5 Ways to Age Well Financially

Getting older can be intimidating, but with intention and discipline, it’s possible to age well and enjoy all phases of life.  

In their report titled “What Do We Know About Healthy Aging?” the National Institute on Aging offers suggestions for maintaining physical, mental, and cognitive well-being. ¹ 

These are essential pillars of health, but they are not all-inclusive. As advisors, we also believe it’s necessary to age well financially.  

Aging well financially allows you to experience a full life – one where you can donate to your most-valued causes, purchase a big-ticket item you’ve wanted for years, or leave the workforce sooner than expected to be with family. 

Financially healthy aging seems abstract, but many elements of physical, mental, and cognitive health also apply to your finances. 

Here are five ways you can age well financially, inspired by how to age well overall. 

“Whether you love it or hate it, physical activity is a cornerstone of healthy aging. Scientific evidence suggests that people who exercise regularly not only live longer but also may live better – meaning they enjoy more years of life without pain or disability.” ²

Staying healthy requires action and forward momentum. It means investing time and energy into hard things, trusting they will pay off. 

In your finances, this equates to putting in the work to save, invest, and heed advice from reliable professionals. More specifically, we believe one of the best ways to maintain momentum in your finances is through equity market participation.  

Just like physical activity, riding the volatility of the market can be uncomfortable, but it doesn’t change what we know: “History shows that investors who acknowledge the fact that downturns are an inevitable part of investing, look beyond short-term volatility, and remain invested have a greater chance of achieving long-term success.” 

It’s hard to age well financially if you refuse to invest for the long term.

“Making smart food choices can help protect you from certain health problems as you age and may even help improve brain function.” ³ 

Just as you can eat intentionally to maintain a healthy lifestyle, be selective about the financial advice you take in. 

As with your physical health, everyone has an opinion about how to have a healthy financial life. Personalities online give their input, family members offer compelling (but sometimes misguided) perspectives, and friends are quick to share the latest tactic they heard about.  

These sources do not know your financial picture and cannot speak to it with clarity and accuracy. Generalized or uninformed advice can be misleading.  

What’s more, some non-fee-only advisors are less interested in offering good advice and more interested in selling you something, perhaps using language like “guaranteed income” or “income for life” to pique your interest.  

A team of high-ethics professionals who have worked to understand you and your goals are the most qualified to offer advice meant to serve you best. 

“Getting enough sleep helps you stay healthy and alert.” ⁴ 

Aging well financially doesn’t mean doing more and more – burning the midnight oil of your career – and coming to the end of your life having worked too long, spent too much, and enjoyed too little. Instead, it means working hard with an end in mind.  

Preparing your finances for a goal like retirement will help you live a financially healthy life.  

Often, people aren’t sure if they can retire. When we look at the numbers and rely on them to paint an accurate picture, clients can enjoy a season of rest without worrying that they will run out of money or fail to meet their goals.  

“If you only seek medical attention when you’re experiencing symptoms, you may lose the chance of having your doctor catch a disease in its earliest stages, when it would be most treatable.” ⁵ 

You visit your doctor to make sure you’re at your best, so if you have serious questions about your financial health or want to confirm your finances are in top shape, talk to an expert.  

Just like a doctor runs tests, advisors can monitor the health of your financial plan and assess the longevity of your assets to sustain you for a full and healthy life. ⁶ 

To age well financially, keep leaning on your available resources.  

• If you have a plan, review it and understand it. 
• If you don’t have a plan, build one with an advisor. 
• Keep attending meetings with your advisors, CPA, attorneys, etc.  
• Ask questions when you have them; even the simplest questions are worth verifying. 

Don’t be held back by the aches and pains of unaddressed financial worries.

“Stress is a natural part of life and comes in many forms…Finding ways to lower stress and increase emotional stability may support healthy aging.” ⁷ 

Financial stress is one major source of stress, so to age well financially (and overall), keep the following in mind: 

1. Don’t cause yourself harm trying to help someone else. It’s admirable to use your money to impact others, and while that is a personal decision we often support, do not harm your financial health in the process.  
2. Let go of what you cannot control, such as market returns and policy regarding taxation and geopolitical events. You can intentionally respond, but do not waste your valuable time attempting to control what you cannot.  
3. Find someone you trust. The decisions your advisor makes and the advice they offer should be in your best interest – no exceptions. No one needs the added stress of working with someone they don’t fully trust.  

We all want to age well – to enter the second part of our lives with energy, opportunities, and options.  

Just as with your physical, mental, and cognitive well-being, there are steps you can take in your financial life to thrive for many years to come. 

To learn how you can age well financially, reach out to an advisor using the form below.  

1. National Institue on Aging, “What Do We Know About Healthy Aging?,” last reviewed February 23, 2022.  
2. Ibid. 
3. Ibid. 
4. Ibid. 
5. Ibid. 
6. Ibid. 
7. Ibid.