"Where's the Key to the Safe?"—Why Financial Preparedness Matters More Than You Think

When you lose someone you love, your world stops. But everything else—bills, paperwork, decisions, deadlines—keeps moving at full speed.

It’s one of the cruelest parts of grief: trying to survive emotionally while being expected to function like a CFO. Suddenly, you’re not only navigating heartache, but also passwords, policies, probate, and questions you never thought you’d be asking—like “Where’s the key to the safe?”

That exact question became the title of my book for a reason. Because it’s not just a phrase—it’s a frantic, gut-wrenching moment many of us face in the immediate aftermath of loss. I know, because I lived it. When my husband Jon passed, I was left heartbroken and blindsided by the sheer volume of logistical chaos that followed. Things I didn’t know. Things I didn’t even think to ask.

No one wants to talk about death. But everyone needs to talk about preparation.

Having those hard conversations before a crisis hits isn’t just about money—it’s about mercy. It’s one of the kindest, most loving things you can do for your family. It’s the difference between stumbling through the fog of grief while juggling financial stress—or walking into that storm with a flashlight and a plan.

That’s why we wrote Where’s the Key to the Safe?—a practical, compassionate guide to help families get their ducks in a row now, before life forces them to. Inside, you’ll find:

• Simple checklists to organize essential documents

• Questions you didn’t know you needed to ask your spouse or loved ones

• Tips for navigating probate and estate planning

• Real-life stories that prove just how critical preparation can be

• A customizable workbook to record key information all in one place

  
  

This isn’t a book about fear. It’s a book about peace of mind.

It’s for the woman who’s been meaning to ask her husband about that life insurance policy. It’s for the man whose parents are aging and who doesn’t know where to start. And it’s especially for the widow who’s been through it and wants to spare her own children that same confusion and overwhelm.

Grief is hard enough. Let’s not make it harder with unanswered questions and missing paperwork.

Start the conversation. Make the plan. Find the key—before you have to.

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You can find Where’s the Key to the Safe? wherever books are sold. Because someday, someone you love might have to pick up the pieces. This book helps make sure those pieces aren’t scattered.

Preparation isn’t about expecting the worst. It’s about loving your people well—now and later.