Financial Advisor for Widows and Widowers
If you've lost your spouse, you're likely facing financial decisions you've never had to make alone: accounts to retitle, Social Security survivor benefits, a new tax filing status and investments that someone else used to manage. Gabriel Motta, CFP®, MBA, AWMA™, and Sunisa Motta, CFP®, EA, help surviving spouses sort through it at a pace that makes sense, with no products to sell.
Independent, fee-only fiduciary advice from Inclinevest Wealth Management in Colorado. Meetings are mostly by video, so you can work with us from anywhere in the United States.
Most of the urgent items are paperwork and cash flow. The larger investment and tax decisions can usually wait until you've had time to see the full picture.
- Retitling accounts and updating beneficiaries
- Survivor Social Security and pension choices
- Inherited IRA and 401(k) options
- Tax filing status and the widow's tax penalty
- Income you can rely on for the rest of your life
Losing a spouse changes your finances in ways that aren't obvious at first.
Beyond the paperwork, your income, taxes and investment needs often shift at the same time. These are the areas we see most often.
Social Security and Pensions
A surviving spouse generally keeps the larger of the two Social Security benefits, and survivor benefits can start as early as age 60. The timing and the order of claiming can change your lifetime income.
Taxes
After the year of death, many surviving spouses file as single, which means narrower tax brackets on income that often stays about the same. This is commonly called the widow's tax penalty, and planning ahead can reduce it.
Inherited Accounts
A spouse can often treat an inherited IRA as their own or keep it as a beneficiary account. Each choice affects withdrawals, taxes and access to the money before age 59½.
Investments
Portfolios built for two people may not fit one. We review risk, cash reserves and account structure so your money matches how you'll actually spend it.
Retirement Income
Expenses, benefits and withdrawals all change. We build a sustainable income plan for you, including which accounts to draw from first. See our retirement income planning approach.
Estate Documents
Wills, trusts, powers of attorney and beneficiary designations usually need updating. We coordinate with your estate attorney so nothing gets missed.
What to focus on, and when.
Every situation is different, but this is a common order of priorities for surviving spouses.
Gather death certificates, notify Social Security, the banks and any pension administrators, and make sure bills and income continue without interruption. Many people benefit from avoiding large, irreversible financial decisions during this time.
List every account, policy and beneficiary designation. Confirm what passes automatically, what goes through probate and where the cash will come from in the meantime.
Decide how to handle inherited IRAs and 401(k)s, coordinate survivor Social Security and pension elections, review your investments and update your estate documents.
Plan for taxes as a single filer, set a long-term withdrawal strategy and decide what you want your money to do for you and your family.
Advice from someone with nothing to sell you.
Many people who lose a spouse are quickly approached by advisors and insurance agents who earn commissions on what they recommend. Inclinevest Wealth Management is a fee-only fiduciary firm, so you pay for advice and management, not for products.
Gabriel specializes in managing and opening inherited accounts, and Sunisa brings tax expertise as an Enrolled Agent, so the technical side of settling an estate is familiar territory.
Why Fee-Only MattersTwo CFP® professionals.
Gabriel Motta, CFP®, MBA, AWMA™, is the founder and wealth advisor. He started in financial services in 2004 and has worked at GE Capital, UBS, U.S. Bank, Bank of America and BBVA. At UBS, he was the Regional Wealth Planning Analyst for Colorado.
Sunisa Motta, CFP®, EA, is a financial planner and the operations manager. As an Enrolled Agent, a credential granted by the IRS, she oversees the tax coordination and client service behind each plan.
A calm, organized first conversation.
We start by listening to what happened and what's weighing on you most. From there, we map out your accounts, income and open decisions, then agree on what needs attention now and what can wait.
Gabriel leads planning and investment management, and Sunisa leads tax coordination and client service, so you get both perspectives. We work alongside your CPA or tax professional and your estate attorney. We don't prepare tax returns or provide legal advice, but we're glad to point you to a trusted professional if you need a referral.
Go deeper on the decisions that matter most.
Financial planning after losing a spouse
What should I do financially first after my spouse dies?
Start with the essentials: order several certified copies of the death certificate, notify Social Security and any pension administrators, and keep income and bill payments running. Large decisions such as selling a home or moving investments can usually wait until you've had time to review everything.
Do I need a financial advisor after losing a spouse?
Not everyone does, but many people find help valuable when finances were managed by their spouse, when there are inherited retirement accounts, or when taxes and income are changing at the same time. A fee-only fiduciary advisor can review your situation without a product to sell.
What Social Security benefits can a surviving spouse receive?
A surviving spouse can generally receive the larger of their own benefit or their late spouse's benefit, not both. Survivor benefits can begin as early as age 60, and the claiming strategy affects how much you receive over your lifetime.
What is the widow's tax penalty?
After the year of death, many surviving spouses file as single. Single tax brackets are narrower than joint brackets, so the same income can be taxed at higher rates. Planning for withdrawals, Roth conversions and Social Security timing can help manage the impact.
Can I keep my spouse's IRA or 401(k)?
Often, yes. A surviving spouse typically has more options than other beneficiaries, including treating an inherited IRA as their own or keeping it as a beneficiary account. The right choice depends on your age, income needs and taxes.
Does Inclinevest prepare tax returns?
No, but we work with your tax professional. If you need a final return or ongoing tax preparation, we can point you toward a trusted CPA or tax preparer and coordinate your financial plan with them.
Does Inclinevest work with widows and widowers outside Colorado?
Yes. Meetings are primarily by video, and Inclinevest serves families throughout the United States.
Let's Talk Through Your Next Steps
You don't have to figure this out on your own or on anyone else's timeline. Start with a conversation about where you are today.
This page is for general informational purposes only and isn't personalized investment, tax or legal advice. Inclinevest LLC is a registered investment adviser. Registration doesn't imply any level of skill or training.