A Moment of Connection: Supporting Clients Through Grief and Loss

One of the worst parts about being a Wealth Advisor is when a client passes away. I’m sure that needs no explanation, but it’s a reality of our job that doesn’t get a lot of air time, so I thought it might be sort of beautiful to pay honor to that today.

My client recently lost her husband. They had been married for over 70 years, so if I were to put words in her mouth I would say it was hard for her to know where she ended and he began, they had been partners for so long. It’s not a tragedy from the outside looking in, he lived an incredibly long and vibrant life. But I think few people likely know the deep sorrow that she is experiencing right now, myself included.

On top of losing her husband, she’s also losing her eyesight. So her world has gotten quite dim, and I would say it’s hard for her to find her orientation when going through that much loss.

On top of all that, when you lose your spouse, you’re inundated with paperwork – right when it’s the last thing on your mind. You have to coordinate with the mortuary to get death certificates, with the estate attorney to get valuations on assets, you have to retitle certain joint accounts. It’s a logistical barrage that comes at a time when all you want to do is mourn.

Some of that paperwork is what we handle in the case of a death. And with so many moving parts it can get a little complicated.

So, on a Friday afternoon, it became apparent that one form wasn’t in good order, I needed another signature from this client, who has lost her husband and is losing her eyesight, and I needed it that day. She can’t use Docusign, so I ended up driving to her house around 3 in the afternoon through Friday LA traffic. I felt bad, like it was a bit intrusive and abrupt, so I showed up apologetically. But it turned out to be one of my favorite moments.

She was at her kitchen table, and she had been practicing her signature to make sure she could get it right. Again, her eyesight is deteriorating, so reading and signing forms is quite difficult for her at the time. And it dawned on me – this was one of the highlights of her day. It was something for her to do. It was an opportunity to have a guest at her house. We ended up just sitting there talking for a half hour or so – it gave her a moment of connection during such a lonely time.

I thought I was inconveniencing her with arduous paperwork. But the truth is, what I represented to her in that moment was something that hadn’t changed. She and her husband had been Morton Wealth clients for over 30 years, and I think that experience was a reminder that she has people in her life who will always be there for her through thick and thin, through the big things and the small things.

That connection is the best part of my job.

Disclosure: Information presented herein is for discussion and illustrative purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by the speakers are as of the date of the recording and are subject to change and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Morton Wealth. These views are not intended as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities, and should not be relied on as financial, tax or legal advice. You should consult with your financial, legal, and tax professionals before implementing any transactions and/or strategies concerning your finances.