4 costly financial pitfalls that hit grieving spouses. Smart steps to take now to protect yourself later

Losing a spouse can be devastating. But amid that grief, the surviving spouse is often left making high-stakes financial decisions at the worst possible time. Income might drop overnight, yet the bills keep coming, and major financial decisions need to be made. To top it off, not all spouses have a solid understanding of their joint finances. About 21% of married Americans have never discussed debt with their spouse, according to a Western & Southern Financial Group study (1). Must Read From surprise d ...