About 25 years ago or so I had a tax client, a young woman, and I would see her once a year. One year, she didn’t show. It happens.

September 24, 2017

A young man showed up to have his tax returns prepared. He worked on Wall Street for a bank. He made 7 figures. A couple of years later he got married, and filed a joint return with that young woman. So that’s where she went. She no longer had to work. They had a couple of kids.

A few years ago, he came in to finish his returns on extension. In April, she discovered that she had breast cancer. By October, she was gone.

I was reminded of this woman by another tax client from Wall Street I saw today, who also earns 7 figures. He, too, got married, and was expecting their first child last year. It came out stillborn. They had all the money in the world, but when his wife went into labor, the baby died.

He came in with his wife today. She is 8 months pregnant. He is undergoing radiation treatment at Sloan Kettering. He has cancer. He could barely speak, and had to constantly spit into a bottle.

What is the value of your health? How much of your wealth would you trade for it? How much debt would you go into to maintain it?

There are people in this world who ask that last question daily, because their health care does not cover all the expenses. Leaving aside Obama care, or “Medicare for all” for the moment, take away politics for a minute: what would you pay or give up for your health? All the money in the world doesn’t always matter. Just ask Steve Jobs. Except that you can’t.

I have a head cold. I coached someone tonight who heard my gravelly voice and, saw my running nose, and was concerned about my health. I told him about my client undergoing radiation treatment. I just have a head cold, and for that I am very grateful….