What is your birthday?
What is your gender?
What is your marital status?
How many children do you have?
Are you retired?
You might be retired and still working. We will ask you about that shortly.
At what age do you expect to retire?
Please give us your best estimate.
At what age did you retire?
Are you currently working?
Are you self-employed?
What would you say are some of the top priorities and focus of your life currently?
Select as many as you like
Learning or taking classes
Charitable giving or volunteering
Traveling for pleasure
My career and work
Taking care of my family
Resting and relaxing
Fitness and health
Active hobbies
During the course of our lives, we all experience certain events, or life stages, that re-shape our priorities and financial needs.
In this survey we will explore some of the events and life stages that you are now experiencing or are preparing for.
Which of the following events or life stages are you currently experiencing, about to experience, or are preparing for?
Select as many as you like
I am married, living with a partner, or anticipate getting married soon
Marriage
I am saving and preparing for retirement, or am already retired
Retirement
I am a parent, or am expecting a child
Parenthood
I am a grandparent or am expecting a grandchild
Grandparenthood
My children have moved out or will empty nest soon
Empty Nesting
I am currently or expecting to be a caregiver for a family member
Caregiving
You haven't selected any life stages to explore. If none of these life stages apply to you, we will ask you a few questions about your financial advice priorities.
Would you like to go back and select life stages to explore, or continue to the final section of this survey?
In this section we will explore how you and your spouse or partner work together and communicate about your life and financial expectations.
How long have you been married?
Are you expecting to get married?
Congratulations! When do you expect to get married?
Which of the following expenses related to your marriage do you anticipate?
Select as many as you like
Wedding and honeymoon expenses
Purchasing a new home
Paying higher rent or mortgage
Household furnishing expenses
Higher lifestyle and entertainment expenses
Quick Facts
The average wedding costs $33,391.
Source: The Knot Real Weddings Study, 2017
Talking about money isn't always easy, but good communication on money matters can help spouses/partners avoid misunderstandings and prepare better for their financial goals.
In the next few questions we will explore where you communicate well, and where there might be areas for improvement.
Have you discussed and made decisions on the following topics with your spouse or partner?
Select as many as you like
How we manage the family budget
How much debt we have and are willing to have
How to best manage our insurance needs
Inheritance and estate planning
Charitable giving
How we prepare for retirement
Our life goals and future major expenses
Our investment strategy
Have you discussed and made decisions on the following topics with your spouse or partner?
Select as many as you like
How we manage the family budget
How much debt we have and are willing to have
How to best manage our insurance needs
Inheritance and estate planning
Charitable giving
How we prepare for retirement
Our life goals and future major expenses
Our investment strategy
None of the above
In what areas would you most like to improve how you and your spouse/partner discuss and manage your finances?
Select as many as you like
Spending
Investing
Insurance
Debt
Life and financial goals
Retirement
Inheritance and estate planning
None of the above
Overall, how well do you think you and your spouse/partner communicate about money and financial issues?
Needs a lot of improvement
Couldn't be better!
Between you and your spouse/partner, who generally makes major financial and investing decisions?
Is there anything else you would like to discuss regarding how you and your spouse/partner can better manage financial decisions?
Thank you! You have completed the Marriage Life Stage section. We will now move on to your next section.
In this section we will explore what is most important to you as a parent, and how to prepare for parenthood in the years ahead.
How many children do you have who are...
Babies or toddlers
Young school age children
Going to college soon
In college or university
Adult children
Are you expecting a new child?
Overall, how do you feel about parenthood?
Select as many as you like
Excited
Proud
Happy
Overwhelmed
Exhausted
Financially stressed
None of the above
What future parenthood costs and expenses do you anticipate?
Select as many as you like
Moving to a new home or remodeling to accommodate my growing family
Taking time off from work to care for children
Childcare expenses
Education expenses
Wedding expenses
Financially supporting my children when they are adults
None of the above
How financially prepared do you feel for parenthood?
Not at all prepared
Extremely prepared
Which of the following steps have you taken to prepare for parenthood?
Select as many as you like
Purchased life insurance
Saved for education expenses
Created or updated my will
Created or updated my living will
Created a budget for expenses of raising a child
Purchased disability insurance
None of the above
Quick Facts
The cost for a middle-income family to raise a child through the age of 17 is $233,610. Housing (29 percent) and food (18 percent) account for the largest share, followed by education (16 percent), transportation (15 percent), and health care (9 percent).
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Expenditures on Children by Families, 2015
Do you have a child with special needs?
Are any of your adult children living with you?
Have you assessed how future parenthood expenses might impact your financial preparation or retirement plan?
How important is it to you to share with your children...
The importance of philanthropy and giving back
Not at all important
Extremely important
How important is it to you to share with your children...
How to manage money wisely
Not at all important
Extremely important
How important is it to you to share with your children...
My values and ethics
Not at all important
Extremely important
How important is it to you to share with your children...
Religious and spiritual values
Not at all important
Extremely important
How important is it to you to share with your children...
Family traditions and history
Not at all important
Extremely important
How important is it to you to share with your children...
How to have a successful career
Not at all important
Extremely important
Have you had a comprehensive discussion with your children about any inheritance you anticipate leaving them?
Is there anything else about parenthood you would like to discuss or share?
Thank you! You have completed the Parenthood Life Stage section. We will now go to your next section.
Empty nesting can be emotionally challenging, but it can also be a time of newfound freedoms. Empty nesting also introduces new life and financial decisions.
In this section we will explore what empty nesting means to you and how to prepare for this stage of life.
Have you empty nested?
How long ago did you empty nest?
In how many years do you expect all your
children to empty nest?
Which of the following describe how you feel about
empty nesting?
