I have a question
Ask me the same way you'd ask if we were sitting across from each other.
Just Ask Gwen
The Financial World. Simplified.
The Problem Is...
Financial products can be complicated. Really complicated. Life insurance, annuities, 401(k)s, pensions, Social Security, IRAs... yet somehow, you're expected to understand what you have, how it works, and what all those numbers mean.
The truth is, a lot of people don't.
And asking questions can be uncomfortable—especially when you feel like it's something you should already know. Or when you're worried that asking a financial professional a simple question is going to turn into a sales pitch.
That's the problem I want to solve.
Just Ask Me.
Have a question about something financial that you don't understand? Ask me.
Have a statement, policy, illustration, benefit estimate, or other document with something on it you just don't understand? Show me.
I'll explain it in plain English, in a way that finally makes sense.
The best part? You don't even need to tell me your name. I don't need your email address or phone number, either.
Ask the question you've been embarrassed to ask. Ask the one you think you should already know the answer to. I won't know who you are.
Your question starts a private conversation with me—without telling me who you are.
And I'm not going to turn your question into a sales pitch. How could I? I don't have your name, email address, or phone number. I just want you to understand what it all actually means. And I really enjoy simplifying the complicated parts.
How It Works
1Start a private conversation with me.
Ask your question—or show me the part of a document you don't understand. You don't have to tell me who you are.
2Save your private code.
When you submit your question, you'll get a private code. Save it or take a screenshot. That's how you'll get back to our conversation. No account required.
3Come back and continue the conversation.
Use your code to see my response. If I need more information, I'll ask. If my answer brings up another question for you, ask me. We can keep talking for as long as you need.
Why can't I notify you when your answer is ready?
Because I'd need your email address or phone number to do that—and the whole point is that you don't have to give me either one.
Want Me to Look at Something?
Sometimes the easiest way to explain something is for me to see exactly what you're looking at.
You can upload a screenshot, photo, or relevant page from a statement, policy, illustration, benefit estimate, or other financial document.
I don't need the whole document. Just show me the part you don't understand.
Before you upload it, remove or hide anything that identifies you—your name, address, account or policy number, Social Security number, beneficiary information, QR codes, barcodes, or anything else that could identify you.
Not sure how to do that? I'll show you.
Fold it
Taking a picture of paper? Fold the part with your personal information underneath before you take the photo.
Crop it
On your phone or computer, take a screenshot and crop it so I only see the part you're asking about.
✓
Check it
Take one last look. If you can see your personal information, I can see it too.
↑
Send it
Upload the image and tell me what you don't understand.
Ready? Just Ask Me.
Choose the option that fits what you want to ask.
Explain this to me
Show me the part of a statement, policy, illustration, or other document you don't understand.
So... Who Is Gwen?
I'm Gwen Nicholson. I've spent more than 20 years working in life insurance, annuities, employee benefits, and retirement planning. I'm a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), Retirement Plans Associate (RPA), licensed insurance professional, and Investment Adviser Representative.
Most importantly for you, I know how to take complicated financial information and explain it in a way that makes sense. It's one of my favorite parts of what I do.
In my career, I've found that many people have life insurance policies, annuities, retirement accounts, pensions and other benefits they've had for years—but still don't really understand how they work.
That's not because they can't understand what they have. They've just never had someone explain it clearly.
That's why I created Just Ask Gwen.
One Important Note
Just Ask Gwen is here to help you understand financial information—not to tell you what you should personally buy, sell, change, surrender, or invest in.
I can explain what something means, how it works, and help you understand the information you're looking at. But without knowing who you are or understanding your complete financial situation, I can't responsibly tell you what you personally should do.
That's not what Just Ask Gwen is for.