In financial planning, we talk a lot about risk—how much risk you can afford to take with your investments, what kinds of risk to look out for, how risk affects potential reward, and how to mitigate risks in your own life. These are pretty standard “risk topics” financial advisors address with their clients all the time, men and women alike. But, women in particular ought to be wary of another risk they could one day face and that’s the risk of becoming a widow.

We admit, this sounds a little strange on the surface. Most wouldn’t typically consider this a financial risk in the way we typically think about them. But, the statistics regarding widowhood are astounding and prove widowhood to be one of the greatest financial risks a woman can face.