Last month, Harriet went through a tremendous life change. Her mother, then 95 years old, died last year. This loss comes on the heels of losing her father in 2019, who lived to be 90 years old. Together, Harriet’s parents poured their lives into education as schoolteachers and left an indelible mark on their community. Their legacy is indeed one to be proud of. Harriet’s mother was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her tireless community service.
The family home, the house that has been loved and cared for by one family for five generations, was sold last month. This sale marks a poignant chapter in Harriet’s life as she navigates the emotional landscape left in the wake of her parents’ deaths. The home that her father built was filled with memories, the site of countless family birthdays, Thanksgiving dinners and graduations.
That was a pretty horrible way for her mother to go through life – a number of strokes and a significant heart attack. After these incidents, Harriet took control of her mother’s legacy, making sure her parents’ legacy would continue to live on. She had to hire financial professionals to help untangle the mess of her parents’ finances. After paying off a reverse mortgage and aged care costs, this woman was left with around $2 million.
Harriet wasn’t afraid to deal with the distasteful aspects of managing these affairs. She did so by taking initiative and putting away $400,000 to ensure her mother’s long-term needs would be met. This wealth of knowledge earned from directing multimillion-dollar projects was then put to work on her family’s finances.
Drawing from her own experiences, Harriet stressed the need for caution when it comes to dealing with money. She recalled the adage often shared by banks:
“If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” – one of the banks.
This practical warning hit home with her as she stepped into her new role managing finances in their postmortem labyrinth after the loss of both parents.
Harriet was thankful that her mother did not have to face the financial hardships that later developed.
“There was no reason to doubt,” she stated, acknowledging that she made every effort to ensure her parents were cared for in their later years.
Though the emotional toll of losing both parents is great, Harriet finds purpose in keeping their legacy alive and memory intact. Today, she still juggles her many personal and professional responsibilities, while still living by the values and life lessons her parents taught her.
