Black Cod with Emma Gray: Grief, Preparation and Planning for the Unexpected
Introduction
What happens when the person who planned everything for you dies at 38?
In this episode of A Taste of Financial Planning, Dennis Hall and Sarah Steele sit down with Emma Gray, founder of Rainbow Hunting, former wills and probate solicitor, and widow.
Over lunch, Emma shares both her professional knowledge and her lived experience of grief. The conversation explores what loss really feels like, the practical responsibilities that arrive alongside it and the importance of putting the right plans in place before they are needed.
Emma talks openly about the administrative burden that follows a death, sometimes described as “sadmin”, and the emotional handrails that can help when life changes overnight.
Dennis, Sarah and Emma also discuss powers of attorney, the tension between living fully now and planning responsibly for the future, and how thoughtful financial planning can reduce confusion and protect the people we love.
It is an honest, practical and deeply human conversation about the things many of us avoid discussing until it is too late.
On the menu
Dennis served Japanese black cod with miso.
In this episode
Dennis, Sarah and Emma discuss:
- What grief can feel like, physically as well as emotionally
- The practical and administrative burden that follows a death
- The “sadmin” no one prepares you for
- Why powers of attorney are not only relevant in later life
- The importance of having difficult conversations before a crisis
- The balance between living fully now and planning responsibly for the future
- How financial planning can reduce confusion at an already difficult time
- Why preparation is an act of care for the people you love
- The emotional support people need alongside legal and financial guidance
- Emma’s work supporting people through grief and major life transitions
Emma brings together legal knowledge, counselling training and personal experience, offering a perspective that is both compassionate and practical.
Financial planning is never only about numbers. It is about people, relationships and making life easier for those left to deal with the consequences.
Links
Find out more about Emma Gray and Rainbow Hunting:
https://www.rainbowhunting.co.uk/
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The podcast is hosted by Dennis Hall and Sarah Steele.
To contact Yellowtail, email ask@yellowtail.co.uk.
Yellowtail is a financial planning firm founded by Dennis Hall. We work with individuals and families across the UK, helping them understand their finances, make considered decisions and plan for the future with greater clarity.