Your sunset days might not be going as planned

Hello everyone:

I meet people all the time, usually widows, whose lives are not turning out the way they had planned. They had pictured their sunset years being spent with their dearly beloved hubbies and then the fellows up and died on them. Another group of gals I meet had thought the men they had given their hearts to would always be there, until one day they weren’t, having thought the grass was greener elsewhere (honey, that’s because it’s over the septic tank, as Erma Brombeck used to say).

What’s next in your life? Take stock of where you are financially. Where will you live? How will you support yourself? While I realize you are going through a very emotionally draining time, you have to figure out how you will live and how you will eat next week, next month, next year, and years from now. It’s not romantic, but it is necessary.

If you are a widow, then things may be pretty cut and dried. Your hubby hopefully left a life insurance policy that you can benefit from and made some financial plans for your future without him.

If you are a divorcee, then maybe things aren’t so rosy, especially if your hubby had the opportunity to stash some joint assets (cash) before he hit the road (or tried to get you to leave home by making it miserable for you if you stayed).

In any event, find those documents you hoped you’d never need and get someone in the know to explain what they mean to your financial future. I met a gal recently whose former in-laws got her to sign over her rights to her deceased husband’s life insurance policy, saying “we’ll take care of you.” I’m not a lawyer and I’m not giving you any legal advice, but don’t sign anything over to anybody until you talk to an attorney and find out your rights.

Hang in there. This, too, shall pass and you will make it!

Best,

Dr. Sheri

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