Bereavement

Whether it's sudden, or after a period of illness, or following a long and mainly healthy life, the loss of a partner always comes as a blow. It's an agonising time for surviving relatives and often compounded by additional financial pressures.

If the deceased hasn't made adequate arrangements, the family may be left to find enough money to pay funeral costs. In this situation you can speak to your financial planner about strategies to cover this unexpected cost.

If there are dependants, your financial planner can assist with investing the inheritance to secure their financial well-being, and providing budgeting strategies that take into consideration their altered financial circumstances.

If there is a surviving spouse there may also be decisions to be made about superannuation, retirement income and social security issues.