People spend decades preparing for financial freedom. They save consistently, build retirement accounts, reduce debt, and follow the plan year after year. Then, one day, the numbers finally look strong. And a different question appears: Now what?

Chris Wedell, financial advisor at Volare Wealth Advisors, often sees this moment. Clients arrive financially prepared but unsure how they want life to feel moving forward.

“People work so hard to save all of this,” Wedell says. “Then they realize they may never actually use all of it. The conversation becomes, What do you want this money to do for your life while you are still here?”

At Volare, financial planning moves far past spreadsheets and projections. Conversations focus on fulfillment, relationships, purpose, and the lives that clients want to build now, not in the future.

Legacy looks different than most expect

Many people connect legacy planning with paperwork and future inheritance, focusing on wills, trusts, and the eventual transfer of assets. Wedell encourages clients to think more broadly about the impact they want to create and the values they want to share during their lifetime, though.

“What impact do you want to see during your lifetime?” she asks. “What do you want people to remember about you and your values?”

The perspective reframes legacy planning as something that people can live out and experience in real time instead of something reserved for the future.

Some clients use annual gifting strategies to help children or grandchildren pay off student loans. Others support charitable causes while they can still witness the impact firsthand. And some simply want to help loved ones experience less financial pressure today.

“They get to see the relief,” Wedell says. “They get to experience the joy that comes with helping somebody now.”

Retirement should feel exciting

Wedell believes that many people prepare financially for retirement without preparing emotionally for it. “There is a huge difference between being able to retire and retiring well,” she says.

Retirement planning involves much more than building financial security, considering overall quality of life is also influenced by health, personal relationships, community involvement, and daily routines. Wedell often encourages clients to prioritize social connection long before retirement, pointing to friendships, travel, volunteering, and consistent engagement with others as important parts of creating a fulfilling, rewarding next chapter.

“The definition of wealth has changed,” Wedell says. “It is money, health, and social connection all working together.”

Wedell’s perspective on financial planning closely mirrors the values that Volare Wealth Advisors was built around. The company name comes from the Latin word meaning “to fly” or “to soar,” representing a commitment to help clients move through life with greater freedom, clarity, and optimism.

Permission to live fully

Many of Wedell’s conversations with clients are built around helping people feel comfortable enjoying the life they spent years working toward and preparing for financially. One client, who had recently lost her spouse, hesitated to take a bucket-list trip through Europe, despite having the financial ability to comfortably afford it. “She wanted reassurance,” Wedell says. “I told her to go—tomorrow is not promised.”

Such experiences reinforce the idea that financial planning is not only about preserving wealth but also about creating the ability to enjoy life. “Money is a tool,” Wedell says. “It helps you live the life you want to live.”

Many people assume that financial advisors primarily focus on saving, investing, and protecting assets, though Wedell approaches planning through a far more personal, adaptable perspective. She describes financial planning as “ever evolving,” with both long-term strategies and backup plans adjusting alongside career changes, health events, caregiving responsibilities, loss, new opportunities, and unexpected milestones.

“Life is constantly changing,” Wedell says. “The financial plan should evolve with it.”

Why intentional financial planning changes everything

Wedell repeatedly returns to one word during client conversations: intentionality.

“If we are not intentional with our money, decisions happen automatically,” she says.

Intentional financial choices create clarity. Clients begin to connect spending and saving decisions to larger priorities, rather than reacting emotionally in the moment. The process becomes less overwhelming once people understand why they are making each decision.

“My job is to take something complex and make it approachable,” Wedell says.

A different vision of wealth

Reaching financial goals is often only the beginning of the conversation. Wedell believes the next step involves helping clients use that financial stability to create a life filled with purpose, experiences, relationships, and daily routines that they genuinely look forward to enjoying.

“You have everything you need,” Wedell says. “Now we get to decide what you want life to look like.”

And sometimes, that question becomes the most important part of financial planning.