you regret - Where to go for more help making this decision Resources to support the topics discussed: How to do a backdoor Roth IRA How Are Financial Coaches Different From Financial Planners, CPAs & Financial Advisors?

Whether your goal this year is to pay off debt, reach a new savings level or achieve a specific financial-related goal, it's easy to lose motivation if working toward that goal also requires you to make trade-offs or change habits that you enjoy or are really used to. The main reason people lose motivation toward these types of goals is because they are actually tasks that need to be completed in pursuit of a greater, more exciting and rewarding goal. In this episode, Kelley Long, your fairy financial coach, gets into the reasons you may be struggling to stick with new habits you set to support your money goals and offers insight into how to reframe what you want so that you can push through and stay on track. Listen for her unpopular take on emergency funds, how she personally overcame debt more than once in her life and how to keep yourself accountable to the intentions you set, even when the excitement wears off.

We all carry several money beliefs, or money scripts as they are called in the financial therapy world, and those underlying beliefs influence the way we not only behave with money, but the way we make decisions in our lives. This episode dives into three that are commonly seen among clients who work in the Financial Bliss framework, along with tips to update those beliefs to be supportive of the life you wish to live into.

Ever try a new budgeting tool and experience initial success, but then quickly slip back into old habits after a month or two?  The reason so many of us struggle with changing our financial habits and situations, even when we end up making more money, is partly because there’s not a simple, one-size-fits-all solution. After all, if it were easy you’d already be doing it!  To change a financial cycle or habit for good, you need to first change your mindset. Once you’ve changed your mindset, the changes in your daily practices flow with greater ease.  Famed psychologist and one of the founders of neuro-linguistic programming philosophy (NLP), Robert Dilts, identifies six steps that can lead to achieving change: environment, behaviors, capabilities, values and beliefs, identity, and purpose.  By applying insights from Dilts’ Six Logical Levels of Change to your financial practices, you can develop new learned behaviors and achieve your money goals — not just temporarily, but for the long haul, too.  Listen to this episode to learn:

Shame has an impressive ability to rear its ugly head when it comes to money. Many of us experience money shame for a myriad of reasons: budgeting pitfalls, too much debt, not enough savings, or a failure to attain certain markers that are viewed as evidence of success, like buying a home or starting a family.  But shame has the power to keep us in a cycle of wildly unhelpful self-talk.  Many people aspire to develop healthier money habits but struggle to change their behaviors. Instead, they hit a shame-engulfed wall. Breaking through requires the removal of shame and self-judgment.   By asking the right questions and exploring our deeper, underlying values and opinions about money and its role in our lives, we’re able to push past our psychological barriers and start making real change toward finding financial bliss.  Listen to this episode to learn:  The difference between guilt and shame and how both can feed your relationship with money The importance of asking yourself ‘why’ you value certain money habits over others The first step you can take to remove shame from your relationship with money Read more...

What does the Serenity Prayer have to do with achieving financial bliss? For Kelley C. Long, CPA/PFS, CFP®, quite a lot.   If you’ve ever experienced financial hardship that wasn’t your fault, you’re not alone. Even the most careful and diligent individuals can become victims of their circumstances, enduring things in life that put pressure on their pocketbooks. The end of a romantic relationship, a flooded basement, the loss of a job — regardless of causality, it’s your responsibility to decide how to pick up the pieces and move forward.  No matter how much you plan and save and invest your finances, things happen that will be out of your control. It’s what you do in the aftermath that dictates whether you flounder or thrive.  Listen to this episode to learn:  Why taking responsibility is the path forward (regardless of causality)  Why procrastination compounds your financial hardships  How anger can inform future financial decision making How overreliance on preventative strategies hinders you from living your best life For more, visit the episode webpage here.

You pay all your bills on time, you've either paid off your debt or have a plan in place to do so and you are looking at what's next, but there are so many options. How do you know which to tackle first? The truth is, there is no definitive answer that works for everyone, which is why Kelley Long, financial coach and podcast host, created a checklist called the Post-Debt Life Checklist to get it all down on paper so you can prioritize according to your own life and goals. In this episode, Kelley goes over the specifics of two of the items on that list, including an in-depth analysis of her own spending and how you can do the same. Download your copy of the checklist at financialblisscoach.com/checklist, then listen along so you can get started on the next steps in your journey to financial bliss.

