Emotional Money Moments
Being financially prepared allows us time to grieve the loss, without having to navigate additional financial hardships and burdens that can occur during these tough and emotional times.
We will all experience the deeply emotional moments that come with life’s big losses. These can take many forms: from a change in circumstances to the devastating loss of a loved one. While you can never be truly emotionally prepared for these often life-changing moments, you can make sure that the financial impact of a loss is well-managed.
Most of us will, sooner or later, encounter life events that can trigger the most emotional moments we will ever experience: from a change in circumstances, such as losing your income or becoming disabled, to the devastation of a loved one dying.
“Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened””
What makes these highly emotional moments in life even more difficult is that, most often, they also have a substantial impact on our financial lives.
For example: the loss of job is one of the most difficult experiences for most people, emotionally and financially.
Similarly, the death of a parent or a partner can leave a family not only emotionally devastated, but also financially ruined.
While it is almost impossible to really prepare yourself emotionally for life’s most difficult losses, it is possible to plan ahead to manage the financial impact of these emotional events, ensuring that you and your loved ones do not also have to deal with financial hardship at the most difficult times in life.
Maybe, like Mandla*, you will appreciate the wisdom of having income protection, or maybe, as Sarah* discovered, a valid will and a solid estate plan can protect your loved ones from a great deal of grief and financial hardship.
Sara* says nothing could have prepared her for her husband’s untimely death. “Not only was our family grief-stricken, but we were also faced with immediate financial hardship, as our joint bank account was frozen, unexpected funeral and other expenses piled up, and we suddenly had to survive on just my part-time income. Learning from this very difficult experience, and with the help of my financial coach, I now have a will and testament in place, as well as life insurance, to make sure that when I die, my family will be taken care of financially.”
“When my sight was lost after a car accident, I could no longer work at my job. I was on the verge of an emotional breakdown, because not only my partner and our children, but also my parents, depended on my income. I had no idea how we would survive,” tells Mandla*. “Fortunately, my financial coach had convinced me to take income protection insurance a year earlier, although at the time I thought it was unnecessary! It was a great relief for all of us when I told my family that the insurance would cover my lost income, and that we would be ok!”
The best way to prepare for life’s most emotional events and the impact it will have on your finances, is to have detailed financial plan that takes into consideration all of the financial implications for you and your family.
Your financial coach** can help you to do this today – and is just a click away!
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At the start of a new season – reach out and engage with a financial coach to ensure that you can navigate the different emotional seasons of your life. Click here to contact your coach.
Have you experienced loss? How has this impacted you financially? Engage with us! Help is at hand.
Yours in Financial Health
* Not their real names. When you reach out to your financial coach, it is 100% confidential! Your personal information and anything discussed with your financial coach will never be shared with anyone.
** Access to your financial coach is an employee benefit provided by your employer through a completely independent third-party company. Your financial coach is trained and trusted to help you better manage your money – in complete confidentiality.