You can have the will, the trust, and the estate plan and still not know what to do first when your spouse dies. Samina Bari learned that in 2023, when her husband died suddenly in an accident. Her financial advisor sent her a PDF checklist. She ended up typing Social Security questions into Google.

On Getting Rich Together, host Syama Bunten talks with Samina, Founder and CEO of Farewell. Samina spent the last decade of her operating career focused on biotech M&A, advising CEOs and boards on investor strategy and positioning. She explains where estate planning for women falls short and why a checklist of steps after the death of a spouse rarely helps someone navigate the first days of grief. She explains the questions she needed answered in those early days and why she struggled to find a clear path forward.

Her story shows how financial independence for women can start with small, deliberate decisions. She bought a condo at 21 with a lowball offer and refused to budge. She took a significant pay cut to get inside Pfizer and shares what she weighed before saying "yes". She also makes the case that the great wealth transfer needs better infrastructure to help families move assets with more clarity, especially as more inherited wealth passes to women.

Press play to understand what comes after the estate plan and why preparing for the administrative side of loss matters before you ever need it. Then keep the conversation going at the Wealth Catalyst Summit, a full-day event. Claim your seat at wealthcatalyst.com.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 When an Estate Plan Leaves You Without Answers

02:55 Rejecting Expectations and Choosing Independence

06:44 Night Shifts, Kiplinger's, and a Condo at 21

13:52 Samina Bari's 20-Year Plan From Hospital to Lipitor

19:13 Salary Negotiation and Knowing When to Walk Away

28:30 Building an Advisor Team, Wills, and Trusts Early

31:44 Tesla Stock and a First Angel Check

36:13 Sudden Loss and Writing Don't Call Me Widow

43:41 What to Do First When Your Spouse Dies

50:26 Why the Great Wealth Transfer Needs a System

Connect with Samina Bari:

Visit the Farewell website: https://withfarewell.com/

Visit Samina's website: https://saminabari.com/

Find more from Syama Bunten:

Your money story may be shaping your financial life more than you realize. After hundreds of conversations with women at all stages of their financial lives, Syama distilled the questions that helped her understand her own patterns into The Money Story Reset, a free guide featuring five guided reflections and personal stories from her journey.

Download The Money Story Reset and begin uncovering the beliefs behind your financial decisions: https://wealthcatalyst.com/reset/

Apply For Your Seat @ The 4th Wealth Catalyst Summit | San Francisco, October 16: https://wealthcatalyst.com/sf2026/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syama.co/

Join Syama's Substack: https://thewealthcatalystwithsyama.substack.com/

Website: https://wealthcatalyst.com/

Big Delta Capital: https://www.bigdeltacapital.com/

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm