 “17.3 percent of nonmarried elderly women (widowed, divorced, or never married) are living in poverty today.” – Social Security Office of Policy
This stat really threw me back into my seat. I thought of some of my friends, whose wives were still living, knowing that their wives would not be in good shape if their husbands pass prior to them. There are many reasons for that, but the bottom line is there wouldn't be enough money to keep the wife comfortable in the world that she has become accustomed to. My friends will continue to work at something until they drop. But chances are the husband will go first and for the first time, the wife will get a hard look at the financial picture. And it will come at a hard time, with the passing. There are funeral costs, adjustments to lifestyles, any debts to pay, and many more thing she now must consider extra in her financial spending. Oh, and what about the children? That is a whole other additive to the equation. So, how can we prepare for this tragedy? There is only one cure in most cases - the husband needs more life insurance. Yep, that is the biggest thing that he can do for his wife and family. He doesn't have enough money, can't risk it, and there really is not enough time. It’s a tough reality check, but one we can’t ignore. None of us want to leave our partners struggling after we're gone, yet many folks don’t realize the financial strain until it hits them. We’ve got to face up to the fact that we won’t be around forever, and that means taking action now. Life insurance isn’t just some boring investment—it’s a safety net for the people we care about most. Give the survivors something to remember you by, because after the initial mourning and friends have left, reality will set in. Let’s ditch the excuses and get real about protecting our loved ones’ futures. It might not be the most fun conversation, but it’s one that could make all the difference when it counts. |
