Why Retirement Fails Without Purpose — and How Advisors Can Prevent It

August 17, 2025

What We’re Seeing

Most clients spend decades preparing their finances for retirement. But few prepare for what really defines success: purpose, routine, and identity. Without these, even a fully funded retirement can feel empty. As an advisor, you can’t solve this with a portfolio rebalance — but you can become the partner who helps clients thrive beyond wealth.

Core Insight

The Hidden Gap in Retirement Planning

Clients often arrive at retirement with money, but no clear plan for their days. Many lose a sense of self without their professional role. Others struggle with how to spend their time, manage relationships, or redefine purpose.

Why It Matters for Advisors

Dissatisfied retirees: • Withdraw assets faster than expected. • Change advisors in their first 3 years of retirement. • Fail to refer family or friends.

Your Opportunity

By integrating conversations around lifestyle, purpose, and identity, you strengthen trust. Even a brief check-in shows clients you see them as whole people, not just portfolios.

The Ripple Effect

Clients’ children and grandchildren are watching. When they see their parents supported holistically, it creates goodwill toward your firm — and a bridge for you to serve the next generation.

Mini Tool for Advisors

5 Quick Questions for a “Life Beyond Wealth Check-in” (add one to your next annual review):

• How are you spending your mornings?

• What’s giving you purpose right now?

• How are your relationships evolving?

• What routines or habits would you like to build?

• What do you want to learn, try, or explore this year?

These aren’t therapy questions — they’re trust-builders. Your client will remember that you cared enough to ask.

Call to Action (CTA)

For Advisors: Want to pilot this approach with one client family? I offer co-branded “Life-After-Work Reviews” that you can add to your service mix. 👉 Book a short call with me to explore a retainer partnership that helps your clients — and even their children and grandchildren — thrive in their next chapters. Message me on LinkedIn to learn more.

About the Author

Rhonda Fekete is an ICF PCC and Certified Professional Retirement Coach. She spent 9 years as a Sales Coaching & Leadership Development Consultant with a Fortune 100 financial services firm, equipping advisors and leaders to strengthen client engagement, retention, and performance. Today, through Career Pointe Consulting, she partners with advisors and firms to deliver non-financial retirement coaching, career strategy services, and leadership development support.

Follow me on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/comm/mynetwork/discovery-see-all?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=rhondasfekete