Money isn’t just about numbers. It’s about the freedom to live the life you choose, the security to support those you love, and the confidence to walk through each decade with purpose. Women’s financial journeys are as unique as the lives we lead, shaped by career transitions, family milestones, and often, the resilience required to navigate financial challenges with strength and grace.
In this blog, we explore practical financial priorities for women at every stage, from building a foundation in your 20s to confidently navigating retirement and legacy in your 70s and beyond. This isn’t about rigid rules. It’s about clarity, intention, and a roadmap that supports your values every step of the way.
Your 20s: Build a Strong Foundation
Your 20s are a thrilling decade of exploration and growth. It’s tempting to focus on student loans, travel, and starting your career, but this period sets the groundwork for everything that follows.
- Start saving early. Even small contributions to a savings account or retirement plan benefit enormously from compound growth.
- Tackle high-interest debt. Credit cards and expensive loans can erode your financial progress if left unchecked.
- Understand your money habits. Developing healthy financial routines now will pay dividends for decades to come.
This decade isn’t just for earning, it’s for learning how money works for you.
Your 30s: Strengthen Your Financial Roots
By your 30s, your career and life commitments are likely to expand, perhaps a home purchase, growing family, or advancing profession. This decade is about fortifying the foundation you’ve laid.
- Build an emergency fund. Aim for three to six months of living expenses to protect you from life’s curveballs.
- Maximize retirement contributions. If your employer offers a match, take full advantage, free money isn’t free forever.
- Think long-term. Consider working with a financial professional to map out goals and investment strategies tailored to you.
It’s about moving from reactive to intentional financial choices.
Your 40s: Reassess and Diversify
Your 40s can feel like life accelerates. While work may feel more settled, responsibilities often expand, such as aging parents, kids approaching college, and complex tax considerations.
- Reevaluate risk. As your portfolio grows, revisit your investment mix to balance potential growth with protection.
- Refine goals. Have your priorities changed? Now is the time to ensure your financial plan reflects you.
- Plan for college and care. If family education or long-term care needs are on your horizon, planning now can reduce stress later.
Financial progress in your 40s is driven as much by smart strategy as by forward momentum.
Your 50s: Preparing for the Next Chapter
This phase of your life is about strengthening, simplifying, and preparing for multiple possible futures.
- Clarify your vision. What do you want your next chapter in life to look like for work, lifestyle, location, and purpose?
- Use catch-up contributions. Retirement plans allow extra contributions after age 50, so take advantage.
- Review estate planning. Revisit with an eye toward tax efficiency, asset protection, and family dynamics.
- Consider long-term care. It’s not pleasant to think about, but planning ahead can protect both your wealth and your comfort.
Your 50s are about closing gaps and setting up the next phase with intention.
Your 60s: Planning for the Transition Ahead
This is a decade to shift from accumulation to preservation. With retirement in sight, your financial decisions pivot toward protection and optimization.
- Decide when and how. Decide when and how you want to retire or downshift, financially and emotionally.
- Income withdrawal strategy. Create a thoughtful income strategy that blends Social Security, pensions, portfolio withdrawals, and other income sources.
- Shift investment strategy. Shift investment strategy toward a balance of growth, income, and stability rather than pure accumulation.
Your 60s are about confidence and clarity, turning your hard-earned savings into a sustainable lifestyle.
Your 70s and Beyond: Simplicity, Stewardship, and Impact
Retirement isn’t the finish line; it’s the first chapter of a new life. With planning, this phase becomes a celebration of all you’ve built.
- Simplicity and clarity. Focus on simplicity, clarity, and ease of management in your financial life.
- Monitor withdrawal rates and spending. Ensure sustainability over an unknown time horizon.
- Put trusted supports in place. Ensure your support systems are strong personally, medically, legally, and financially to manage health, cognitive and fraud risks.
- Think legacy and impact. What imprint do you want your life and wealth to leave on your loved ones and the causes you cherish?
This phase in your life is about moving from “doing” to “being” and ensuring your financial, legal, and personal life supports a meaningful, low-stress, and well-lived life.
A Roadmap With Purpose
Your financial journey isn’t a checklist, it’s a story of who you are, what you value, and how you choose to live. Each decade brings new priorities, opportunities, and lessons. By understanding the key milestones and thoughtfully aligning your money with your values, you can build not only wealth, but peace of mind and purpose.
If you’re ready to align your financial strategy with the life you’re building, at every stage and every decade, the advisors at Twelve Points Wealth Management’s Center for Women are here to support you. From foundational planning to long-term wealth and legacy strategies, our team partners with women to create thoughtful, personalized financial roadmaps designed to evolve with your goals.
Learn more or connect with us through our Center for Women.
Watch the full webinar on YouTube: Your Life, Your Wealth: A Decade by Decade Financial Roadmap for Women