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A Kiplinger contributing adviser argues that financial success should be measured not only by wealth, but by the security, confidence and choices money can provide. The article cites Thrivent research finding that 69% of Americans associate long-term financial success with security and peace of mind, while 3% say it is primarily net worth.
A Kiplinger contributing adviser is making the case for measuring financial success by more than net worth, citing Thrivent research in which 69% of Americans said long-term success means financial security and peace of mind, compared with 3% who said it is primarily net worth. The article argues that money matters both for what people accumulate and for the choices and stability it can provide.
The article says that saving, investing and retirement planning remain important, but that people increasingly judge financial progress by whether their finances help them face uncertainty, care for others and pursue future opportunities. It presents that broader definition as a shift in emphasis, not a case for abandoning wealth-building or financial planning.
It also cites a separate finding that nearly two-thirds of Americans view money as a tool for creating the life they want, rather than something to accumulate for its own sake. The source does not provide the survey question, sample size, field dates or methodology for either statistic, so readers cannot assess those details from the article alone.
The author lists practical uses for money that can sit alongside growing assets: preparing for unexpected costs, supporting loved ones, pursuing meaningful experiences, giving to causes and building a legacy. The article says a rising account balance can improve a person’s financial position, while confidence also depends on understanding current circumstances and how decisions connect to personal goals.
How the Broader Measure Changes Planning
The argument matters because it frames financial planning around both resources and outcomes. A person’s net worth can show what has been accumulated, but it does not by itself explain whether that person feels financially secure, can handle a setback or has the means to meet responsibilities and pursue priorities. Those concerns can shape how households think about saving, spending, investing and preparing for retirement.
The adviser says financial-services firms should respond by taking account of the person behind the portfolio: their goals, responsibilities and values, as well as their assets. That is the author’s view of how the industry should work; the article does not report a new industry policy or show that financial firms have broadly changed their practices.
For readers, the practical point is not that one measure should replace another. The article retains wealth-building as a financial foundation while suggesting that people also judge progress by the security and choices their money supports. The cited poll figures offer a snapshot of reported views, but without methodology details they should not be treated as a complete picture of all Americans or as proof that attitudes have changed over time.
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From Wealth Building to Life Goals
The article begins with a familiar financial benchmark: building wealth and increasing net worth through saving, investing and retirement preparation. It places that benchmark alongside a broader idea that money can function as a means to support a desired life, rather than as an end in itself.
The piece appeared in Kiplinger as an article by a contributing adviser, not as a report written by Kiplinger’s editorial staff. The author is identified in the source as Thrivent’s president and CEO and discloses that connection. The article says it presents the adviser’s views, a relevant qualification when reading its claims about financial services and the survey findings.
The source also includes a disclaimer directing readers to check adviser records with the SEC or FINRA. It provides no additional details about how Thrivent conducted the research, and the article does not compare the figures with earlier surveys. The material supports a report on the argument and statistics presented, but not a conclusion about the direction of public opinion over time.
“Financial success can’t be captured by a single number.”
— Kiplinger contributing adviser and Thrivent president and CEO
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Survey Details Still Missing
The source does not state when the Thrivent research was conducted, how many people took part, how respondents were selected or the exact wording and format of the questions. It also does not provide a margin of error or breakdowns by age, income or other characteristics. Those omissions limit how precisely the reported percentages can be interpreted.
The article’s description of a growing shift is not accompanied by a time-series comparison showing how views have changed. The cited findings indicate what respondents reportedly said in the research, but they do not establish that Americans as a whole have moved away from net worth as a measure of success. The source also does not independently establish how financial firms are changing their advice in response.
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What Readers Can Verify Next
No follow-up survey, policy change or other next milestone is announced in the source. To evaluate the statistics further, readers would need Thrivent’s underlying survey details, including its field dates, sample, question wording and methodology. The source does not say whether those materials will be released.
For now, the article’s proposal is a framework rather than a reported change in financial practice: keep building financial resources while asking whether decisions support security, responsibilities and personal goals. Readers seeking professional advice can check an adviser’s records with the SEC or FINRA, as the article’s disclaimer recommends. Its claims about the value of trusted guidance remain the author’s position, not a finding demonstrated by the cited percentages.
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Key Questions
What does the article say Americans mean by financial success?
It cites Thrivent research reporting that 69% associate long-term financial success with security and peace of mind, while 3% say it is primarily net worth. The source does not include survey methods or field dates.
Does the article argue that people should stop building wealth?
No. It says saving, investing and retirement planning remain important, while arguing that financial progress can also be judged by the security and opportunities money supports.
What is the separate finding about money as a tool?
The article says nearly two-thirds of Americans view money as a tool for creating the life they want rather than something to accumulate for its own sake. It does not provide the survey question or methodology.
Who wrote the Kiplinger article?
It was written by a contributing adviser identified as Thrivent’s president and CEO. Kiplinger’s disclaimer says the article presents the contributor’s views, not those of its editorial staff.
What information about the survey is missing?
The source does not give the field dates, sample size, respondent selection, question wording or margin of error. Without those details, the percentages cannot be fully assessed from the article alone.
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