Putting money away for retirement can seem like a serious commitment, which it typically is due to rules around early withdrawal penalties and other abilities to tap your savings before your age 59 1/2. In this episode, Kelley C. Long offers 4 reasons that one particular type of retirement savings account offers more flexibility than you might think when contributing your hard-earned money. Check it out to learn the often-misunderstood rules so you can make the best decisions for your finances without the fear of losing access until you're almost 60. Resources to support the information presented in this episode: 3 strategic uses for Roth IRAs beyond retirement The ins and outs of Roth IRAs for children Pros and cons of the backdoor Roth IRA

How much do you know about your 401k plan? In this episode, Kelley C. Long, CPA/PFS, CFP® shares five things that she's found are most surprising to people about their 401ks, which she learned during her time as an unbiased financial coach working for a workplace retirement wellness provider. Resources to support further learning on the topics presented in this episode: Income limits to deduct traditional IRA contributions if you have a 401k or other retirement plan at work How to do a back-door Roth IRA 2023 Roth IRA income limits What's the difference between traditional and Roth IRA?

When it comes to getting started with optimizing your finances, sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. In this episode, Kelley C. Long, CPA/PFS, CFP® shares 6 tips to help overcome the various barriers that can get in the way, whether it's fear, perfectionism, a lack of confidence or knowledge or something else.

The traditional financial planning industry will tell you that there is a retirement savings crisis in the US and that most people are at risk of running out of money in retirement, but those statistics are based on outdated systems and an unrealistic idea of what retirement even is. This episode explores where the modern ideal of retirement came from and introduces a shift in perspective in how to think about careers, saving for retirement and what retirement might look like for people in their 50's and younger. If you are worried about your financial future because you aren't able to save enough to stop working at 65 or sooner, this episode is for you. It won't tell you how to get there, but it will offer ideas to shift your thinking around what the point of it all is anyway.

In her work with over 2,500 individuals from all walks of life as a money coach, Kelley C. Long, CPA/PFS, CFP® has pretty much seen it all. But if there is one thing she could tell EVERYONE, it's that there are very few money mistakes that you can't overcome. In this episode, you'll hear 5 common mishaps she's encountered in her work as an unbiased financial wellness coach along with practical financial planning tips to make the most of your finances. There's something for everyone in this one, even if you're lucky enough to feel like you've done pretty great with money so far! Resources to support the topics presented: 3 common HSA mistakes to avoid Why you should max out your HSA before your 401(k) 3 strategic uses for Roth IRA besides retirement How to do a backdoor Roth IRA Avoid these 5 mistakes when paying off debt

When Kelley asked several smart, responsible women who felt like they didn't have what it takes to optimize their money, she found a really interesting recurring theme. This episode digs into that one thing, what it really stems from, and how anyone, regardless of money in the bank, can move beyond it. Resources mentioned: www.financialblisscoach.com Oriah Mountain Dreamer poem The Alchemist, by Paolo Coehlo The Simple Path to Wealth, by JL Collins

This episode is geared toward those who, despite all their best efforts to "be better with money," can't seem to escape the cycle of boom or bust. It seems as soon as you get to a better place financially, BOOM, something happens to take you right back to where you were. While having a good money management system in place can help, the real fix for this goes much deeper into our money psychology. Listen as Kelley Long gets into what's behind these endless cycles and a step-by-step way to break it for good. Special appearances by Larry the cat, who couldn't be edited out entirely...

In this introductory episode, host Kelley C. Long, CPA/PFS, CFP® shares her frustration with how challenging it is for everyday people to access unbiased and reliable guidance and advice around their money decisions, along with how she has worked to find a way to solve that challenge throughout her career. You'll also learn a powerful exercise that Kelley uses to make important life decisions, including the decision to leave a great-paying and really fun job in order to go out on her own in the middle of a pandemic.  Financial Bliss with Kelley Long was created to share insights, lessons, tips and stories around WHY we do the things we do with our money along with HOW to actually do them when we are ready to make financial planning moves. Focused on helping you find the root cause of your financial challenges, the goal is to help smart, responsible women find their own version of financial bliss. Learn more at www.financialblisscoach.com.