FINANCIALLY
Speaking
“ Am I Going To Be Okay ?”
by Jeffrey M . Orth , ChFC , CASL Investment Advisor Representative of HTK
Jeffrey M . Orth is a Chartered Financial Consultant , a Certified Advisor in Senior Living , and an Investment Advisor Representative , with over 10 years experience as a business and personal planning , insurance , and wealth management specialist Jeff is available for group lectures and private consultations . Visit his website at www . ifitfinancial . com or call 408.842.2716 .
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Painfully , I remember the phone call . She called me , crying , not knowing how she would cope with the loss of her husband . I could envision her tears and felt helpless to find the words that would bring her some comfort . The thought of this lovely woman , crushed by her devastating sadness , filled me with sorrow . Her husband was a dear friend and his untimely death had caught us all by surprise . We shared so many interwoven memories and now , they were just that - memories .
I have long understood that an important part of my responsibility as a financial planner and wealth manager is to support people in the most personal and meaningful way possible . My first obligation is to try to protect those I serve from loss , whether with their investments , or as in this case , from the loss of income to a surviving spouse . At times like this , when everyone else is at the door with good intentions , I am grateful that I am able to provide tangible assistance when it is needed most .
On the way to meet with this new widow , I was struck by the fact that life was going on as usual for everyone I passed . There were children playing in the park , a man washing his car , and yet this woman ’ s life had been turned upside down . When she opened the door it was obvious she was overcome with grief . I hugged her and attempted to be of comfort to her . It was clear she was just trying to figure out how she was going to go on without the love of her life . And then she asked me the question that I always hear from the recently widowed , “ Am I going to be O . K .?”
I was so grateful that in this case I was able to answer , “ Your husband loved you so much that he purchased a large permanent life insurance policy . I am confident , that with reasonably good planning , financially , you are indeed going to be okay .” For her , there would be time to heal from such a great personal loss , free from financial concerns . This is not always the case .
I can think of no better way to show your loved ones how much you care about them , than by making sure they are able to stay ‘ in their world ’ should something tragic happen to you . Having a life insurance policy that provides enough money to compensate for lost income and support will enable your family to keep as much of their lives intact as possible .
Even though time has passed since I met with this widow , the memory has stayed with me because it reminds me that protection is the priority when putting together a well thoughtout financial plan .
The author ’ s opinions , comments information , etc . are those solely of the speaker and are independent of , and do not represent , HTK , and should not be considered as specific investment or planning advice . Please consider your options based on your individual circumstances . Gilroy Today and other listed entities are independent of and un-affiliated with , HTK and Integrated Financial Benefits Network ( IFit ). Registered Representative of , and Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through Hornor , Townsend & Kent , Inc . ( HTK ). Registered Investment Advisor . Member FINRA / SIPC , 16845 Von Karman Ave , Ste . 225 Irvine , CA 92606 ( 949 ) 754-1700 . I Fit is independent of HTK . CA Lic # 0C49291 ( Not an offer or solicitation in any state where representative is not properly licensed or registered .) Loans and other policy withdrawals will reduce the death benefit amount and may be subject to surrender charges and income taxes . All guarantees are based upon the claim-paying ability of the insurer .
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