No Family Should Have to Start a GoFundMe

This isn’t the coziest thing I’ve ever written here, but it might be one of the most important.

In my day job, I work with as a financial and insurance advisor and although it’s not glamorous, I’ve found it really fulfilling to help families protect their spouse, family, their health, their ability to work and everything in between.

Every few months, I see a story shared online about a young family, and more recently in the news with a celebrity, facing the unthinkable: a sudden diagnosis, an accident, an unexpected loss. And almost immediately, alongside the heartbreak, there’s a fundraising link. “Please help support the family during this difficult time.” And every time, I think the same thing: no grieving spouse should also have to crowdfund their survival.

Community is beautiful. Showing up for one another is powerful. But relying on donations should never be the financial plan. When someone is fighting for their life or navigating life after losing a partner, the last thing they should be worrying about is whether the mortgage will get paid next month or how they’ll afford childcare. Grief is heavy enough. Illness is heavy enough. Financial panic layered on top of that is something we can actually prepare for.

I think many of us quietly assume we still have time. We’re young. We’re healthy. We’ll sort it out later. Insurance becomes one of those “one day” tasks that sits on the mental shelf. But life doesn’t always wait for the convenient season. Planning for hard things doesn’t make you negative; it makes you protective. It’s one of the most practical expressions of love there is.

Life insurance, at its core, is about replacing income and creating stability. If one spouse dies, the surviving partner shouldn’t also lose the home, the future plans, or the ability to take time off work to simply breathe and grieve. Life insurance can pay off debt, cover living expenses, and protect a child’s future opportunities. It doesn’t erase loss, but it removes one layer of crisis. It says, “If I’m not here, I still took care of you.”

Critical illness insurance is another layer that families often overlook. We tend to think in terms of death, but serious illness is statistically more common and can be just as financially disruptive. A cancer diagnosis, a stroke, a heart attack doesn’t just impact health; they interrupt income. Critical illness coverage provides a lump sum payment that can be used however a family needs it most: treatment expenses not covered elsewhere, travel for care, childcare support, or simply replacing income so bills continue to be paid. It gives families options at a time when so much feels out of their control.

I often hear, “We have savings.” And savings are important. But most families haven’t actually calculated how long those savings would last if income stopped for six months, a year, or permanently. Mortgage payments, groceries, utilities, insurance premiums, extracurriculars, life continues to cost money even when everything else feels paused. Insurance isn’t about expecting disaster. It’s about ensuring that if life takes an unfair turn, your family doesn’t also face financial collapse.

For me, this conversation isn’t about fear. It’s about dignity. It’s about making sure a spouse doesn’t have to balance spreadsheets while planning a funeral. It’s about making sure kids don’t absorb financial stress on top of emotional trauma. It’s about protecting the life you’ve worked so hard to build.

No family should have to depend on how widely a link gets shared in order to stay afloat. Generosity should be a blessing, not a lifeline. The real goal isn’t wealth in those moments, it’s stability. It’s knowing that even if the worst happens, the basics are covered. The home is secure. The bills are paid. The children are protected.

Insurance isn’t glamorous. It won’t make it onto a mood board. But it is one of the quietest, most loving decisions you can make for the people who depend on you. And if you have a spouse, or children, or anyone whose world would financially unravel without you, it’s worth having the conversation now so no family wants to rely on GoFundMe for survival.

This is not typically what I write about here. I usually share travel notes, home inspiration, and pieces of newlywed life, the lighter corners of building something beautiful. But this is part of that same conversation. Because building a beautiful life also means protecting it. And if the past few years have shown us anything, it is that life can shift quickly and without warning. We do not prepare because we expect the worst. We prepare because life is unpredictable, and the people we love are worth protecting no matter what.

If you live in Canada and want help putting together a plan for yourself or your family, I would be happy to help. If I’m not able to help you personally, I promise to help connect you with someone who can.

Send me an email to my work account michaela@qpg.ca or check out our website qpg.ca for more information,