Loss of a loved one.
The passing of a spouse or life partner can change virtually everything for the surviving party. We recognize that the adjustment to such a life-altering loss can feel overwhelming. Our approach to financial planning after loss is to be mindful of ‘where they are’ while providing objective counsel in planning a realistic and resilient financial future.
Perhaps the greatest value to these clients is in our accounting for those things they may not be thinking about during such a challenging and difficult time. For example:
- When to take social Social Security.
- Tax implications and exposure from the sale or disposition of assets.
- Changing of IRA accounts to the surviving spouse.
- Review, rebalancing, and adjustments to 401K and investment portfolios to optimize resilience and returns while reducing tax implications.
CASE STUDY
Say hello to Kate.
The sudden passing of Kate’s 72-year-old husband left her having to rethink not only her personal future – but her financial one as well.
At 60, Kate was still working and had no plans for retirement. Her husband had been collecting social security – and although Kate was entitled to social security benefits, we determined she would be better off waiting because she was still working. Collecting benefits now would reduce the amount of her monthly entitlement.
In lieu of collecting Social Security, we reviewed and rebalanced Kate’s investments and assets in order to provide the additional income needed to meet her expenses and continue living in her home in Woodbury, NY.
Not-too-fast forward.
Like Rome, a new life and secure financial future isn’t built in a day. With Kate, we created a comfortable schedule in order to review and address financial issues over the next year. Cautious financial planning after loss of her loved one accommodated some of the shorter term critical decision-making needed while not overwhelming Kate in the immediate aftermath.
