Being Proactive About Financial Wellness is Looking Different — And That’s OK
For years, financial wellness meant one thing: Build an emergency fund and stick to a strict budget. Today, that picture is changing — and that’s not a bad thing.
Persistent financial stress is reshaping priorities. Voya Financial research shows that today, 81% of women and 86% of caregivers report negative feelings about their finances. And in 2026, Americans expect to be less likely to follow a financial plan or save more toward emergency funds and retirement compared to two years ago.
Industry research underscores this shift. Four in 10 workers attribute declines in their physical and mental health to financial wellness — an impact felt most strongly by Gen Z and Millennials.1 Yet even with high stress levels, many employees adopt avoidance behaviors instead of taking proactive steps, and 72% agree that thinking about their financial future makes them feel stressed.2 By helping individuals navigate their financial decisions with clarity and confidence, financial professionals can drive tangible improvements in clients’ overall well-being and support a healthier, more financially resilient workforce.
So, what does the path to financial wellness look like now? The best financial professionals are reframing the conversation: Wellness isn’t just about savings anymore — clients have many more levers at their disposal than they may think.
From emergency funds to everyday impact
Traditional goals like “save first” are evolving as people look for strategies that also offer immediate relief, control and confidence. Voya research shows that, for individuals, near-term benefits from healthy financial behaviors are just as important as long-term ideals.
Consumers are taking practical, proactive steps by:
- Reducing debt continues to be a key goal.
- Cutting non‑essential expenses due to inflation is widespread, with 73% planning to do so in 2026 — far outpacing the 36% who are planning to increase contributions to health savings and spending accounts.
- Nearly 3 in 4 employed Americans are actively seeking ways to boost their income.
With many consumers signaling uncertainty around general investment decisions, financial professionals have a clear opportunity to step in and add meaningful value. Today, more people report not being confident at all (25%) in making investment decisions than those who feel very confident (21%).3 This confidence gap underscores how essential proactive guidance is — not just in answering questions but in helping individuals take action, get invested and put their money to work. By offering personalized education, simplifying choices and highlighting strategies that support long-term compounding, financial professionals can empower consumers to move forward with clarity and conviction. Every conversation becomes an opportunity to drive impact and advance clients’ progress toward lasting financial wellbeing.
By providing real, short-term benefits, these moves may not fit the old narrative, but they’re proactive steps toward long-term financial wellness. The data also shows younger generations are especially focused on reducing student loan debt and using digital tools to better understand their financial standing in 2026. Financial professionals can help by promoting and designing holistic plans that touch on all of these behaviors.
The power of workplace benefits
Financial wellness now extends beyond personal habits to include workplace benefits. 85% of employed Americans agree that it is important their workplace supports their overall financial stability and keeps them physically, emotionally and/or developmentally healthy. In fact:
- One in 2 employees plan to use employer-offered mental health resources in 2026.
- Over 8 in 10 employed Millennials agree that they want expanded benefits (e.g., broader mental health benefits and help covering out-of-pocket expenses associated with pregnancy, infertility, surrogacy and adoption).
- Over 2 in 3 employed Millennials agree that they would take a job with a slightly lower salary for better access to voluntary benefits.
- Financial planning and wellness programs rank as the top non-medical support for financial stability — outranking supplemental health and mental health benefits.
Financial professionals can help bring value to their clients by helping them identify and make use of the workplace resources to which they have access. Over a quarter of employees prefer their employer as the source for benefits guidance during open enrollment, especially those with negative sentiment about their personal finances. At the same time, the likelihood of using workplace advice services to better understand one’s overall savings picture is significantly higher among individuals who feel positive about their personal finances (67%) compared with those who feel negatively (48%).
Why this shift is OK
The road to financial wellbeing looks different for everyone — especially in a challenging economic environment. It’s not about moving away from emergency savings but about doing what’s possible while prioritizing immediate needs, whether that’s managing debt, maintaining stability or supporting mental wellbeing. Financial wellness strategies should also evolve with life circumstances. Financial professionals can help clients stay flexible and make the most of available resources, including employer-provided tools, benefits and guidance.
Adapting strategies is a sign of resilience, and by reframing financial wellness as a dynamic, personalized journey, financial professionals can strengthen trust and deliver value in ways that resonate with today’s realities.
All data unless otherwise noted is based on the results of a Voya Financial Consumer Insights and Research survey conducted Oct. 23-24, 2025, among 1,005 adults aged 18+ in the U.S., featuring 471 Americans working either full time or part time.
1 LIMRA Financial Wellness Programs: A Strategic Imperative for Employers, 2025.
2 Employee Benefit Research Institute and Greenwald Research, 2025 Workplace Wellness Survey.
3 Voya Financial Consumer Insights & Research survey conducted between Jan. 23-24, 2025, among 500 Americans age 18+ who are full-time employees and actively contributing to their employer-sponsored retirement plan balanced by age and gender to reflect the U.S. population.
Jon Reilly is senior vice president of Wealth Management and Advisory Solutions at Voya Financial and president of Voya Financial Advisors, Inc., where he leads the firm’s wealth management strategy and Advisor Solutions business. He brings more than two decades of experience in wealth management and financial services and has played a key role in advancing Voya’s integrated health and wealth strategy.