WEALTHTRACK Last Advice From Revered Personal Finance Columnist Jonathan Clements
Jan 2, 2026
Jonathan Clements, a renowned personal finance journalist and founder of HumbleDollar.com, shares profound insights while navigating terminal cancer. He discusses the importance of organizing finances for loved ones and reflects on the unpredictable nature of health risks. Clements emphasizes the security provided by frugality, the liberation of discussing death, and the sources of happiness he's found despite his diagnosis. He advocates for honest family conversations about estate planning and highlights the importance of defining money's true meaning.
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Diagnosis Prompted Immediate Financial Cleanup
- Jonathan Clements discovered metastatic lung cancer after balance issues led to scans and an MRI.
- He immediately focused on organizing finances to spare his wife Elaine and their children extra work after his death.
Simplify Accounts To Reduce Burden
- Do close unneeded accounts, consolidate retirement accounts, and shred old tax returns to simplify estate tasks.
- Call banks now to cancel cards and consolidate small inherited IRAs to reduce post-death administrative burden.
Risk Management Has Limits
- Risk management prepares for many possible bad outcomes, yet unexpected events can still occur.
- Jonathan notes health risks can be as unpredictable as market risks despite careful defenses.