Book Review: "Don't Worry About A Thing, Dear" Why Women Need Financial Intimacy

"Don't Worry About A Thing, Dear" is a softcover book geared
towards women contemplating marriage or those who are already
married. The cover image is an appropriate illustration by
Edward Sorel, courtesy of The New Yorker Magazine, that shows
Pan reading The Wall Street Journal while his wife sits at his
side completely oblivious.

It's a fact that many married women allow their husbands to
handle the family finances while they sit idly by and sign
anything that their husband places in front of them. The
consequences of this behavior is made clear by the author Helga
Hayse. Hayse says in the book "Our willingness to let our
husband handle the finances in the marriage impacts our own
financial safety and our ability to cope in the event of
widowhood or divorce." No statement has been more true.

This fascinating and immensely helpful book is a wakeup call to
women everywhere. After meeting a financially strapped widow
the author began to wonder how she would cope if her husband
died. She interviewed hundreds of people on the topic of marital
finances and each story was more heartbreaking than the last.

Hayse had her wakeup call and began the slow process of learning
everything she needed to know about her marital finances. She
and her husband began financial planning and shortly after all
the documents were signed her husband died in freak accident at
home. Hayse takes her experience from both sides of the fence
to empower women to take control of their finances.

I found this book to be empowering and filled with information
that most women never consider. Topics covered include
premarital and postmarital agreements, death of a spouse,
divorce and even remarriage. In addition to the generous advice
shared there are questionnaires, checklists, worksheets,
recommended reading and additional resources.

The author even includes a separate chapter for "For Husbands
Only" that gently guides men to realize that they can show their
love for their wife by beginning and completing the process of
financial planning.

"Don't Worry About A Thing, Dear" Why Women Need Financial
Intimacy should be required reading for young women in high
school or college. No one wants to think about the possibility
of divorce or the certainty of death but preparing women for
either circumstance is critical and this book is an important
tool for all women.

Bonnie Jo Davis is a Virtual Assistant and freelance writer who
has been published hundreds of times in print and on the
internet. She recommends the book: "Don't Worry About A Thing,
Dear" Why Women Need Financial Intimacy for women everywhere.
It is available at http://www.financialintimacy.com