MORE ADVICE

Alexandra Taussig, vice president of marketing and business management for Fidelity Investments, offers these tips on making it through after losing a spouse:

Learn your personal balance sheet. Know what you own and what you owe. Then, figure out how your income will change. “Usually, with a death or divorce, your income’s going to go down and your expenses are going to go up,” Taussig says.

Don’t be afraid to downsize. Many people have emotional connections to their home and other aspects of their former lifestyle. But that might not be in your best interest. Take a hard look at your budget and ask yourself if you can afford to maintain it, Taussig says.

Set new financial goals. Your life has taken a major turn, so the plans you made with your partner may no longer apply. Determine what you want your new life to look like, and then “how you will work to ensure that you’re going to be able to meet those goals.”