Widowhood

REINVENTION: IT’S NOT EASY. When your spouse dies, so does the future that the two of you planned together. You’re overwhelmed by the grief, newfound responsibilities, tangle of emotions, and resulting exhaustion that so often accompany widowhood. And now you’re also tasked with reinventing yourself and reimagining a future that no longer includes your partner by your…

By: Joy Kirsch Decisions, Decisions…If you have traveled, or are traveling, the widowhood road, you probably know how overwhelming its myriad changes and choices can be. Making even one good decision, let alone many can be an especially tall order at a time when just putting one foot in front of the other may seem like more than you…

Becoming a WidowSince recently becoming a widow, Deborah often feels as if she’s trapped on a renegade roller coaster of stress, fear, confusion, exhaustion and loneliness. As if her grief and loss don’t seem debilitating enough, she is deluged with responsibilities, tasks and decisions – decisions that could permanently affect not just her finances, but…

Saying Goodbye Many estimates suggest that after their spouses die, a whopping 70% of widows fire their financial advisors. Anecdotal evidence suggests this often happens because the advisor (who supposedly worked for both halves of the couple) somehow never really cultivated a relationship with the woman. Perhaps the advisor made the old-school mistake of seeing her not…

FIRST THINGS FIRST For centuries, some of the world’s greatest thinkers have contended that helping others is the key to happiness. So you might think that volunteering your time, talent and treasure is a surefire and instant way to get through the grief that widowhood brings. I have found that simply isn’t true. Or at…

By Joy Kirsch REPETITION-WORTHY ADVICE FOR WIDOWS Make sure your bills are paid so you can keep your good credit. (Don’t pay your husband’s bills from your part of the estate.) Get your financial documents in order. Know where your money is. Seek the help of trusted professionals. And, when it comes to major decisions,…

NAGGING QUESTIONS In the early days after losing a spouse, financial decisions can seem pretty far down on your list of concerns. Your days can be consumed by planning a funeral, attending to piles of paperwork, and – let’s be honest – holding yourself together while receiving the stream of well-intentioned friends and family members…