Financial coaching for women — prepare for the unexpected

When Dave collapsed in front of Abby, she thought that was the worst thing that could happen, but she was wrong. She ended up with nowhere to live.

They had met through work. She loved his smile. His wife had died some time ago of cancer, and he had two grown daughters, Sarah and Natalie.

Abby and Dave eventually moved in together and had two children of their own, Jon and Danny. Then one evening, Dave collapsed and died.

Abby had stopped working when the children were born. They talked about making protection plans and making wills, but life was always too busy, and they never got around to it.

Because they were not married, and he had not made a will, everything was left to the four children. Abby had nothing.

Abby now had no money and nowhere to live, and, as administrators of the estate, Dave’s daughters had control over Abby’s boys’ finances.

Could things get worse? One day, not long after Dave died, Abby had a note from her stepdaughters. They had taken all of Dave’s photos, and the gifts Abby had given him, and they were arranging the funeral.

If only they had put proper plans and protection in place, things would have been very different.

These stories hit home and prompt people to take action, and through us, they know where to go to get the best and continuing advice.

Abby and Dave knew what they wanted for one another; they just hadn’t gotten around to doing something about it.

When most people meet in these situations, at first, things are very straightforward. Then, as time goes on, the waters become muddied. Fact is much stranger than fiction.

Hear more in the October episode of MDRT Presents: