September 2026 – Wit, Wisdom, and What Matters Most

Planning for the Unknown: Health, Longevity, and Flexibility (Ep. 32)

By Wit, Wisdom, and What Matters Most | September 30, 2026

You can plan carefully for your career, family, finances, and future, but what happens if your health changes without warning? Preparing for uncertainty can mean creating room to adapt rather than trying to predict every outcome.

In this episode, Danton Troyer and Kyle Luetters speak with Karen Englert, M.Ed, CFRE, Director of Government Relations at Boys & Girls Clubs of America, about how an unexpected heart disease diagnosis changed her career, family life, financial decisions, and view of the future. Karen shares lessons from seven heart surgeries, advocacy work, raising a family, planning for longevity, asking for help, and learning to focus on the decisions she can still control.

Karen discusses:

How an unexpected heart disease diagnosis changed the way she thought about work, family, money, and the future
Why health questions can make retirement planning difficult when you don’t know how long you’ll work or what life may require
How advocacy for women with heart disease eventually led her from teaching into public policy and nonprofit leadership
How accepting circumstances, asking for help, and focusing on controllable decisions can create greater flexibility
How family, legacy, aging in place, and self-advocacy became central to the way she approaches long-term planning
And more!

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Connect With Karen Englert:

About Our Guest:

Karen Englert, M.Ed, CFRE, is the Director of Government Relations, GR Club Services, Midwest Region, at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Her career has spanned education, nonprofit leadership, government relations, and advocacy, including previous work with the American Heart Association and as CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County. Drawing on both her professional experience and her personal experience living with heart disease, Karen brings a deeply personal perspective to conversations about health, family, career decisions, self-advocacy, and preparing for an uncertain future.

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Part 2 – Couples With Unequal Incomes: Fairness, Pressure, and Partnership (Ep. 31)

By Wit, Wisdom, and What Matters Most | September 16, 2026

Is a promotion or higher-paying job worth the added stress and time away from your family? Before deciding, you and your spouse need a clear picture of what you’re working toward together.

In this episode, Danton Troyer and Kyle Luetters continue their conversation about marriage and money by exploring how couples can make career and financial decisions together. Through personal examples involving income differences, promotions, returning to work, travel, and family responsibilities, they explore the trade-offs executives and business owners may need to weigh with their spouses.

Danton and Kyle explain how shared financial goals, regular money conversations, and a family SWOT analysis can help spouses weigh additional income against household costs, personal fulfillment, and time together.

Key Takeaways:

How couples can decide whether a promotion or higher-paying job supports their shared goals
Which financial, personal, and family trade-offs to consider before accepting a new role
How one-year, five-year, and long-term goals can guide major career decisions
Why regular money conversations can reduce resentment around income and family responsibilities
How a family SWOT analysis can help spouses evaluate opportunities, concerns, and priorities
And more!

Resources:

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Connect With Kyle Luetters:

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Couples With Unequal Incomes: Fairness, Pressure, and Partnership (Ep. 30)

By Wit, Wisdom, and What Matters Most | September 2, 2026

How should married couples manage money when one spouse earns significantly more than the other? Should everything be shared, kept separate, or organized around the goals they’ve agreed to pursue together?

In this episode, Danton Troyer and Kyle Luetters explore how income differences can affect marriage, particularly for corporate executives and business leaders whose careers may create a substantial earnings gap. They examine joint versus separate finances, how couples can value unpaid caregiving and household responsibilities, and why contribution can’t always be measured by income. Danton and Kyle also consider how career opportunities, time away from family, and personal fulfillment can influence shared financial decisions.

Key Takeaways:

How different childhood experiences with money can shape financial expectations in marriage
How couples can approach joint or separate finances when one spouse earns significantly more
Why caregiving and household responsibilities provide value that income alone can’t measure
How a strict 50/50 approach may create tension when spouses contribute in different ways
Why executive career decisions should consider income, family time, and shared financial goals
And more!

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Connect With Kyle Luetters:

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