On Your Own, 5th Edition: A Widow's Passage to Emotional and Financial Well-Being

By Alexandra Armstrong, Mary R. Donahue, Mary R. Armstrong, Alexandra, and Donahue

Book Overview

On Your Own Does Not Mean All Alone.

In the completely updated and revised edition of this best-selling classic, the authors share the stories of four widows of different ages and circumstances whose road to recovery illustrates how to best achieve emotional and financial well-being. They provide practical tools and knowledge for widows to move forward and emerge stronger-from coping with grief and loss and organizing finances to understanding investments and developing a long-term plan.

This book shows how to:
- React to your loss
- Deal with grief and your emotional needs
- Develop psychological and financial support systems
- Control your financial future
- Protect your investments
- Emerge stronger to build a new life

The authors firmly believe that there is an essential connection between both financial and psychological well-being. The stories combined with the practical and easy-to-follow advice based on the author's years of experience working with widows, will guide readers step-by-step through this very difficult process.

Praise for Previous Editions of On Your Own:

"On Your Own can be a valuable guide book for the newly widowed. This book has much excellent information. A gift of this book could be the biggest favor you can do for a newly widowed friend." -Associated Press

"For all who have asked 'What do I do now?' or 'Who can help me...?' I recommend On Your Own...the authors lead the reader through important topics often thought to be too intimidating or too confusing for someone wrought with fear and sadness." -Edward Jay Beckwith, Estate Planning Attorney

"On Your Own is more than a financial planning guide. It is also a guide for surviving the emotional rite of passage that surviving spouses must endure. On Your Own is a sensitive and practical work about a necessary but painful period in the life of widow. Widowers should read it also." -Bureau of National Affairs

"On Your Own confronts the subject with intelligence and compassion. From facing your initial reactions through rebuilding your life, the authors deal with difficult issues clearly and realistically. This is a thoughtful and reliable book to help anyone through the shock and confusion of widowhood." -Modern Maturity

"But by changing the word 'husband' for 'spouse' and 'widow' to 'survivor, ' you can convert the book into a contingency planner for either husband or wife." -Nation's Business

"On Your Own is a wonderful book that manages to combine both the financial and emotional advice a widow needs in a helpful and supportive manner. If someone you care about is widowed, don't send flowers-send this book." -Terry Savage, best-selling author

"Their advice is sound and could stop you from irrevocable actions." -SmartMoney

"Help in coping. Here are some places to look for help in getting on with life...On Your Own...practical information on health insurance, estate planning and benefits programs." -U.S. News and World Report

"On Your Own aims to provide a financial and emotional guide to women rebuilding their lives alone. While the book is useful for widows, the lesson of understanding the financial situation is even more valuable to couples. Even simple things like understanding each other's filing system and knowing where financial records are kept can be a tremendous help." -Washington Post

"Yours is the only book that truly approaches it from the woman's viewpoint and clarifies what is a mass of strange and threatening terms and tasks. You have done an important thing in a beautiful way. Thank you from my heart and my checkbook " -A widow, Annapolis, Maryland

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0978714814
• ISBN13: 9780978714819
• Release Date: December 2011
• Publisher: On Your Own Publishing Company
• Length: 424 Pages
• Weight: 1.54 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Widow's Advisor

As a financial planner specializing in Wealth Preservation Planning, one aspect of my practice is providing life insurance, when appropriate. As a result, part of my job involves the delivery of death claim checks to widows. Unfortunately, many of them have never had the opportunity to deal with family finances or budgeting - but are suddenly thrown into a situation where they must assume that responsibility. It comes at a time of great instability and disruption."On Your Own" by Alexandra Armstrong and Mary R. Donahue deals sensitively with both the emotional and financial issues of widowhood, and provides guidance for both - with compassion and authoritative wisdom. It provides comfort and knowledge in a clever structure which allows the reader to review applications of each chapter's information in one of several optional formats, based upon her individual set of circumstances (young with children, elderly, etc.)I am so impressed with the book that I give it to each of the beneficiaries to whom I deliver a death claim check. The thank you notes I have received have provided a wonderful reward for sharing this valuable information.

A widow's best guide

I purchased this book five years ago from Ms. Armstrong at a NAIC Congress in Florida. At the time I purchased it as a reference for my investment club's library. With 21 women in the M & D Investment Club I figured someone would need it sometime. I have skimmed it occasionally through the years but when I recently become widowed it was the first book I brought out. Ms. Armstrong has literally saved me much time and grief in trying to figure out what to do next. There is no time of greater confusion and despair than at the sudden and unexpected loss of a beloved spouse. When I can read this book gives me something to do or think about. The suggestions for organization are excellent and will allow me to make informed descisions instead of emotional decisions. While I did not expect to be the recipient of her wisdom I am grateful for it. I highly recommend it for all women, married, single, divorced or involved in any relationship that has financial involvement. We can't afford to not know how to best proceed with our financial future.

Share this book with the people you care most about

For all who have ever asked "What do I do now?" or "Who can help me with...?" I recommend "On Your Own". Like earlier editions, this is a sensitive and insightful resource for those who have recently experienced (or are preparing to experience) the loss of a spouse. In a highly readable and usable style the authors lead the reader through important topics often thought to be too intimidating or too confusing for someone wrought with fear and sadness.

A Book For My Future

Even though this book was written with widows in mind I found it a thorougly useful and informative work about investing. I am in my late twenties and have a young child. I found that this book was written in a way that made it accessible to me, as I am new to investing and all things financial! The book really made me understand how I should be planning out my financial future. My understanding was helped by the fact that this book was written by two women; I was able to relate to it on a financial and emotional level.

On Your Own - An excellent resource for clients

I am a certified financial planner and use this book often with newly widowed persons - both professionally and personally. It is well written - easy for the novice to follow - and thorough. Despite the basic approach, the book is well researched and gives competent general advice. I have actually given it to some clients who are not widowed but need the general information the book contains.