Most women become widows at just 60 years old—right when they're finalizing retirement plans and making critical Social Security decisions.

And here's what nobody tells you: after the death of your spouse, your brain literally doesn't work the same way while you're grieving, yet people around you are pushing you to make life-altering financial decisions.

In this episode, Cameron gives you a timeline of what needs to happen soon, what can wait six months, and what absolutely should not be decided on within your first year. Because the decisions you make in the next 6 to 18 months will determine your financial security for the next 20-30 years—and many widows are making at least two or three major mistakes that cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars over their lifetime.

Whether you've recently lost your spouse, you're preparing for the inevitable, or you want to help someone who's going through this right now—this episode could be the difference between financial clarity and decades of financial struggle.

More specifically, Cameron discusses:

• How your decision-making changes after the loss of a spouse
• The importance of creating a written timeline of to-do's to help gain financial clarity in widowhood
• What actions to take shortly after entering widowhood
• What actions can wait 6 months or more after entering widowhood
• Considerations and financial implications when it comes time to make big financial decisions
• When to consider making changes to your investment strategy and financial plan

Resources:

• Get Show Notes Here
• Retired-ish Newsletter Sign-Up
• Cameron's book for Divorcées and Widows: Finding Financial Clarity & Confidence When Starting Over
• See if you're a good fit for our Free Tax-Optimized Retirement Playbook™

Key moments:

(00:00) Widowhood: A Financial Guide
(03:26) Grief and Financial Decisions
(06:18) Immediate Financial Organization
(07:22) Urgent Financial Actions
(09:39) Accessing Emergency Funds
(10:41) One-Month Financial Priorities
(12:09) Contacting Institutions & Asset Identification
(14:37) Six-Month Review and Updates
(16:17) Longer-Term Decisions: Housing
(19:21) Housing: Financial and Tax Implications
(21:02) Investment Strategy Overhauls
(22:45) Key Takeaways for Widows