Skip to main content
Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual
Primary Navigation
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Us Overview
    • Working With an Advisor
    • Our Financial Strength
    • Sustainability and Impact
  • Financial Planning
    • Financial Planning Overview
    • Retirement Planning
      • Retirement Planning Overview
      • Retirement Calculator Beach chair icon
    • College Savings Plans
    • Private Wealth Management
    • Estate Planning
    • Long-Term Care
    • Business Services
  • Insurance
    • Insurance Overview
    • Life Insurance
      • Life Insurance Overview
      • Whole Life Insurance
      • Universal Life Insurance
      • Variable Universal Life Insurance
      • Term Life Insurance
      • Life Insurance Calculator Shield icon
    • Disability Insurance
      • Disability Insurance Overview
      • Disability Insurance  For Individuals
      • Disability Insurance  For Doctors and Dentists
      • Disability Insurance Calculator Money Parachute icon
    • Long-Term Care
    • Income Annuities
  • Investments
    • Investments Overview
    • Brokerage Accounts & Services
    • Private Wealth Management
    • Investment Advisory Services
    • Fixed & Variable Annuities
    • Market Commentary
  • Life & Money
    • Life & Money Overview
    • Educational Resources About Financial Planning
    • Educational Resources About Investing
    • Educational Resources About Insurance
    • Educational Resources About Everyday Money
    • Educational Resources About Family & Work
    • Market Commentary
    • Podcast
Utility Navigation
  • Find a Financial Advisor
  • Claims
  • Life & Money
  • Financial Planning
  • Planning With Northwestern Mutual

Financially Confident People Have This in Common


  • Northwestern Mutual
  • Jul 24, 2023
financially confident man in a meeting
Source: 2023 Northwestern Mutual Planning & Progress Study. Photo credit: Thomas Barwick
share Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Share via Email

Key takeaways

  • People who work with a financial advisor are more confident about their financial lives.

  • Currently, only 37 percent of Americans work with a financial advisor.

  • You may be more ready to work with an advisor than you think.

A financial advisor is the key to financial confidence

Want to feel financially confident and secure? New research shows that a financial advisor may be the key. You might be thinking, of course! But then are you among the 63 percent of Americans who don’t work with an advisor? Perhaps some common misperceptions are holding you back. The reality is that you may be more ready to work with a financial advisor than you think. Read on to learn what it’s really like to work with an advisor.

Busting common myths about working with a financial advisor

Myth: I need to have my financial life together before I sit down with someone.

Myth busted: False: That’s exactly why you want to work with an advisor. You don’t need to get in shape before you start working with a trainer. A financial advisor can help you no matter where you are on your financial journey. And you may be in a better position than you think.

The whole process is going to be time consuming and complex.

Myth busted: Nope: We do this every day and know what’s most critical to develop an individualized plan for you and what you want to accomplish. With more than 4 million clients, we’ve seen it all. Spending a little time with us can actually make your life easier.

I don’t know what I don’t know, and an advisor may take advantage of me.

Myth busted: False: Good advisors are some of the best educators around, and they’ll teach you while guiding you. At Northwestern Mutual, our advisors first start with what you want and need in your life. Then they’ll build a plan with our award-winning technology, which will chart your path forward. This path can be longer or shorter based on what you want. And they’ll explain all the pieces of the plan so you understand the recommendations and can feel confident in the decisions you’ll make.

I need to be rich for an advisor to work with me.

Myth busted: False: We work with individuals and families just starting out as well as clients who have reached their peak earning years and have complex planning needs. That’s what makes our advisor-matching process unique—we’ll match you with someone who works with people just like you.

Working with a financial advisor is the path to financial confidence

The data is clear: People who are working with a financial advisor feel more confident. At Northwestern Mutual, our advisors can work with you to help you identify your financial goals and build a plan to help you reach them. Your plan will help you balance what you want in the future with your needs today. And Northwestern Mutual financial plans anticipate risks that can pop up along the way. Knowing you’re on track to reach your goals and that you have a plan for things that could go wrong can help you feel more confident not just about the future but also about spending your money on what’s important today.

It raises the question: If you’re not already working with an advisor, why not? Take our quiz to learn more about how you can benefit from a financial plan that you create with a Northwestern Mutual advisor:

Is Financial Planning Right for Me?

Back
1/6
Do you ever wonder where all your money went at the end of the month?

Our financial advisors are here to guide you.

With more than 8,000 advisors across the United States, you can feel confident we’ll have someone to meet your needs. We’ll match you with an advisor who works with others just like you.

Find an advisor
Left Dotted Pattern
Right Dotted Pattern

Want more? Get financial tips, tools, and more with our monthly newsletter.

article
Mom and dad with their baby wondering what’s included in a financial plan

Must-Have Components of a Financial Plan

Learn more
quiz
Couple learning about working with a financial advisor.

How Much Do You Know About Working With a Financial Advisor?

Take our quiz
guide
Couple lying on a bed with their kids

4 Steps to Building a Solid Financial Foundation

Learn more

Find What You're Looking for at Northwestern Mutual

Northwestern Mutual General Disclaimer

Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries. Life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with longterm care benefits are issued by The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI (NM). Longterm care insurance is issued by Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI, (NLTC) a subsidiary of NM. Investment brokerage services are offered through Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) a subsidiary of NM, brokerdealer, registered investment advisor, and member FINRA and SIPC. Investment advisory and trust services are offered through Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC), Milwaukee, WI, a subsidiary of NM and a federal savings bank. Products and services referenced are offered and sold only by appropriately appointed and licensed entities and financial advisors and professionals. Not all products and services are available in all states. Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with Advisor in their title or who otherwise disclose their status as an advisor of NMWMC are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide investment advisory services.

Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual

Footer Navigation

  • About Us
  • Newsroom
  • Careers
  • Information Protection
  • Business Services
  • Podcast
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs
  • Legal Notice
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Notices

Connect with us

  • Facebook iconConnect with us on Facebook
  • X iconFollow Northwestern Mutual on X
  • LinkedIn iconVisit Northwestern Mutual on LinkedIn
  • Instagram iconFollow Northwestern Mutual on Instagram
  • YouTube iconConnect with Northwestern Mutual on YouTube

Over 8,000+ Financial Advisors and Professionals Nationwide*

Find an Advisor

Footer Copyright

*Based on Northwestern Mutual internal data, not applicable exclusively to disability insurance products.

Copyright © 2025 The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, WI. All Rights Reserved. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and its subsidiaries.