Beyond the Balance Sheet: Strategic Wealth for Women, Built to Endure

By Sara V. Solano, CRPC®, BFA™

LodeStar Advisory Group LLC

Women today are redefining wealth. We are living longer, earning more influence, and managing unprecedented levels of capital. Already, women control over $10 trillion—roughly one-third of U.S. household financial assets. By 2030, that figure is projected to grow to $34 trillion, creating an immense opportunity to shape not only our own futures, but the financial landscape at large (mckinsey.com) (investopedia.com) (empower.com). 

Women have always lived longer than men — but that longevity is now greater than ever before. In 1965, the average U.S. woman lived to age 73; today, that average is 80.5 years, and in 2023, life expectancy reached 83.1 years for women, compared with 78.7 years for men (financialplanningassociation.org). Many women now spend 30 years or more in retirement. That reality reshapes how we need to think about money.

It’s no longer only about accumulation. It’s about designing strategies that last, that adapt, and that empower us to thrive in every stage of life.

The Bigger Picture: Wealth as More Than Numbers

For women, wealth has always been about more than returns on a statement. It’s about what money makes possible — independence, security, and the ability to shape family and community.

As longevity increases, women are more often finding themselves at the center of financial decision-making. Sometimes that shift comes through inheritance, widowhood, or divorce. For others, it’s the result of building and stewarding wealth independently. However it happens, the central question becomes:

How do I ensure this money carries meaning, not just value?

Questions That Shape Financial Confidence

Behavioral finance teaches us that decisions improve when we pause, reflect, and align money with meaning. Asking the right questions can help us see beyond the numbers:

• Am I prepared for longevity? If I live well into my 90s, do I have the resources and flexibility to sustain my lifestyle?

• Do I know my true financial picture? Beyond income and assets, do I fully understand my net worth, my cash flow, and my obligations?

• What risks could disrupt my plan? Have I protected against health costs, market downturns, or family obligations?

• Does my plan reflect my values? Am I building not only financial wealth, but a legacy of purpose?

• Will my intentions be clear to those I leave behind? If something happened tomorrow, would my loved ones understand both the numbers and the meaning behind them?

These are not checklist items — they are conversation starters, the foundation for planning that is both strategic and deeply personal.

Wealth with Intention: Building a Lasting Legacy

Research shows that many women, especially later in life, want their wealth to reflect more than equal distribution. They are creating what some advisors call a “financial love letter” — plans that preserve unity, honor individuality, and pass on values as well as assets.

This often means:

• Giving during one’s lifetime to strengthen family connections.

• Involving the next generation early to foster clarity and unity.

• Aligning investments and philanthropy with causes that matter most.

It’s a holistic model of wealth: not just asset allocation, but estate planning, family dynamics, and purpose.

Thriving Beyond the Numbers

Wealth is more than a balance sheet. It’s independence, resilience, and freedom of choice. It’s a tool for creating impact today and leaving a legacy tomorrow.

Whether you’re stewarding a significant portfolio or just beginning to build one, the same truth applies: financial confidence comes from clarity, intention, and the willingness to ask the right questions.

Because in the end, financial confidence isn’t about how much you have — it’s about how far it takes you.

 _________________________________________________________________________________Sara V. Solano, CRPC®,  BFA™  is a Wealth Advisor who specializes in providing behavioral financial advice.

Disclosure: LodeStar Advisory Group LLC is an independent Registered Investment Adviser (RIA) headquartered in Naples, Florida. The above commentary does not constitute individual investment advice. The strategies discussed are strictly for illustrative and educational purposes and should not be construed as a recommendation to purchase or sell, or an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. This information should not be relied upon by the reader as research or investment advice regarding the funds or any security in particular.