Select as many as you like
Liberated
Excited
Optimistic
Sad
Lacking purpose
Lonely
None of the above
Which of the following describe your priorities and new activities after empty nesting?
Select as many as you like
Having more quality time with my spouse, partner, or significant other
Devoting more time to hobbies, sports, or recreation I enjoy
Traveling more or taking my dream vacation
Moving to a new location or buying a second home
Downsizing my home
Making a career change or re-entering the workforce
Spending more time giving back or volunteering
None of the above
What would you say is the financial impact of
empty nesting?
Select as many as you like
Spending less money
Spending more money
Saving significantly more for retirement
Purchasing expensive items I could not afford before
Paying down debt
Having less financial stress
Not experiencing much change financially
Do you anticipate financially supporting any of your adult children by paying for any of the following?
If you are also exploring the Grandparenthood Life Stage, please do not include spending on your grandchildren in this section.
Provide full financial support
Education expenses
Some living expenses
Down payment on a home
Rent or mortgage
Credit card bills
Debt payments (e.g. student loans)
Wedding expenses
Other expenses
None of the above
In total, about how much financial support do you anticipate providing your adult children each year?
Do you anticipate your empty nested children may move back in with you in the future?
Quick Facts
About one in six Millennial children age 25-35 live in their parents’ home. Millennials are 50% more likely to live with their parents as Generation Xers, and nearly twice as adult children in the 1960s.
Source: Pew Research Center, 2017
Is there anything else about empty nesting you would like to share or discuss?
Thank you! You have completed the
Empty Nesting Life Stage section. We will now go to your next section.
Retirement used to mean a gold watch and a few years of leisure. Today, many people are re-defining retirement as an opportunity to explore new hopes, dreams, and ambitions.
In this section, we will explore what retirement means to you.
Which of the following are your highest priorities in retirement?
Please rank each on a scale of 1-5.
Spending time with family
Low priority
High priority
Which of the following are your highest priorities in retirement?
Please rank each on a scale of 1-5.
Traveling
Low priority
High priority
Which of the following are your highest priorities in retirement?
Please rank each on a scale of 1-5.
Recreation and hobbies
Low priority
High priority
Which of the following are your highest priorities in retirement?
Please rank each on a scale of 1-5.
Giving back (e.g. donating money or volunteering)
Low priority
High priority
Which of the following are your highest priorities in retirement?
Please rank each on a scale of 1-5.
Learning new things
Low priority
High priority
Which of the following are your highest priorities in retirement?
Please rank each on a scale of 1-5.
Staying productive
Low priority
High priority
Which of the following are your highest priorities in retirement?
Please rank each on a scale of 1-5.
Relaxing and doing nothing
Low priority
High priority
In retirement there is often more time to have fun, try new hobbies, and have new experiences. What kinds of experiences do you most look forward to in
your retirement years?
Have you budgeted and prepared for these types of experiences for your retirement?
What is most important to you when deciding where
to live in retirement?
Select as many as you like
Being close to family
Access to good health care
A pleasant climate
Affordable cost of living
Being close to activities and recreation I enjoy
Spending less time and money on home maintenance
Where would you most like to live in retirement?
Select as many as you like
A city or urban location
A retirement community
The suburbs
The countryside
A small town
Another country
Near a college or university
Do you expect to move to a new home
in your future retirement?
If you move to a new home in retirement,
do you expect to…
Quick Facts
About half of Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) say if they move, they expect to spend the same amount or more when buying their next home.
Source: The Demand Institute, Baby Boomers and their Homes, 2014
Retirement used to mean the end of work. But increasingly, more people are including some work in their retirement years.
If you were to work in retirement, what would be your most important reasons for wanting to work?
Select as many as you like
The money
Health care benefits
Friendships and social connections
To stay active
To be productive and have purpose
Which of the following have you done to think about or prepare for work in retirement?
Select as many as you like
Researched the type of work I would find most rewarding
Upgraded my skills through classes or training
Talked with my family about how I anticipate balancing work and family in retirement
Talked with a current or former employer about retirement career options, such as phased retirement, flexible work schedules, or new types of work.
Estimated how income from working in retirement might affect my retirement plan
Assessed how working in retirement might affect Social Security, Medicare, and other benefits
None of the above
Of the two options below, which is the main reason you would want to work in retirement?
Do you expect to work for pay during your retirement?
Quick Facts
More people are working in later life and retirement. Today, about four in ten people age 55+ are working, up from just three in ten in 1990.
Source: Bureau of Labor Force Statistics, 2017
In later life, some people have chronic health conditions that require ongoing care.
If you need extra care and support in your later retirement years, how would you most like to receive this care?
Have you financially prepared to ensure you will be able to afford the kind of long term care you
might need in later life?
Quick Facts
Someone age 65 today has about a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care in their lifetime. On average, women need care longer (3.7 years) than men (2.2 years).
Source: Bureau of Labor Force Statistics, 2017
Overall, how do you feel about
your life in retirement?
Select as many as you like
Excited
Happy
Relaxed
Adventurous
Busy
Bored
Anxious
Frustrated
Lonely
None of the above
Overall, how do you expect to feel about
your life in retirement?
Select as many as you like
Excited
Happy
Relaxed
Adventurous
Busy
Bored
Anxious
Frustrated
Lonely
None of the above
Is there anything else about retirement you would like to share or discuss?
Thank you! You have completed the
Retirement Life Stage section. We will now go to your next section.
They say grandparenthood is one of life’s rewards for surviving your children when they were teenagers.
In this section we will explore your experience and goals as a grandparent.
How many children do you have who are...
Babies or toddlers
Young school age children
Going to college soon
In college or university
Adult children
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