Free Guide: Financial Help for Widows
What do widows need to know about their finances when their partner dies?
Your spouse’s death may be one of the most traumatic events you’ll ever experience. It often brings sadness, anger, pain, and grief, in all its forms. The sense of loss and the emotional pain that you are feeling may be profound. Know that you have our sympathies as you go through this challenging time, and we are here as a resource for you to lean on.
Losing your spouse may drastically change your daily life and expectations for the future. As Certified Grief Recovery Specialists® and Certified Financial Planner™ professionals, we understand the raw emotional and complex financial challenges of losing a loved one. It is overwhelming to have to deal with such a difficult personal loss while simultaneously addressing the host of legal and financial issues that arise.
Our guide, Financial Help for Widows - A Complete Resource Guide, is meant to help you navigate your financial life, especially during the first year after your spouse’s passing, to support you towards greater financial confidence and security, and to bring you comfort as you begin your new life.
Please complete the form below to gain access to a complimentary copy.
Some women have always been in the driver’s seat when it comes to the family’s finances; for others, this role is new territory. Whatever your background and experience level with money, we are here to tell you that you can do this. As tempting as it may be to shut down and retreat during this intense and painful time, this moment is important, as certain decisions about your finances will either secure or jeopardize your financial future.
Most women in your position feel, understandably, overwhelmed. There is so much to do, and it can be confusing to figure out what you should do first. You may feel like you need to get everything done immediately, yet that is far from the truth. In this guide, written for you, we help you make sense of it all by prioritizing the most important steps for you to take now, and letting you know which ones you can put off until later. You won’t have to do it alone; we will be with you every step of the way.
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What "Financial Help for Widows" Includes
Financial Help for Widows is divided into three sections, providing the support you need to make good financial decisions during this difficult time. The first section, Put Your Team in Place, focuses on building your team of professionals. The second section, The Finances, walks you through the steps you need to take to begin making financial arrangements for your spouse. The third and final section, Self-Care, is a gentle reminder on how to give yourself the compassion and acceptance you need as you process your loss.
Together, these three sections combine to provide you with an easy to read, step-by-step guide filled with resources that help you:
Collect and Organize
Handle Financial Matters
Plan
"Financial Help for Widows" Section One: Put Your Team In Place
After your spouse’s death, you’ll benefit greatly from the support of your close friends and family, as well as the professionals in your life. You may already have a professional and personal support network, but it’s important to identify any gaps in your support community. The most important professionals you’ll need on your team are:
Estate planning attorney
Financial advisor
Therapist, ideally specializing in grief recovery
This section will help you find these important professionals and explain more about the roles they play, including resources on what to ask potential financial advisors and mental health professionals to make finding your team a less intimidating task.
"Financial Help for Widows" Section Two: The Finances
While you are building your support team, and possibly even before that, you’ll need to start making final arrangements for your spouse. Financial Help for Widows - a Complete Guide includes information on:
Choosing a funeral home
Obtaining copies of the death certificate
Preparing an obituary
What to ask of your spouse’s employer
This section dives heavily into all areas of finance. You’ll learn about income and expenses; life insurance, social security, and veteran’s benefits; health, homeowner, and auto insurance; and how retirement affects your budget, plus more.
In addition, this section includes resources like our:
- Checklist of documents to collect
- Net Worth Worksheet
- Income and Expense Worksheet
- Guide to Protect Against Identity Theft
"Financial Help for Widows" Section Three: Self-Care
Every person grieves differently, and there is no right or wrong way to mourn the death of your spouse. You may have a confusing combination of emotions, some that you weren’t expecting, and you may feel differently from minute to minute. This is entirely normal.
Grief can affect us not only emotionally, but also physically, mentally, and even spiritually. This section discusses the importance of taking care of yourself during the grieving process and contains:
Kübler-Ross grief model overview
Real Women, Real Stories, Real Success
Comprehensive Resource Guide
This section will help you find these important professionals and explain more about the roles they play, including resources on what to ask potential financial advisors and mental health professionals to make finding your team a less intimidating task.
Download "Financial Help for Widows - A Complete Resource Guide"
As a wealth management and divorce financial planning firm, we help women going through transitions - such as divorce or the loss of a spouse - plan their financial future, grow their investment portfolio, and protect their nest egg through these turbulent life changes. You can download Financial Help for Widows - A Complete Resource Guide for free via the link below.