The Future of Aging and Longevity - Flipbook - Page 43
IN CONV E RSAT I O N
Planning for Life,
Not Just Re琀椀rement
Penny Pennington
Managing Partner,
Edward Jones
Edward Jones research shows that
re琀椀rement is a journey shaped by health,
purpose, rela琀椀onships, and money. How
well is the 昀椀nancial advisory 昀椀eld delivering
on this fuller picture?
Re琀椀rement is a life transi琀椀on that can last
decades—a昀琀er you’re there. But planning for
ge琀�ng into and through re琀椀rement with wealth
and health is the journey long before the last day
“at work.” The 昀椀nancial services industry is evolving,
but conversa琀椀ons s琀椀ll focus on one ques琀椀on: Will I
have enough money to stop working?
Longer lives require a much deeper conversa琀椀on
about health, purpose, and connec琀椀on. Financial
plans must become life plans: dynamic, personal,
and adaptable as people’s goals and circumstances
evolve. Our profession’s opportunity is to help
people plan for and navigate longer lives with
greater con昀椀dence, resilience, and purpose.
How are you building advice and services
around this fuller de昀椀ni琀椀on of re琀椀rement?
That perspec琀椀ve shapes how we con琀椀nue evolving
our advice and experiences. It’s re昀氀ected in our
discovery conversa琀椀ons (“What’s important to
you?”), 昀椀nancial plans that 昀氀ex with life milestones
and curveballs, and products and services that
integrate with that life journey. Tax planning,
estate naviga琀椀on, and comprehensive investment
management all have a part to play in establishing
the founda琀椀on for a ful昀椀lling re琀椀rement.
In the face of growing uncertain琀椀es—from
Social Security’s long-term outlook to
rising health-care costs—how do you help
clients plan?
Our 昀椀nancial ful昀椀llment research points to what
we call the “con昀氀icted middle”—millions of people
who are making progress but s琀椀ll feel uncertain
about their 昀椀nancial future. They need a plan and
a trusted guide. So, we start with discovery and
curiosity—what ma琀琀ers most to the client—and
then move to ac琀椀on. The uncertainty is real, but it
shouldn’t lead to paralysis.
We help clients focus on what they can control:
building resilience, preparing for health and
caregiving needs, strengthening emergency
savings, and making though琀昀ul decisions over
琀椀me. We believe 昀椀nancial ful昀椀llment, like healthy
aging, is built through progress. The goal isn’t
simply to help people build more wealth. It’s to
help them build con昀椀dence in their future and
create lives that con琀椀nue to grow, change, and
provide meaning at every stage.
Our research with Gallup found that 昀椀nancial
ful昀椀llment is more than a wealth metric—it’s a
measure of whether people feel able to live the
lives they want to live.
A D ECA D E O F P RO GRE S S , A D ECA D E TO ACT 39
