Kathleen Rehl, Ph.D., CFP®, draws on her personal journey, academic research, and field-tested strategies to help financial advisors more effectively support widowed clients. In this webinar, she outlines the three stages of widowhood and introduces specialized planning tools tailored to each phase of grief. She shares best practices for building lasting, trust-based relationships during this sensitive life transition. Through real-world case studies and practical techniques, advisors will learn how to meet widows where they are, both emotionally and financially, to provide compassionate, impactful guidance. Advisors will learn how to:
- Understand the current statistics on widowhood, including wealth transfer patterns and why widows often terminate their relationships with their existing financial advisors.
- Explain the emotional and financial challenges experienced during early widowhood.
- Differentiate between the three stages of widowhood and apply appropriate financial planning strategies to support a widow through each stage.
- Develop communication techniques and action strategies for new widows to enhance trust, empathy, and long-term engagement with widowed clients.
- Utilize widow-focused planning tools, such as the Clouds Exercise, Now-Soon-Later, Financial Feelings Survey, and Values Clarification.
