Suze Orman's Women & Money (And Everyone Smart Enough To Listen)

Episode: Can I Retire Next Year?
Date: October 26, 2025
Hosts: Suze Orman, KT

Episode Overview

In this “Ask KT & Suze Anything” Vacation Edition episode, financial powerhouse Suze Orman and her partner KT broadcast from Italy, answering listener questions about trusts during divorce, stock market diversification, retirement planning, essential documents for young adults, and strategies around children’s financial gifts. Suze emphasizes personal security, details pitfalls and protections around family assets, and reinforces her rules for financial freedom. The tone is candid, practical, encouraging, and occasionally tough-love.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Emergency Savings and Security

[00:00–01:12]

• Suze reiterates that the ultimate purpose of money is to bring you security, starting with an emergency fund.
• She encourages listeners to consider the Ultimate Opportunity Savings Account at Alliant Credit Union.

2. Trusts and Divorce: What to Do When a Marriage Dissolves

[03:25–06:23]

• Listener Q (Bernadette): If a marriage is dissolving and a joint trust exists, what steps should one take for a separate trust? Must the divorce be finalized first?
• Suze’s Advice:
  • Create and fund a separate trust before your divorce is finalized.
  • Do not use marital assets inappropriately when funding.
  • After divorce, dissolving the joint trust is the logical next step.
  • Personal story: Suze and KT have separate trusts for protection (“The island is all in KT’s name. An incredibly valuable asset...I want to make sure she's OK no matter what.” — Suze [06:10])
• Memorable Quote:
  • “You absolutely can create a separate trust, and you should create a separate trust prior to your divorce...do it now.”—Suze [03:58]
• Emotional Note:
  • KT’s reaction underscores the unpredictable "what ifs" of life, and the importance of protection even in secure relationships.

3. Investment Diversification and Concentration in the S&P 500

[06:57–09:14]

• Listener Q (Rachel): Concerns about VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) becoming top-heavy (38% in top 10 stocks).
• Suze’s Take:
  • Suze openly embraces this concentration, believing that “diversification, not in the right sector, will leave a lot of money on the table in these kinds of markets.” [08:44]
  • Admits she often recommends putting 50% in VOO and the rest in individual AI-related stocks (Nvidia, AMD, Palantir, IonQ, iBit).
  • She deliberately switched from VTI (Total Stock Market Index) to VOO for its higher concentration in top-performing names.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “Not only do I love that you have VOO, but I would...have you even more heavy weighted in those stocks and have you buy even more of them on an individual basis.” —Suze [07:27]

4. The Retirement Question: What Suze Needs To Answer "Can I Retire?"

[09:14–11:56]

• Listener Q (Darlene): Planning to retire at 67 with no debts—asks if retirement is viable in May 2026 without sharing amounts.
• KT & Suze’s Advice:
  • Key missing info: Actual dollar amounts and projected expenses are essential for accurate advice.
  • Listeners should write: assets (with values), debts, income sources (with figures), planned expenses, Social Security amount, health and insurance status.
  • Hypothetical template provided for “retirement readiness” emails.
• Important Tip:
  • Suze underscores that spending info is as important as savings/investments when planning retirement:
    • “More than what you have, I need to know: what do you spend? What are your expenses?” — Suze [10:14]
• Memorable Quote:
  • “If you want to know something, how it should read: Hi, Suze, I’ll be 67...My house is worth $500,000...I will need X amount of money after tax in order to be able to do so.” — Suze [10:44]

5. Essential Documents for Young Adults (and Skeptical Sons!)

[12:06–19:58]

• Listener Q (Liz): Wants her son Connor (30) to use the "must-have documents" (wills, powers of attorney etc.) but he’s suspicious that companies will sell his info.
• Suze’s Response:
  • Firmly debunks the privacy concern—Hay House distributes documents but does not access, store, or sell personal info.
  • Legal reality: At 18+, parents cannot legally intervene without documents like advance directives and powers of attorney.
  • Suggestion: At the very least, have Connor sign crucial healthcare documents giving his mother legal authority.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • “The biggest mistake you will make in life is the mistake you don’t even know that you’re making.” —Suze (to Connor) [17:14]
  • “$2,500 worth of state of the art documents, and you don’t want to do it? So Liz, here’s the other thing I would tell you...” —Suze [18:36]

6. Managing Gifts for Kids: UTMA/UGMA vs. 529 Plans

[19:58–24:39]

• Listener Q (Jean): Family is setting up UTMA accounts for her kids, but she prefers 529 plans for their financial aid advantages.
• Suze’s Strategy:
  • You can’t simply move regular UTMA funds into a standard 529.
  • The workaround: Open a “UTMA 529” — a 529 plan funded by UTMA assets; money remains in the child’s name and must be used for their education.
  • Strongly recommends: Do not invest UTMA funds—transfer the value into a UTMA 529 in cash to avoid triggering taxable gains.
• Key Insight:
  • UTMA assets count against students’ financial aid; 529s generally do not.
• Memorable Quote:
  • “The reason I don’t like UTMA or UGMA accounts is that...it will hurt them for financial aid. A 529 plan does not hurt your child for financial aid. That is why I rather you do a 529 plan than a UTMA.” —Suze [21:51]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On emergency funds:
  “The goal of money is for you to be secure. There is no better way...than having an emergency savings account.” — Suze [00:00]
• On relationships and asset protection:
  “You just never know about the what ifs. Which is why Suze has actually established for us...everything that would legally protect me, as she said, in the event that she was stupid enough to want to divorce me.” — KT [05:37]
• On children’s essential legal documents:
  “If something happens to Connor and he doesn’t have an advance directive and a durable power of attorney for health care...you cannot help him.” — Suze [18:57]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00–01:12] — Emergency fund advice
• [03:25–06:23] — Separate trusts and divorce
• [06:57–09:14] — S&P 500, VOO, and investment strategy
• [09:14–11:56] — How to write in for retirement advice
• [12:06–19:58] — Must-have documents for young adults
• [19:58–24:39] — UTMAs, 529s, and financial aid strategy

Suze’s Core Takeaways

• “The biggest mistake you will make is the one you don’t know you’re making.” [17:14]
• Financial preparedness includes legal and practical measures—security first, then growth.
• For all decisions: “People first, then money, then things.” [25:52]

Final Tips

• When writing in with questions: Be detailed—include dollar figures, monthly expenses, and specifics about your situation.
• Prepare key legal documents even if you’re young and healthy.
• If you want to keep up with timely episodes and special alerts, subscribe to Suze’s YouTube channel (link).

Closing Mantra:
“People first, then money, then things. Now, you stay safe, secure and healthy.” — Suze [25:51]