- Crisis Management
- Prioritizing
- Choices & Decisions
- Opportunities
- Moving Along
- Regaining Equilibrium
Since you have left, death draws us in.
A fish quivers on rough sand until its soul leaves,
For those of us still living, the grave
feels like an escape-hole back to the ocean.
This is no small thing,
the pulling of a part into the whole.
~ Rumi
Crisis Management: Widowed and worrying…What do you do now?
If 50% of marriages end in divorce, the other 50% end in death. Whether the death is sudden and unexpected or as the result of a lingering illness, the early days of loss are a blur of shock, fear, sadness, disbelief, maybe even anger, guilt, confusion or relief. The ensuing loss of appetite will likely be accompanied by an abundance of comfort food. The days are long, and the nights are dark.
The hallmark of these early days is attending to the basic needs of the surviving spouse and close family. The immediate decisions relate to funeral plans, obituary notices, and phone calls to spiritual advisers. Everything else waits.
The Financial Peace:
Now may not be the moment to make significant financial decisions, but knowing that you have a trusted adviser to turn to when you are ready will provide a peace of mind. With your account information and copies of your legal documents, including your Will, Trust and other estate planning documents consolidated securely in the vault, you can rest assured that you and your team will have access to the information you need to settle your financial affairs.
If you have not already uploaded your documents to your secure portal, now might be a good time to get organized. Click here to access your client portal. To determine which financial service model best suits your needs, please contact us.
Voices of Experience:
From the widow: “Take care of yourself. Eat, sleep, and breathe. This will be harder than it sounds. Grief is a total body experience, not unlike pregnancy, but much less fun.”
From the widower: “Make lists with related tasks and deadlines helping to focus on one task at a time. It will give you a sense of control. You will want to find confidence in your decisions ahead, and now is the time to lean on your friends and advisers for clarity, objectivity and direction.”
Wherever you are on your financial journey, we can help.
Stratz & Company Financial Services
626-799-5151
