5 Retirement Red Flag Warnings For Retired Couples

It’s often the case that one spouse or partner handles most financial matters for the household. If that spouse or partner dies first, the survivor can be left with a hot mess. They’ll need to navigate their finances at a time when they’re vulnerable, grieving, and coping with living alone. To add to their stress, there can frequently be looming deadlines with penalties for late payments.

In general, it’s more common that wives outlive their husbands, making her the one who will be sorting out the finances. However, in all situations, there will be financial stresses on the survivor when the spouse or partner dies. To help alleviate these stresses, it makes sense for couples to plan for the inevitability that one of them will be living alone at some time in the future.