What happens to your Social Security when life takes an unexpected turn? In this eye-opening episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss welcomes financial planner Bob Goldberg, CFP to demystify Social Security and survivor benefits in the context of end-of-life and legacy planning.

Bob breaks down key Social Security strategies, including when to start collecting benefits, how spousal and survivor benefits work, and why delaying might offer the highest long-term value. Learn the differences between early retirement at age 62, full retirement at 67, and maximizing your payout by waiting until 70. This episode also explores benefits for divorced spouses, minor children, and widows—crucial knowledge for families navigating loss.

With real-life case studies and practical advice, this episode is a must-listen for anyone planning for retirement, currently caregiving, or facing unexpected loss. You'll gain insight into how financial planning intersects with digital legacy, long-term care, and protecting loved ones after death.

🔔 Subscribe for biweekly episodes on death, technology, and financial planning.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
📘 Learn more at digitallegacypodcast.com

In this powerful episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss welcomes Michelle Desmond, a former corporate executive turned thanatologist, to explore death, grief, and the digital age. Michelle shares her deeply personal journey—losing her father, husband, close friend, and mother—leading to her career shift into grief and death studies. Discover how she transitioned from business to earning a Master’s in Thanatology and how she now educates others on navigating end-of-life care, hospice, and grief literacy.

Together, Niki and Michelle discuss the role of end-of-life doulas, the history and resurgence of death awareness, and the impact of digital legacies on modern mourning. They unpack cultural stigmas around death, the importance of documenting final wishes, and how family dynamics shape end-of-life decisions.

Whether you're curious about the psychology of grief, the role of death tech, or how to talk about mortality, this episode offers heartfelt insight, practical tools, and empowering knowledge. Don’t miss this essential conversation on embracing death to better live life.

In this powerful episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki welcomes Su Park, founder of Amori, a groundbreaking emotional legacy app helping parents preserve heartfelt messages for their children. Su shares the deeply personal story of losing her mother to cancer and how that grief inspired her mission to redefine how we approach end-of-life communication in the digital age.

Discover how tools like Amori empower families to record timeless memories, emotional reflections, and personal wisdom that can be accessed at key life stages—even long after a loved one is gone. From culturally nuanced grief to the psychology of digital time capsules, this conversation explores the intersection of death tech, emotional well-being, and legacy planning.

Whether you’re a parent, adult child, hospice worker, or curious about the future of digital memory keeping, this episode offers meaningful insights into embracing mortality and living with intention.