We are about to witness a significant wealth transfer as the baby boomers hand over their investment assets to their children, grandchildren and charities. However, before this wealth reaches its intended beneficiaries, it will likely land with a surviving spouse. According to the United States Census Bureau (2022), nearly half of the population is married. Statistically, women live longer than men by almost six years. Statista.com shows 3.7 million widowed men and 11.48 million widowed women in the United States in 2022. Therefore, this enormous wealth transfer will likely land in the hands of widows. Unfortunately, research has shown that up to 70% of widows leave their financial advisor within the first year of their husband’s death.

So, it begs the question. Are you losing or gaining widowed clients in your practice?

This article guides financial advisors, shedding light on the challenges they face serving widowed clients and providing strategies to help widowed clients move forward.

The death of a spouse is one of life’s most difficult events. However, the impact of the death may differ by gender. For example, according to Streeter (2022), men who lose their spouse are more likely to experience loneliness and depression, while widows are more likely to suffer greater financial insecurity—many widows’ financial position decreases by both income (22% reduction) and net worth (10% reduction).

Strategies for financial advisors

1. Show empathy: An advisor needs to listen to the widow, understand her perspective and feel her emotions. Don’t be surprised if she laughs at a memory and then begins to cry. Pass her a tissue box and give her time to sit in that emotion for a bit before she can regain her composure.

2. He had a name: Advisors should refer to the husband who passed by his name instead of calling him the decedent or deceased. If his name was Bill, just keep calling him Bill.

3. Assessment of financial situation: The widow may or may not have been involved in the finances during her marriage. Like any other planning client, assessing her financial situation, starting with cash flows, is essential. Upon her husband’s death, household income may decline due to a pension that is reduced or eliminated upon his death, and the widow could lose one social security check. It is important to get a handle on cash flow because widows have a higher risk of falling into poverty because of the income drop they experience. For those widows who did not handle finances previously, they may need more assistance organizing their finances. Make sure to check in with your widowed client in a non-judgmental way to see if they need more support.

4. Wait a year for significant decisions: Widows are usually told by friends, family and the clergy not to make any significant decisions for a year. This is good advice since many widows talk about a fog that they experience after the death of their husbands. This is where an advisor can make a difference by explaining that there are some immediate needs to address, such as notifications to social security, updating financial accounts and filing for life insurance benefits. Handle the tasks that need to be done in a timely manner, then resolve the remaining items when she is ready.

5. A widow's biggest question: Most widows don’t care about asset allocation, beta of stock or market risk. A widow's biggest question is, “Am I going to be okay?” The question she is really asking is “Do I have the finances to take care of myself?” “Am I going to get through it?” By developing a personalized financial plan, including budgeting, investing and long-term financial planning, coupled with financial literacy, over time she will begin to realize that she will be okay. Advisors should be overt about asking the widow about her financial anxiety and normalize talking about their worries.

6. Recommend therapy or support groups: Advisors should recommend a grief counselor or psychologytoday.com to find a therapist who specializes in grief. Advisors could also recommend a support group. There are many organizations, such as the Modern Widows Club, where she may gain comfort talking to someone else going through the same experience. Encourage her to stay busy with friends and family. This is a time when widows need their community.

Widows face unique challenges, and financial advisors are uniquely positioned to exhibit empathy, assess the financial situation, move at the widow's pace and create long-term financial security. Financial advisors play a pivotal role in guiding widows through the complexities of financial management. If done well, you’ll have a client for life.

Dr. Jodi Krausman is the program director for the MSFP Program at the American College of Financial Services and an assistant professor of financial planning.