Episode Details

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:

1. Where to start when you’re grieving and facing big financial decisions
2. KiwiSaver vs managed funds – the pros, cons, and access rules
3. How to think about timeframes when retirement is 10–15 years away
4. Building a safety buffer before you invest
5. 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

1. 00:00:00 Introduction
2. 00:00:56 The letter: navigating grief and sudden financial responsibility
3. 00:01:50 Don't rush: give yourself time to grieve and think clearly
4. 00:02:28 Diversification matters: don't put all your eggs in one basket
5. 00:05:30 Short, medium, and long-term priorities: working backwards from retirement
6. 00:07:41 Investing in your 50s: you can't afford too many market shocks
7. 00:08:36 Get a financial advisor: half a million dollars deserves professional advice
8. 00:09:24 Emotional safeguards: when are you ready to make big decisions?