Financial planning isn’t all about the numbers? Yes, that’s right. At Global View, there’s more to planning than running scenarios with your savings, debt, income, and expenses to arrive at what investments you need to retire. Financial planning is about making the numbers work to achieve the results you want. Our clients’ goals are more than a 2-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. Whether their dreams include traveling, retiring early, putting children/grandchildren through college, donating to charities or church, taking care of elderly parents, or leaving a family legacy, we want to engage our clients in an ongoing dialogue to stay current with their vision for the future as life evolves so we can best meet the goals.

This is especially true after the loss of a loved one. When a spouse dies, it can feel like the puzzle that you’ve been putting together with someone for decades has been dumped on the floor, and now the survivor (let’s assume it’s the wife) is left to pick up the pieces on the floor along with the pieces still in the box – all on her own. The widow may not even know what all the pieces represent. Some of them are bills she didn’t know about. Some are investments and legal documents that aren’t clear. Some pieces are enigmatic – these could fit into the social security section of the puzzle. It’s not unusual for widows to get several different answers to the same question posed around social security benefits.  

The husband may have had a banker, investment advisor, attorney, and accountant with whom he worked well (or not). The widow simply may not have been involved in those discussions, which explains why she may not understand all the puzzle pieces. At Global View, we’ve been helping survivors manage their portfolios for over twenty years. We understand this transition from married life to widowhood can be overwhelming, especially if making financial decisions wasn’t the role of the surviving spouse during married life. We want to be a compassionate financial partner, listen to concerns, and explore all the options all while evaluating the myriad of secondary loss decisions (more on this in an upcoming blog).  The important thing to remember is that the widow doesn’t have to put the puzzle together alone.  Our team is here to help, and now it’s her decision who she wants in her corner.

Global View was founded in 2004 by Ken Moore to put the clients’ interests first. He wanted to provide “Worry Free Portfolio Management.”  He was influenced by Bronnie Ware's book "The Top Five Regrets of the Dying." Bronnie Ware was a palliative care nurse who interviewed her patients who were at the end of life, and a common theme was that they regretted worrying about things that got in the way of living their true lives.  We want to help survivors of loss feel empowered and confident that they can make financial decisions without worry so they can live out their dreams, not just the numbers-driven ones. After all, this is what the departed loved ones would want, too. Over time this next chapter in life can look like a new puzzle that is both rewarding and beautiful in a different way. We will arm the survivor with the tools needed and be a sounding board, all while listening as your needs evolve and adapting your plan accordingly.

I became a widow in July 2021. I understand firsthand all the emotions that come with the territory.  I felt overwhelmed, vulnerable, and in a general fog. Despite having an MBA and working in finance for decades, I had to learn new skills and adapt to surprises too. Ken Moore, who I mentioned above, is my late husband, so I have been around the business since its founding. How did I manage? The Global View team knew what needed to be done, listened to my concerns, adapted the plan that was in place, and worked with my attorney and accountant. Once my new plan was in place, I felt calmer and could focus on healing to move forward with other aspects of life.  In November 2021, I felt inspired to participate in carrying on Ken’s legacy with his business partners. My goal is to make a meaningful contribution using my financial background, personal experience, and my colleagues’ expertise to empower other survivors to put new puzzles together.