Personal Finance

After Losing a Spouse: Accounts to Update and Next Steps

After Losing a Spouse: Accounts to Update and Next Steps

If you read our first post on managing finances after losing a spouse, you already know the most important thing: start small, and start with what's due now. This post covers the next layer. Knowing which accounts to update after losing a spouse, who to notify, and how to protect yourself financially can make a painful process more manageable. We've broken it down by timing so you know what's urgent and what can wait. Disclosure: This blog may contain…

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Managing Finances After Losing a Spouse: Where to Start

Managing Finances After Losing a Spouse: Where to Start

Losing someone you love is hard enough. Then the mail arrives. There's a utility bill on the counter, a credit card statement you don't recognize, and an automated email about a payment due Friday. And you realize, your spouse always handled this. You don't know which accounts are in your name, where the passwords are, or what's due and when. Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you click a link…

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A Financial Fresh Start: Financial Organization and Security

A Financial Fresh Start: Financial Organization and Security

January is a great time to refresh your financial health. However, organizing your paperwork without protecting your digital life is like locking your front door while leaving windows wide open. This blog is a step-by-step guide to creating financial organization and security systems that protect you and your sensitive information. Recent data shows adults 60 and older lost $2.4 billion to financial scams, with email as the contact method in nearly a quarter of fraud reports. This month, during…

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Talking to Aging Parents About Money: 5 Essential Conversations

Talking to Aging Parents About Money: 5 Essential Conversations

Talking to your aging parents about money often feels unnatural, intrusive, and awkward. However, if you notice that your parents are struggling to remember passwords, pay their bills on time, or keep their important documents organized, then starting a conversation about money is necessary. Checking in with your parents about their finances doesn't have to feel awkward or confrontational. You can support their needs while gaining peace of mind. We'll explore five conversations that make talking to aging parents…

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3 Financial Protection Habits Every Family Needs

3 Financial Protection Habits Every Family Needs

September is a month of fresh starts as we welcome autumn, enjoy cooler temperatures, and get into a more structured routine than summer often affords. As a new season begins, we can also find ourselves evaluating and choosing financial protection measures for our financial assets. Unfortunately, many families that think they were well-prepared for disaster to strike find out that they lacked adequate coverage after the fact. We can learn from recent tragedies and the hard-learned lessons they have…

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