Managing Finances Through A Difficult Family Situation

Betty is 70 years old, she’s a volunteer helping families in crisis and she’s married to Tom, a retired pilot from the airforce. They have 5 adult kids, some of them with special needs. Tom always took care of the family finances, and when he was diagnosed with a chronic disease he wasn’t able to do that anymore.

GOAL

Betty and her husband were going through a difficult situation. When Tom had to be hospitalized for a chronic disease, Betty had to make a lot of tough decisions. One of them was to find someone they could trust to watch and manage their finances, a task her husband had loved and had been very good at.

Also, as their kids had special needs, Betty wanted to set up her and Tom’s will and ensure inheritance in case they were not there to take care of them anymore. After dedicating their whole lives to service, the couple also needed more time to focus on family and personal needs.

CHALLENGES

Betty had never touched the family finances. That was Tom’s field, so she was concerned about how her husband would feel about partnering with a financial advisor after so many years of managing their assets himself.

With 5 adult kids that needed to be taken care of, a hospitalized husband and so many tough decisions in her hands, Betty was eager to meet this financial planner that a friend recommended to her. Apparently, this guy was a specialist in accompanying difficult family situations.

But how to convince Tom, a dedicated husband and father who had always done that job himself?

APPROACH

This financial advisor had an original way to approach things. He interviewed each family member individually and asked them about their goals, risk management, desires, and general approach to life. He carefully listened and they felt heard.

He developed a personalized financial plan for this family’s particular circumstances taking into account the complexity and special needs of Betty’s family. The financial situation fluctuated due to a move to Florida and selling their house, but nothing seemed to set this financial advisor back. Even when things got complicated for the family, he stood by their side.

The financial company also took really good care of their needs. Whenever they called, he answered or returned calls quickly. He was always available when they needed him.

RESULTS

The financial planner helped this family navigate the complexity of the situation. He stood up there, coming up with new solutions for the problems and new issues that arose anytime.

Thanks to this financial advisor’s approach, they went from not being able to take care of their finances anymore to filling in that gap and focusing on family and personal needs.