In most families, one spouse usually handles the family's money, including their investments, life insurance, retirement accounts, college funds, etc. If that spouse dies, the surviving spouse has a real problem.
If you are the one who handles the money, ask yourself:
If I got hit by a bus tomorrow, would my wife know what assets we have to provide for her, where they are, how to access them?
If you don't handle your family's money, ask yourself:
If he doesn't come home tomorrow, do I know where the life insurance policies are, what the password to the bank account is, where the investment accounts are located and whether the pension continues after his death?
If the answers to these questions are not "yes," YOUR HAVE A PROBLEM!
Your Mess, Her Problem!walks couples through a step-by-step process of preparing for the inevitable. Completing this surprisingly simple exercise will give both you and your spouse the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are financially prepared.
Author Paul T. Fullerton is a wealth manager in St. Louis, Missouri. His firm, RBF & Co. Wealth Advisors, is a registered investment advisor that has been serving the financial needs of its clients for over thirty years. Paul has a national practice with clients living throughout the United States.