What to Do Financially After a Spouse or Loved One Dies (Taxes, Benefits, and Common Mistakes)
This is a recording of a live Good Grief community workshop. Members get access to expert-led sessions where they can ask questions, connect with others, and find support.
Losing a spouse can feel overwhelming emotionally and financially.
In this workshop-style video, a certified financial planner walks through what to do financially after a spouse or loved one dies, including which decisions matter now, which ones can wait, and how to avoid costly mistakes during a time of grief.
This video covers key topics that widows and surviving family members often struggle with, including organizing financial documents, step-up in basis, inherited IRA rules, Social Security survivor benefits, and what to do with life insurance or inheritance money.
What you'll learn in this video
- Where to start financially after losing a spouse or loved one
- How to organize accounts, documents, and beneficiary information
- How step-up in basis works for investments and real estate after death
- The difference between spousal and non-spousal inherited IRA rules
- What to know about Social Security survivor benefits and timing
- What to do and what not to rush with life insurance or inheritance money
- Which financial decisions can wait during the grieving process
Resources from this session
This video is for educational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or investment advice. Everyone's situation is different, especially during times of loss.
If you are navigating finances after losing a spouse or loved one, you are not alone, and you do not have to have everything figured out right away.
The complete workshop deck, notes, and resources for this session are available in the Good Grief Community Platform.
Access the full recap