Client Stories
Louise had recently lost her mother, who lived with her during the last years of her long life. Newly retired as the manager of a law firm, on top of raising three daughters, Louise was now on her own.
While working, helping her mom, and managing caregivers, Louise neglected to take care of much else. On my first appointment with her in 2006, I began to sort through a couple years’ worth of mail, including bills and late notices.
I identified the accounts we could set up on autopay (most utilities and other recurring expenses) and got current with lots of other nagging details that had paled in the face of family priorities.
Now I meet with Louise periodically to update her bookkeeping on Quicken, file what she prefers to receive on paper, and regularly review expenses such as subscription services and insurance coverages.
Louise is confident knowing she can travel internationally and visit family in other states while her business at home is under control.
Buried under unopened mail
After Karen’s aunt died, she and her sister took on the daunting job of being executors of the estate. Most of their work in that role was to dispense with a lifetime’s worth of belongings their aunt had accumulated: furniture, artwork, books, and clothing. Every item had to be reviewed for donation, sale, recycle, trash, or keeping.
Once that was done, Karen had lots of receipts from charitable organizations to be organized for her tax accountant. I created a spreadsheet, and along with guidelines for properly estimating value, we had neat and accurate records to submit to her CPA at tax time. What a relief!
Now I meet with Karen annually in the spring to help her corral her expenses, W-2s, and 1099s from various employers and contractors in her publishing work so she can breathe easy while we get to the bottom line for all her deductible categories.
Tax preparers really appreciate—and will usually charge less—when their clients can provide organized records. With my help, tax time goes from avoidance to completion!
The tax-time shuffle
Money in your pocket
Lucy was a creative director for a major retailer and had a fully engaged social life. But she often felt overwhelmed and taking care of the details that an adult life requires sometimes slipped her attention.
Lucy’s therapist suggested she contact me. I knew the therapist as a fellow participant in somatic arts workshops (ask me more; I love to talk about it).
One of the first things I helped Lucy do was catch up on filing medical claims. Following the terms of her insurance plan, I was able to complete the paperwork and have her recoup several hundred dollars’ worth of reimbursements.
Lucy and I continue to meet regularly to keep current on all the admin matters that many otherwise smart and capable people like Lucy push to the back burner.
One day in 2014, an initial call with a potential client helped me further define how I help others.
After telling me that her husband had been diagnosed with a progressive disease and was the one who managed all household finances and business matters, Beth could barely begin to explain how she needed help.
She heard about my work from a mutual friend, but she didn’t know what I could do, in addition to not having her own grasp of what needed doing. When she said, “I don’t know what you do,” I responded, “I do what my clients need doing, and if I can’t or won’t do it, I will find out who does!”
I meet with Beth twice a month now to manage her personal bookkeeping records on Quicken, pay bills, and solve other administrative puzzles.
“I know I need help, but I’m not sure what help I need.”
“Susan, gently and clearly, helps me separate the wheat from the chaff. She helps me reach through my piles of denial and shame with just the right blend of humor, truth and encouragement.”
—M.Z.
Graphic Designer/Dance Facilitator/DJ, Kensington
Ready for more space and ease in your life?
Book a free phone or Zoom consultation so we can talk about what you need and how I can help.