The Rich Auntie Playbook: How To Build Wealth, Joy, And Freedom On Your Own Terms
Rich Aunties are having their moment. They are rewriting the rules: joy over judgment, freedom over convention. Black women who are single and childfree are showing us that a life […] The post The Rich Auntie Playbook: How To Build Wealth, Joy, And Freedom On Your Own Terms appeared first on Essence.
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By Kara Stevens ·Updated September 9, 2025 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Rich Aunties are having their moment. They are rewriting the rules: joy over judgment, freedom over convention. Black women who are single and childfree are showing us that a life well lived doesn’t have to follow the old script of marriage and motherhood.
Instead of being defined by what they don’t have, Rich Aunties are choosing themselves—and their money choices reflect it. With Tracee Ellis Ross as our patron saint, unapologetically booking the trip, buying the bag, or splurging on the spa day, her way of living is less flex and more permission slip: a reminder that happiness and joy are worthy investments.
That ethos resonates deeply with the everyday Rich Auntie: “I am in a position where I don’t have to consider how my spending habits impact another person who would depend on me greatly,” says Kristyn Matthews, a 30-something Florida-based project manager. “Being childfree by choice, I’m able to lean into that fully without the potential of feeling guilty later on. If a purchase decision backfires, it only impacts me—and I’m cool with that.”
For Yvette Ansah, founder of Café Kwae, dividing her time between the U.S., the U.K., and Ghana means financial flexibility not just for herself, but also for the people she loves. “I took my 8-year-old niece on a trip to Paris because I wanted to share one of my favorite cities with her. Just us.” For Ansah, it’s about legacy as much as life>Fidelity estimates the average 65-year-old retiring in 2025 could spend $172,500 on health-related costs during their twilight years. Being diagnosed with chronic cancer at 30 has also made planning for health expenses in retirement a priority for Matthews: “I’ve had my eye on a 55+ community for many years. It’s pricey, but it offers evolving health resources and the most hands-off option for me and my loved ones.”
That kind of forward planning is one way Rich Aunties protect both their health and their wealth. Another is putting tax-advantaged tools to work. “If you’re eligible to contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA) and don’t need the money right away, you can keep it invested,”explains CPA Janet Berry-Johnson of Firefly Financial Organizing. “Your contributions are tax-deductible now, and as long as you use the money for eligible medical expenses—deductibles, co-pays, prescriptions, vision, dental—withdrawals are tax-free when you need them.”
Add in a preventive approach to healthcare, and the payoff is not just better health but long-term savings too. Dr. Alyson Myers, endocrinologist at Montefiore Einstein, recommends middle-aged Black women stay on top of screenings: yearly mammograms for breast cancer, colonoscopies starting at 45, regular blood pressure checks after 40, and diabetes screenings from 35 onward—especially given higher risks for Black and Latina women. “So much of long-term health is what we catch early,” she stresses.
Taxes, Generosity, and FreedomA tax plan rooted in their life>heal your relationship with money and Unmasking the Strong Black Woman.
The post The Rich Auntie Playbook: How To Build Wealth, Joy, And Freedom On Your Own Terms appeared first on Essence.
