The above button links to Coinbase. Yahoo Finance is not a broker-dealer or investment adviser and does not offer securities or cryptocurrencies for sale or facilitate trading. Coinbase pays us for certain activity generated through this link. Prices displayed are informational.

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Many Americans quietly wrestle with the same question: Is the purpose of financial planning to actually enjoy retirement, or simply accumulate as much money as possible before dying?

That debate recently played out in a Reddit discussion on r/FinancialPlanning after one person described hearing a retirement call-in show featuring a 54-year-old with roughly $4.2 million saved, two pensions bringing in about $4,000 a month, no debt and monthly spending of around $10,000. Even with those numbers, the discussion still revolved around careful withdrawals and waiting for Social Security.

“It just seems to me most of these ‘financial advisors’ want everyone to save, save, save and save some more and die with millions of dollars,” the original poster wrote.

Don't Miss:

Small differences in withdrawal and tax strategy can significantly impact long-term retirement income — see where you stand today.

Blue-Chip Art Has Outperformed the S&P 500 for Decades — Here's How to Invest

The thread quickly filled with responses from people explaining why retirement planning often sounds more cautious than exciting.

Several commenters pointed out that retirement isn’t just about replacing monthly bills. Healthcare costs alone can dramatically change the equation, especially for people retiring before Medicare eligibility at age 65.

“Healthcare is very expensive from 55-65,” one commenter wrote, adding that having retiree health benefits through a pension “shortens our needs tremendously.”

Others noticed that retirees often underestimate how unpredictable spending becomes later in life. Someone may plan for a steady monthly budget, only to suddenly face home repairs, vacations, helping adult children financially or paying for long-term care.

“Clients rarely stick to their budget,” one commenter said. “They might agree to $10k/month drawdown plus Social Security, but then they want an extra $20k to redo the landscaping and paint the house.”

Trending: Click here to explore BAM Capital's current Midwest multifamily funds and see how accredited investors are gaining access to institutional-grade opportunities.

The conversation also showed how much retirement has changed over the years. Several people said the old idea that $1 million was enough to retire comfortably just doesn’t go as far anymore.

“Growing up, $1 mil seemed like the magic number for retirement,” one person wrote. “Now that I’m 50, divorced, in a very high-cost-of-living area, and hoping to help my kids financially if needed, $1 mil would equate to financial ruin in my scenario.”

Some questioned whether advisors who charge fees based on assets under management have an incentive to encourage larger portfolios.

“A $5M portfolio earns them 5x the fees of a $1M portfolio,” one wrote.

Still, many people in the thread defended good financial planners, saying their value becomes most important near retirement. Topics like withdrawal strategies, tax planning, Social Security timing and estate planning can become extremely complicated.

“The purpose isn’t millions, it’s independence,” one commenter wrote. “Enough capital to control your time is more valuable than chasing big numbers.”

See Also: From the International Space Station to everyday use — this NASA-tested diagnostics platform is moving toward at-home lab testing

Others said the real goal of financial planning is balance. Saving aggressively while working may create flexibility later, but retirement should still involve enjoying life.

“The purpose of financial planning is to make sure that at every life stage you have enough money to be comfortable,” another commenter wrote.

For many readers, the thread reflected a growing tension between preparing responsibly for an uncertain future and wondering whether people sometimes become so focused on building wealth that they forget to actually use it.

Read Next: More Than Half of Americans Aren't Prepared for Retirement — Including 62% of Gen Y

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That's why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, professional financial guidance, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn't tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Connect Invest

Connect Invest is a real estate investment platform that allows investors to access short-term, fixed-income opportunities backed by a diversified portfolio of residential and commercial real estate loans. Through its Short Notes structure, investors can choose defined terms (6, 12, or 24 months) and earn monthly interest payments while gaining exposure to real estate as an asset class. For investors focused on diversification, Connect Invest may serve as one component within a broader portfolio that also includes traditional equities, fixed income, and other alternative assets—helping balance exposure across different risk and return profiles.

