We recently heard a story about a woman whose husband had passed away. She was at the grocery store checkout and did not know how to pay. She was in her 80s and had never been to the store by herself, let alone paid for the weekly groceries. While this story may seem far-fetched, we hear the similar narratives from women going through transitions in their lives, whether that be the breakup of a relationship or being recently widowed.

Helping women understand their financial situation is one of the cornerstones of our business. We do not want any woman to have an unexpected economic surprise, yet we see it more often than we would like.

Below are examples of how we can help women accomplish their financial goals:

• Have insight into your earnings potential.

• Women earn an average of 81.6 cents to their male counterparts. This disparity means she needs to save more for the same retirement dreams. We can help you find ways to make the most of your money while working to stay on track.
• Women do not often know how to express their actual value when they ask for a raise or promotion. We can provide insight into what others in similar working situations are getting paid and help develop a strategy to ask for what they want.

• Have an awareness of your current financial situation:
• Even if you have never discussed money with your spouse or partner, it is essential to start now. Having that grasp on the day-to-day activity of your finances can help when going through life’s transitions.

• Provide an understanding of your investment options:
• Statistically, women often live longer than men, up to an average of five years, translating into a need to understand what and how to invest their funds.
• Determine the options to help ensure their money lasts through any transition, including retirement, loss of a spouse or partner, or a divorce.

No one should go through a challenging time without having a team on their side. We work with women to feel confident in their current and future financial decisions.