I recently reflected on my friend's layoff experience this spring, which really opened my eyes to the importance of understanding financial timelines after losing a job. He was in a tough spot, juggling a mortgage and a child, and spent the first week doing mental math about how long his savings would last. It was a vague and anxiety-inducing exercise that left him feeling sick. What he didn’t realize was how much severance, unemployment benefits, and changes in health insurance would impact his situation. For instance, he was initially worried about the full cost of COBRA, but once he explored marketplace options, he found a plan that was significantly cheaper based on his new income. This shift alone made a big difference in his calculations. We ended up creating a detailed prompt to help him get a clearer picture of his finances. It included everything from his income and fixed expenses to irregular spending. By plugging in his numbers, he could see exactly when his cash would run out under different scenarios—living as he currently does, cutting back moderately, and only covering fixed costs. This clarity allowed him to plan instead of panic. I also emphasized the importance of filing for unemployment benefits right away and checking health insurance options before making any decisions about COBRA. He had 60 days to elect it, which took some pressure off. Overall, having a concrete timeline helped him feel more in control and less fearful about the future.