Life Gives Us Many Chances to Start Over Again, Like a Cat With Nine Lives

One day this week, I watched the Oprah Show. Suze Orman was her guest. The theme of the show was built around a woman whose husband had abused her for years. Three months before he committed suicide, leaving her with tons of debt, no money and young children to feed, he cancelled a $300,000 life insurance policy on his life. She had stayed with him for the typical reasons that most women stay with abusive partners. One of her mistakes was not knowing anything at all about their finances. The life insurance proceeds would have allowed her to maintain her current life style. Cancelling the policy was an abusive act. Abusuive men often kill their wives when they try to leave because they don't want anyone else to have them. In this situation the abuser killed himself but he decided that she would not get any of his money. Afterall, she might just get her life together and find someone who did not abuse her. Even in death he was controlling her.
Years ago I was a life insurance agent. Many people do not realize there is always an owner on the policy. The owner has control. Typically the owner is the one who pays the premium. But I recommend that women make themselves the owners of their partners policy. That way if they divorce or anything else happens, she keeps the policy. Many times when there is a divorce and money is tight, life insurance is allowed to lapse. Women with children are especially vulnerable. In my generation we were taught that husbands take care of their wives. Personally, I think that some men have not done a very good job of this and it is now time for women to learn how to take care of themselves.