Mode Mobile

Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte's fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream. For investors, Mode Mobile offers exposure to the expanding mobile advertising and attention economy through a pre-IPO opportunity tied to a new approach to user monetization.

rHealth

rHealth is building a space-tested diagnostics platform designed to bring lab-quality blood testing closer to patients in minutes rather than weeks. Originally validated in collaboration with NASA for use aboard the International Space Station, the technology is now being adapted for at-home and point-of-care settings to address widespread delays in diagnostic access.

Backed by institutions including NASA and the NIH, rHealth is targeting the large global diagnostics market with a multi-test platform and a model built around devices, consumables, and software. With FDA registration in progress, the company is positioning itself as a potential shift toward faster, more decentralized healthcare testing.

Direxion

Direxion specializes in leveraged and inverse ETFs designed to help active traders express short-term market views during periods of volatility and major market events. Rather than long-term investing, these products are built for tactical use—allowing investors to take magnified bullish or bearish positions across indices, sectors, and single stocks. For experienced traders, Direxion offers a way to respond quickly to changing market conditions and act on high-conviction views with greater flexibility.

Immersed

Immersed is a spatial computing company building immersive productivity software that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens inside VR and mixed-reality environments. Its platform is used by remote workers and enterprises to create virtual workspaces that reduce reliance on traditional physical hardware while improving focus and collaboration. The company is also developing its own lightweight VR headset and AI productivity tools, positioning itself in the future-of-work and spatial computing space. Through its pre-IPO offering, Immersed is opening access to early-stage investors looking to diversify beyond traditional assets and gain exposure to emerging technologies shaping how people work.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

Masterworks

Masterworks enables investors to diversify into blue-chip art, an alternative asset class with historically low correlation to stocks and bonds. Through fractional ownership of museum-quality works by artists like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, investors gain access without the high costs or complexities of owning art outright. With hundreds of offerings and strong historical exits on select works, Masterworks adds a scarce, globally traded asset to portfolios seeking long-term diversification.

Public

Public is a multi-asset investing platform built for long-term investors who want more control, transparency, and innovation in how they grow wealth. Founded in 2019 as the first broker-dealer to offer commission-free, real-time fractional investing, Public now lets users invest in stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and more—all in one place. Its latest feature, Generated Assets, uses AI to turn a single idea into a fully customized, investable index that can be explained and backtested before committing capital. Combined with AI-powered research tools, clear explanations of market moves, and an uncapped 1% match for transferring an existing portfolio, Public positions itself as a modern platform designed to help serious investors make more informed decisions with context.

AdviserMatch

AdviserMatch is a free online tool that helps individuals connect with financial advisors based on their goals, financial situation, and investment needs. Instead of spending hours researching advisors on your own, the platform asks a few quick questions and matches you with professionals who can assist with areas like retirement planning, investment strategy, and overall financial guidance. Consultations are no-obligation, and services vary by advisor, giving investors a chance to explore whether professional advice could help improve their long-term financial plan.

Accredited Debt Relief

Accredited Debt Relief is a debt consolidation company focused on helping consumers reduce and manage unsecured debt through structured programs and personalized solutions. Having supported more than 1 million clients and helped resolve over $3 billion in debt, the company operates within the growing consumer debt relief industry, where demand continues to rise alongside record household debt levels. Its process includes a quick qualification survey, personalized program matching, and ongoing support, with eligible clients potentially reducing monthly payments by 40% or more. With industry recognition, an A+ BBB rating, and multiple customer service awards, Accredited Debt Relief positions itself as a data-driven, client-focused option for individuals seeking a more manageable path toward becoming debt-free.

Finance Advisors

Finance Advisors helps Americans approach retirement with greater clarity by connecting them to vetted, fiduciary financial advisors who specialize in tax-aware retirement planning. Rather than focusing on products or investment performance alone, the platform emphasizes strategies that account for after-tax income, withdrawal sequencing, and long-term tax efficiency—factors that can materially impact retirement outcomes. Free to use, Finance Advisors gives individuals with meaningful savings access to a level of planning sophistication historically reserved for high-net-worth households, helping reduce hidden tax risk and improve long-term financial confidence.

Image: Shutterstock

This article They Keep Hearing 'Save, Save, Save' From Financial Advisors, But Wonder If Anyone Is Supposed To Enjoy Their Money Too Or Die With Millions originally appeared on Benzinga.com

© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.