Understanding your clients’ needs has never been more critical in a rapidly changing financial landscape. As longevity rises and demographics shift, financial professionals face new challenges and opportunities – especially when engaging women and multigenerational households. This timely podcast episode dives deep into the latest, exclusive research from MassMutual Strategic Distributors and the MIT AgeLab, revealing how clients' language about their future can unlock more meaningful, trust-building conversations. 

Join InvestmentNews Senior Columnist Bruce Kelly as he sits down with Briana Zackai and Anna Sciortino, from MassMutual Strategic Distributors. Drawing on exclusive research, they share valuable perspectives on how financial professionals can better serve clients by understanding the words, values, and concerns that shape retirement planning. You’ll hear firsthand how they use these findings to tailor their approach, build lasting relationships, and prepare clients for every phase of life after work. 

Tune in to: 

- Learn how to decode clients' language to discuss retirement – and why it matters for building trust and delivering relevant advice. 
- Discover generational and gender-based differences in retirement priorities, and how to adapt your approach for each client. 
- Get practical, actionable tips for engaging both partners in planning conversations and recognizing women as primary decision-makers. 
- Find out how to address the whole arc of longevity, from the “go-go” years to the realities of caregiving and solo living. 
- Gain strategies for leveraging research-driven, empathetic communication to stand out in the era of great wealth transfer.  

Don’t miss this essential conversation for forward-thinking advisors. Tune in to gain the knowledge and tools to elevate client relationships and future-proof your practice. Listen and learn – your next breakthrough starts here.

This podcast is sponsored by MassMutual Strategic Distributors.

This episode explores how longevity and shifting demographics are transforming retirement planning conversations. It draws on research conducted by the MIT AgeLab in partnership with MassMutual Strategic Distributors, emphasizing the importance of language, gender dynamics, and the evolving role of women in financial decision-making. 

Insights and Sources:  
For more information about Life After Career: THE VOCABULARY OF RETIREMENT, including the complete methodology, view the whitepaper. 

Women are significantly more likely than men to research financial professionals online and seek referrals—especially from other women and trusted personal networks. 
According to a 2024 survey by Edward Jones and Morning Consult, 72% of financial advisors said their women clients who found them through a referral specifically sought recommendations from other women, and 77% relied on friends and family networks. 

An estimated 70% of widows change financial professionals after their spouse dies. 
According to IRI’s 2021 publication “The Future of Wealth is Female,” this trend highlights a widespread feeling among women that they are underserved by the wealth management industry 

Women are projected to control nearly half of the world’s wealth by 2030. 
McKinsey & Company reports that women currently control about a third of retail financial assets in the U.S. and EU, with that share expected to rise to 40–45% by 2030. 

Single women account for twice as many home purchases as single men. 
According to the National Association of Realtors’ 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 19% of homes were purchased by single women, compared to 9% by single men. 

Women continue to outpace men in college enrollment and graduation. 
The Chronicle of Higher Education’s 2025 Almanac shows that women lead in both enrollment and degree attainment across nearly all institution types and disciplines. 

Nearly 1 in 5 births in the U.S. are to women aged 35 and older. 
The CDC’s 2023 National Vital Statistics Report confirms a continued trend of delayed childbirth, with significant increases in births among women aged 35–44. 

For Financial Professionals.  Not For Use With The Public. 

Disclaimers:  
The host of today’s podcast is not affiliated with MassMutual Strategic Distributors. 
MassMutual Strategic Distributors is a division of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. 
©2025 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual®), Springfield, MA 01111-0001. All rights reserved. 
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