Why Values-Based Financial Planning Works: Better Decisions, Stronger Legacy, Less Stress
Carrying the responsibility of your family’s financial future can be a heavy burden. You want to do right by them, but the weight of decisions around investments, estates, and taxes can be overwhelming.
If this resonates with you, values-based financial planning might be for you. Instead of starting with spreadsheets and formulas, it begins by exploring your priorities, your values, and the legacy you hope to leave. Keep reading to see how putting your values before numbers can work for you.
tl;dr
Values-based financial planning helps you align your money with your life. It’s how you make financial decisions that actually feel right for you, your family, and your future. Keep reading to see how meaning and money can finally work together.
What is values-based financial planning?
At its core, it’s a more personal, more human approach to managing your money. It offers a different approach to standard financial planning by flipping the script from “money first” to “meaning first.” So instead of building a plan solely around income, retirement age, or tax strategy, it starts with what matters most to you. That could be your priorities, your principles, or the kind of life and legacy you want to build. The numbers still matter, but they’re not just guided by money for the sake of money.
Here’s a closer look at what makes the values-based financial planning approach different:
Values first, numbers second
Instead of starting with spreadsheets and tax brackets, we start with you. That means your life, your priorities, and anything that really matters to you. It’s about aligning your money with your goals, beliefs, and getting to the kind of legacy you want to leave.
It starts by asking the big questions:
What values do you want to pass on to the next generation?
What lessons, traditions, or experiences matter most to your family?
How do you want your wealth to support not just your family, but the causes or communities you care about?
What does “security” or “freedom” look like for your family, beyond finances?
How can your family carry forward your stories, philosophies, and purpose long after you’re gone?
These questions aren’t easy. Carrying the responsibility of your family’s financial future can feel overwhelming, and it’s natural to feel torn between what’s financially “smart” and what feels right for your family. Balancing logic, emotion, and long-term vision takes time and reflection.
A financial planner helps turn that reflection into direction. Think of your financial plan like a GPS. Traditional financial planning says, “Here’s the fastest route.” Values-based planning asks, “Where do you want to go and what kind of road trip do you want along the way?”
Then we build the route that gets you there, with fewer detours and a whole lot more intention.
Personalized and purpose-driven
Money is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Two people with identical financial profiles might make totally different choices because their values are different. One might prioritize philanthropy, another might want to build a multigenerational business.
Values-based planning says: both are right. Both are true to who that person is. This kind of planning respects what you're trying to build.
Think of your financial life like a custom wardrobe. Traditional planning gives you a suit off the rack. It fits okay, but it’s not really you. Values-based planning is tailored. It fits your shape, your lifestyle, your goals. It’s the difference between wearing something that works and wearing something that feels right.
Focus on legacy and stewardship
Legacy is about the stories, values, and intentions that outlast you. It goes beyond documents and distributions. It prepares your loved ones, passes down your principles, and makes sure your money tells a story that reflects who you are.
Let’s say a couple in their 60s saved enough to comfortably retire and leave money to their adult children. Instead of stopping at a standard estate plan, they go deeper.
They create a giving plan tied to their shared faith, write letters to their grandkids about the values they hope to pass on, and host annual family meetings to talk about big decisions together.
At CURO, we often guide this process through a Legacy Document, a personalized tool we use during our clients’ family meetings to help clarify intentions, share values, and support meaningful conversations across generations. This intentional approach helps families move beyond transactions toward a deeper connection.
Because their kids aren’t just inheriting wealth at this point; they’re inheriting clarity, connection, and a shared mission. Estate planning passes down a house. Legacy planning passes down a home, filled with meaning, memory, and purpose.
Deep advisor-client relationship
When you plan a big trip, you talk about where you want to go, what you want to do, and how you’ll get there.
Working with a financial planner is a lot like that, only this time, you’re planning your life. They help you think about what matters most, whether it’s supporting your family, saving for something big, or giving back, and then create a plan to make it happen.
It’s teamwork: you bring the dreams, and they help you find the map.
Examples of values-based planning in action
Values-based planning should show up in real, tangible decisions every day. Here’s what that can look like in real life:
A client who values education sets up a scholarship fund instead of simply leaving money to heirs.
A family that values environmental sustainability invests in ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) portfolios.
Someone who values independence chooses to pay off their mortgage early, even if it’s not the “optimal” move on paper.
A couple prioritizing family closeness designs a trust that funds annual family retreats to maintain strong relationships across generations.
There’s no “right” way to go about it, just the way that feels right for you.
Why this matters across generations
Each generation views money and purpose differently. Baby Boomers may prioritize legacy and stability, while Millennials and Gen Z want their money to mean something.
Values-based planning bridges those generational gaps. It opens up space for deeper conversations about what matters and why.
When families talk openly about their values, they're more likely to:
Build trust across generations.
Avoid future conflicts around wealth transfer.
Equip heirs with the confidence to make decisions aligned with shared principles.
A legacy of meaning, not just money
Building a legacy is about creating a roadmap that reflects what you truly care about and giving your family the confidence to carry it forward. Wealth is just a tool. What gives it power is the purpose behind it. When you lead with values, you don’t just leave a legacy. You live it.
Let’s talk legacy
Family money talks don’t have to be awkward or confusing. CURO can help guide the conversation.
Investments are subject to risk, including the loss of principal. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria is based on a set of nonfinancial principles in addition to financial principles used to evaluate potential investments. The incorporation of nonfinancial principles (i.e., ESG) can factor heavily into the security selection process. The investment’s ESG focus may limit investment options available to the investor. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.