Are you a widow or recent divorcee who never had a handle on the household finances? If you are, you’re not alone.

At JHA, we meet with a lot of people who have, in small amounts over time, abdicated their power to their partner. In the event that they become a widow(er), or go through a divorce, they often don’t even know where their accounts are held; the user IDs; and passwords they need to access the bank or a utility company. 

We often function like detectives to help our clients understand their situations, advising them to:

  • Familiarize yourself with any work that has already been done to your home
  • Start opening the mail
  • Take out an independent credit card
  • Open a few bank accounts in your name only
  • Check your credit score
  • Get more involved with home repairs and renovations

Many times the impetus to financial empowerment is a looming divorce. Divorce is a situation in which legal documents get exchanged and numbers thrown out, and most people would not understand every aspect of it. Taking charge of the process, as intimidating as that may sound, is the best way to ensure your interests are taken care of.

Building your financial and organizational muscles can be a time-consuming process, especially if you’re emerging from an unhealthy environment. The good news is, if you ask for help, there are multiple modalities that can be used to arrive at the goal of financial independence — from creating a daily money management regime to going deeper with money coaching.

Contact us to learn more!