We do not charge for our financial coaching services. That’s because our vison is to ensure all widowed persons have access to financial education and counseling. Professional services are expensive, so we want to ensure anyone can get professional advice and help if they desire it.

Yes. All our volunteer coaches are registered, licensed and practicing (or retired) financial advisors. They take time from their own practices to help widowed persons grapple with the financial trauma of loss, because they have a heart for our mission and know widowed persons need their expertise.

Moreover, they all have their Certified Financial Planner (CFP) credentials – the “gold standard” in financial planning. Our coaches also receive additional training with Wings for Widows, because we have our own proprietary process, tools, and materials.

From the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards: “Most people think all financial planners are ‘certified,’ but this isn’t true. Just about anyone can use the title ‘financial planner.’ The CFP Board benefits the public by independently certifying financial planners. Although the CFP Board does not guarantee their work, CFP® professionals have met rigorous qualifications for financial planning. Only those who have fulfilled the CFP Board’s rigorous requirements can call themselves a CFP® professional.”

“As part of their certification, CFP® professionals commit to high ethical standards. Moreover, a CFP® professional must acquire several years of experience related to delivering financial planning services to clients and pass the comprehensive CFP® Certification Exam before they can call themselves a CFP® professional.”

We only recruit coaches who are CFP® certified.

We will have you endorse a letter of intent to set expectations for your financial coaching engagement, but there is no binding agreement or contract. We do not charge for our services, and there is no obligation to complete your coaching engagement (though we highly encourage it).

We created the Financial Wellness Check to help new widows and widowers get a sense of where they are in addressing the practical matters that must be addressed after the loss of a spouse. It is a 30-question survey that results in a Wellness Score, which reflects your financial health at a point in time. The results are emailed to you. Based on your Wellness Score you will have a better sense of your current financial situation to help you determine if financial coaching is right for you.

Wings for Widows also receives a copy of your results and encourages you to schedule 30 minutes to speak with one of our kind and knowledgeable FinancialCare™ team members to review your Wellness Score and help you determine the level of service that is right for you. You are under no obligation to accept our offer of assistance. Our only goal is that you are getting the help and support you need during this difficult time. Should you decide to work with us, your results will be used as a starting point with your financial coach.

We do not ask for your birthdate, social security number, or other confidential information. None of your responses are ever shared outside of Wings for Widows. Please see our Privacy Policy.

No. We have nothing to sell. We do not charge for our financial coaching services or our educational webinars. There is no catch and no gimmick. We are passionate about helping widows and widowers after the loss of a beloved spouse.

We help both widows and widowers. Losing a spouse and contending with all the practical matters is no different – no easier – for men than it is for women. It’s all new, overwhelming, and men can make the same bad decisions without professional help as can women.

Typically, once you’ve been paired with one of our financial coaches, the “engagement” lasts from a few weeks to a few months. Most sessions are 90 minutes. Every person’s situation is different, and some are more motivated than others. We work at your pace, allowing for extra time for those caring for young children, experiencing health issues, or in the process of relocating. Your financial coach does not do the work for you but rather guides you through the maze of things to do following the loss of a spouse. So, how quickly the coaching is completed is really up to you. 

Our coaching is personalized to you. We will address hundreds of questions in nine categories, as they may apply to your situation. Everybody’s situation is unique, but we have found over the years that most must address the same questions and overcome the same issues. Visit here to learn more.

Of course, you can go it alone. Many do. There are dozens of financial books on the subject, but trying to work through a 300-page book doesn’t seem like a practical option for most widowed persons wrestling with grief. There are many lists of things to do available on the internet; they tell you what to do , not how to do it. You could turn to a trusted friend, clergy, or a bereavement group for your financial and legal answers, but are they professionals? Will you be getting fact-based answers or opinions?

The truth is most widowed persons do not choose to make this journey without professional help of some kind. Widowed persons may rely on their financial advisor if they have one, but not everyone does, and that’s where Wings for Widows is a valuable resource. When you work with one of our financial coaches, at no charge, you will have an experienced person walking alongside you, guiding you through the practical matters relevant to you. They help you with questions, direct you to resources, help you take action and ensure you don’t make costly mistakes.

When you don’t know who to trust, trust Wings for Widows. 

Initially, we gather basic contact information. We never ask for your social security number, birthdate, or driver’s license number. We do not collect account numbers, passwords, or online credentials.

If you take our Financial Wellness Check, the information is stored in a secure temporary fie in our contact manager for one year. If we don’t work with you, your responses are retained for research purposes but are detached from your name and email address after one year. If you make an appointment with one of our FinancialCare™ team members, they receive a copy of your Financial Wellness Check so that they can review it with you.  If you engage in financial coaching with us, your coach will receive a copy of your Financial Wellness Check so they have a starting point with you.  During your coaching engagement, you only need to share as much personal information with your coach as you feel comfortable sharing. Of course, the advice you receive will be based on the information you provide. 

The information y0u provide to your coach is NOT shared with Wings for Widows. The information Wings for Widows collects initially is never shared beyond Wings for Widows. Please see our Privacy Policy.

We used to coach in person, but the pandemic changed that in 2020. It turns out, our virtual model is far more convenient for our coaches and you. Once you are introduced to your financial coach, you will use whatever virtual platform your coach uses – Zoom, Google Meetings, Microsoft Teams, etc.

You and your coach will work together using our proprietary “Widows Guide to Financial Wellness” to complete the coaching. The guidebook provides the roadmap for you both. You will receive the guidebook absolutely free prior to your first coaching session. rely on Zoom technology to connect our coaches to our clients. You will be sent an invitation with a passcode to log on with your coach on the day and time of your mutually agreed upon appointment.

You can join the coaching session from a personal computer, laptop, iPad or mobile phone. The bigger your device’s screen the better your experience will be. But we’ve coached widows over the phone, too. 

The wonderful thing about our virtual coaching sessions is that you can invite family and/or friends from anywhere in the world to join you. This is a huge advantage for widowed persons who do not have family members or friends living nearby. We highly encourage surrounding yourself with loving family and friends during this difficult time.

Often, the match is made based on when a coach becomes available. When possible, we attempt to pair you with a coach in your state. If that’s not possible, we try to ensure you and your coach are in the same time zone to make scheduling your sessions easier. 

Regardless, all of our coaches possess the same credentials and training, and we know you’ll have a gratifying experience with whomever you’re assigned.

Yes, once the financial coaching engagement ends, you and your coach are free to pursue a professional relationship. Understand that your coach will never solicit you during the engagement, so if this is something you are interested in, you will have to approach your coach. We ask that this discussion occur after the engagement has concluded, i.e., after your last session.