Divorced or Widowed? 4 Steps to Take Command of Your Money | The Informed Investor 43

Episode 43: If you’re newly divorced or widowed, what should you do about money? Undoubtedly, you’ll have bills to pay immediately, urgent tax issues, estate documents requiring updates, and plenty of other pressing questions. Like, do you have enough cash? And where are all the passwords? Evelyn Zohlen, a Regional Director and Senior Financial Planner with Apella Wealth who specializes in helping women in financial transition, says these questions are especially challenging if you’re grieving due to a divorce of the death of a partner. But she adds that addressing urgent financial questions around logistics, taxes, insurance, and actionable advice can help empower newly single women to feel confident about managing their finances. Zohlen, a former intelligence officer in the US Air Force, founded Inspired Financial, where she spent 20 years supporting women in transition, particularly through divorce and widowhood. In Episode 43 of The Informed Investor, Dimensional’s Mark Gochnour, Head of Global Client Services, speaks at length with Zohlen about the biggest hurdles facing women going through such transitions and the key action items they should tackle today. TIME STAMPS 00:00 Intro 02:27 Financial planning for widows and divorcees 05:04 Poor decision-making after divorce 06:35 Who handles financial decisions in a marriage? 08:13 Women may be left out of financial decision-making 09:22 Similarities/differences in divorce or death 12:53 Common challenges for women in financial transition 15:11 Keeping family informed about estate planning 21:19 Life insurance needs 24:26 Stabilizing cash flow 26:55 Importance of bank accounts and credit cards 28:24 Discussions with a partner about financial independence 31:38 Reassessing investment risks 37:27 Family dynamics 42:03 Common financial mistakes after divorce 47:57 Paying taxes after the death of a partner 49:53 Keeping track of passwords and estate documents 53:37 Key takeaways LINKS FROM TODAY’S EPISODE: Subscribe to the Stay Calm Investing Newsletter https://www.staycalminvesting.com/new... Register for a May 19 Webcast with Dimensional Founder David Booth on his upcoming book Stay Calm: Principles from Life and Investing https://event.webcasts.com/starthere.... The Informed Investor: Feedback Survey https://www.dimensional.com/us-en/inf... The Informed Investor on YouTube    • The Informed Investor   Dimensional Fund Advisors Shorts on YouTube    / @dimensionalfundadvisors   Mark Gochnour on LinkedIn   / mark-gochnour-9a23598a   Evelyn Zohlen on LinkedIn   / evelynzohlen   Learn more at https://www.dimensional.com/ #womenandmoney #divorce #widows #financialplanning #lossofaspouse #financialtransitionsforwomen #dimensionalfundadvisors #dimensional #dfa