For multiple years, our event team has held health and wealth seminars to help our readers hear in person from experts on how to protect their assets and preserve their health. One of our featured speakers has now written a book packed with information titled “Love & Money: Protecting Yourself from Angry Exes, Wacky Relatives, Con Artists and Inner Demons.” It’s a must read!
Ann Margaret Carrozza, 50 years old, has been a fixture in northeast Queens for decades, serving it as an assemblywoman from 1997 to 2010 when she changed course and became a full-time lawyer offering her clients insight to protect their assets and do estate planning.
The mother of two boys, Danny and Billy Duke, she is married to Dr. William Duke, a respected doctor with an internal medicine practice in Bayside not far from his wife’s office. They live on Long Island near my home so our paths cross often.
Being a beautiful and knowledgeable person, an expert in her field, she has made frequent appearances on television as a legal expert. She can be seen on “ET Extra,” “Inside Edition,” “Good Morning America,” “FoxBusiness,” “The Doctors” and “Dr. Phil.”
Her new book has interesting and informative topics. Carrozza is the creator of the Love Contract and it takes a few chapters. Critical to read!
I love the idea that I can leave my children words apart from my will. A trusted friend or attorney can hold the words that can be as simple as passing on lessons I have learned to sharing my love, fears and hopes for their future. So powerful! I wouldn’t have thought to do that.
There are chapters on prenuptial, postnuptial and cohabitation agreements. In fact, I urge my friends who cohabitate to read the smart Judge Judy’s book “What Would Judge Judy say?: Living Together with Benefits.” It seems to me this would make a great combination for those who live together without the benefits of a wedding ring.
Being the mother of three children, I read with interest Carrozza’s chapter on children and money, and the advice to teach your children to be responsible about money. I think no matter how much or how little money you have, respect and knowledge about handling money starts when kids get their first allowance.
I’ve seen how my children have different styles. One is a spender, one is a saver and one is practical in handling money. So Carrozza’s chapter is filled with great insights.
We can all benefit from the information in the chapter “The Internal Laws of Love and Money ” and “Eliminating Personal Roadblocks to Wealth.” The chapters are filled with real people stories so it brings the advice home.
Who would think of a book from an elder lawyer called “Love & Money,” but if you think about it, it makes such sense. Carrozza teaches and is a believer that “good fences make good neighbors.” In her new book, she shows us all when, where and how to build those fences. It’s a great read with a foreword by Dr. Phil.
Basketball Battles
Four of my grandchildren play basketball and we began the weekend with the oldest, Ben Broner, playing his senior celebration day game. It’s his last year at Dalton and one of his last games, so I brought a cheering squad to add to his parents. Addy, Morgan, Jonah and Blake sat together in the bleachers cheering on Ben’s team which decidedly beat Brooklyn’s Poly Prep.
Then, on Saturday, I took Jonah to his game of seven-year-olds. The gym has a balcony bleacher so I was able to look down on the court and held up my silver and red pompoms from our Super Bowl party to cheer on his team. But Jonah looking up at me, made a face, shook his hands and said “no.” There’s nothing like an embarrassing grandma. So I just had to scream “great shot” when his little teammates made a basket! I retired the pompoms!
Then, 10-year-old Blake had his final game and was devastated that his team lost. I felt his pain! Then his sister Morgan had her game. At seven years old, it not serious, but for Blake the heartache of loss is huge.
How young to learn failure. But I guess it’s all part of life’s lessons. In my heart, they are all winners!
