Dennis Hall: Dealing with bereaved clients should be crisis avoidance not crisis management

Be prepared

clock • 4 min read

Navigating bereaved clients’ emotions can be a battlefield, says Dennis Hall. He explores what financial advisers can do to improve the process...

The brief was simple: a 700-word article on how to best deal with recently bereaved clients who suggest making unusual or rash decisions with their finances in the midst of grief. Sure, I can do that, I have even written a book about it. Well, not exactly that. I will explain. Yes, I have written a book (Who Will it Hurt When I Die - not the most inspiring title, I admit) and part of the research involved interviewing dozens of widows about their experiences following the death of their husband. I set out with the intention of creating a crisis management book; the ‘go-to' reference for ...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

Rishi Sunak returns to Goldman Sachs as senior adviser

Rishi Sunak returns to Goldman Sachs as senior adviser

Joined as an analyst in 2001

Linus Uhlig
clock 08 July 2025 • 1 min read
Client support: How financial and emotional resilience differ

Client support: How financial and emotional resilience differ

'Financial resilience appears to be decoupled from emotional resilience'

Louis Williams
clock 08 July 2025 • 4 min read
Parmenion's Dalgliesh: Adviser-led investing must stay disciplined and diversified

Parmenion's Dalgliesh: Adviser-led investing must stay disciplined and diversified

CIO Peter Dalgliesh explains how Parmenion’s risk-first, outcomes-based approach is benefitting advisers

Sahar Nazir
clock 08 July 2025 • 2 min read