Podcast | 11.21.24
BISA Portfolio Podcast — Redefining Aging: Why Words Matter
by: BISA Staff
In this episode of the BISA Portfolio Podcast guest host LeAnn Rummel, president and CEO at Cetera Investment Services, talks with Lisa D’Ambrosio of MIT AgeLab and Alex Samoila of MassMutual Strategic Distributors about MassMutual Strategic Distributors' research on how language shapes retirement planning.
Listen in for insights on:
- Why the words people use to describe “life after career” reveal hopes, fears, and priorities beyond financial projections.
- How **generational and gender differences** in retirement vocabulary can help advisors tailor conversations.
- Why understanding emotional drivers like family, freedom, and security is key to building trust.
- Practical ways advisors can use this research to deepen client relationships and prepare for longevity.
Listen in here or on your favorite podcast app.
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Access MMSD's Words Matter Research.
MassMutual Strategic Distributors is a division of MassMutual.
Methodology:
The MIT AgeLab conducted six focus groups with a total of 60 people in July 2024 to explore their perspectives on retirement, financial planning, and financial advice. Two of the groups were conducted via an online platform with participants recruited from across the U.S., and four were conducted in person with participants who live in the metro Boston, Massachusetts, area. The two online groups were stratified by whether participants reported working with a financial professional or not; in-person groups were further stratified by gender. To be eligible to participate in the groups, individuals had to live in the U.S., be between the ages of 40 and 65, have a household income of $100,000 or more, and have retirement savings of $250,000 or more. Prior to the groups, people completed a consent form to take part in the study and an online questionnaire. Focus groups lasted between 90 minutes and two hours and were recorded. The recordings were transcribed, and these data were analyzed thematically.
The AgeLab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was created in 1999 to invent new ideas and creatively translate technologies into practical solutions that improve the quality of life of older adults and those who care for them. The AgeLab applies consumer-centered systems thinking to understand the challenges and opportunities of longevity and changing demographics, to catalyze innovation, and to support people in planning for life tomorrow.
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