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If you’ve lost a close family member, you’ve probably experienced needing to make final arrangements, settling final bills, going through financial records, etc. While it may not be at the very top of the list of things to do during this emotional time, surviving spouses should look at several estate planning considerations in the year following the death of their partner.

Estate planning is a vital aspect of financial management for couples, playing a crucial role that extends beyond the mere allocation of assets. It serves as a fundamental tool in preparing for the unpredictability of life, including the eventuality of one partner predeceasing the other. The potential of widowhood, often an overlooked aspect, is an essential consideration in this planning process.

After losing a spouse or longtime partner, it’s difficult to look past your grief. However, it’s crucial to understand the important and timely decisions you must make regarding your finances and personal estate plan. Estate planning is an ongoing process, as it accounts for changes in marriages, deaths, divorces, and births of children and grandchildren. Assuming your spouse left an updated estate plan before their passing can have disastrous consequences.

Statistics show that 60 percent of men and 20 percent of women are either involved in a new relationship or remarried within two years of losing a spouse. When it comes to estate planning, widowers are usually most interested in protecting an inheritance for their own children and that is when the role of a trust comes into play.

Losing a spouse is one of the most difficult things a person can go through. In addition to the difficult emotions surrounding the loss, widows and widowers may be tasked with several legal and financial responsibilities during this time of grief. After immediate needs are addressed, the surviving spouse may need to create a new plan to safeguard their assets and communicate their wishes.

Drawing up a will can be an emotionally taxing process. But it’s one that becomes especially difficult when a spouse is left to cope with the task after their partner passes away. Suddenly, what was once a joint decision made with a lifelong partner becomes a task a widow must face alone.