Losing a partner is devastating. Then on top of the grief, there’s paperwork, big life changes, and financial decisions that feel urgent and overwhelming.

In this episode of Ask the Experts, we’re answering a listener question from a woman in her early 50s who recently lost her husband. They had just finished putting their kids through school and were about to ramp up retirement savings. Instead, she’s now navigating life solo, with a $500,000 lump sum from a payout and the sale of the family home.

Will White from Heartland Bank is in the Expert hot seat, ready to talk through:

Where to start when you’re grieving and facing big financial decisions
KiwiSaver vs managed funds – the pros, cons, and access rules
How to think about timeframes when retirement is 10–15 years away
Building a safety buffer before you invest
Risk tolerance, and how grief and life changes can affect how much volatility you can handle

If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, please send it through to ask@francescook.co.nz (mailto:ask@francescook.co.nz) and you might feature on our next episode!

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This podcast was filmed & produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

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Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:56 The letter: navigating grief and sudden financial responsibility
00:01:50 Don't rush: give yourself time to grieve and think clearly
00:02:28 Diversification matters: don't put all your eggs in one basket
00:05:30 Short, medium, and long-term priorities: working backwards from retirement
00:07:41 Investing in your 50s: you can't afford too many market shocks
00:08:36 Get a financial advisor: half a million dollars deserves professional advice
00:09:24 Emotional safeguards: when are you ready to make big decisions?
00:12:09 Invest in your mental well-being too: grief counseling is just as important
00:13:39 Wrapping up: take your time and lean on support