Dear Kim,
My husband passed away last year at the age of 60. I’ve finally worked through all of the financial changes that happened after losing his income and getting all of my benefits in place. At the age of 58, I am now returning to the workforce after being out of it for over a decade. What are some financial areas I need to watch as I’m now balancing a new job/income?
Sincerely,
Finding a New Normal
Dear Finding a New Normal,
When I’m approached with questions like this, I often find that there are other questions that need to be answered first, such as:
- What residual income do you have from your late husband?
- What will your new income be?
- Do you have minor children at home?
Even without that info, there are still some steps you can take. I would begin with looking at your new income versus your budget outflows. How do they match up? If they don’t match up, or if you have a shortfall, begin looking for items to trim or remove from your monthly expenses.
Once your budget balances, then you can begin looking at ways to save for your future. I don’t know how much retirement savings you already have, but you will need to look seriously at that, given your age. How long will you need or want to continue working before you retire? This will be a new normal for you, and it will take some fine-tuning to figure out what works best for you.
Working with a financial planner could be beneficial for you as you navigate these changes and begin to plan for your future as a single person. I wish you the best of luck.
Kim
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