It has started to happen more often.  Folks are passing away and increasingly their loved ones are frustrated with the process of taking care of the financial assets left behind. 

The deceased expected and thought one thing, but in reality the survivors are going through a stressful, drawn out process to get things finalized.

Could the process have been made easier? Yes, in most cases. 

Why didn't they plan for this? They may have but not as efficiently as they expected.

Why does the family have this headache compounded with losing a loved one?

During a progress check meeting in January, a client revealed to me how appreciative he and his wife was of my service.  It was very heartwarming to me and confirmed that I am doing the proper job of planning strategically.

On a previous meeting they had revealed that one of their biggest concerns was paying down their mortgage.  I asked some questions around that and discovered that it was more important to be in control as opposed to just paying down that particular debt.  

I introduced them to the Manulife One product and showed them the flexibility that it presented, while allowing them the opportunity at any time to deposit as much as they would like (no up to 25% cap) in order to achieve that goal.

As more things are done online, the convenience is undeniable.  If you don't have to schedule an appointment to make a purchase, take time out, drive to a location and sit (sometimes uncomfortably) with a stranger, why bother?  If you're an early riser or a night owl, why try to fit your needs within certain work hours?

I had a client ask me a couple of months back to quote her some permanent insurance for her and her spouse.  They were just looking for funeral coverage.  I did my research and got back to her with some quotes.

It has been up and down here in our neck of the woods in Alberta.  Low oil prices have had a chain reaction and led to a slowdown.  Projects have been put on hold, or less emphasis to get done soon. This has shown up as loss of bonuses, reduced work and loss of jobs.  Things were humming along so nicely and someone put the brakes on.

Is it time to panic?  I don't think so, but it should be time to reassess.  For those who have felt the sting of layoffs, no or much lower bonuses, there are adjustments that need to be made and some of them are time sensitive.