True financial planning begins with understanding the life you want to build. It sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But here’s what I’ve learned: Too often, financial planning is viewed as merely a numbers game—focused on portfolios, asset allocation, and returns. While these elements are undoubtedly important, they only scratch the surface of a more holistic approach. After more than 25 years of working with successful professionals and families, I’ve realized that the most important portfolio we manage isn’t the financial one—it’s the life portfolio.
What Is a Life Portfolio?
Think of your financial portfolio as a tool. It’s there to support the experiences, causes, people, and passions that matter most to you. Your life portfolio is made up of those things—the meaningful areas of life that define success beyond dollars.
For some clients, their life portfolio includes time with family, meaningful travel, or legacy giving. For others, it’s flexibility in their careers, starting a passion project in retirement, or simply having the mental space to pursue what energizes them.
When we align your investment strategy with your life priorities, money becomes a means, not the end.
A Shift That Comes With Wealth
Clients sometimes come to us with a clear financial goal:
- “I want to retire at 60.”
- “I want to sell my business in the next three years.”
- “I want to minimize taxes.”
Those are great starting points. But somewhere along the way—usually after a certain level of financial independence is within their sites—a new conversation starts to emerge:
“I’ve done well…now what?”
That’s when we dig deeper. What are you optimizing for? What does a fulfilling next chapter actually look like? What’s your version of “enough”?
This is where our Wealthwhile® approach comes in. Beyond financial models, we’re helping you build a life of intention, freedom, and impact—on your own terms.
Designing a Life Portfolio: Three Pillars
Here’s how I help clients think about building their life portfolio alongside their financial one:
1. Time Freedom
Wealth doesn’t just allow you to buy things; it allows you to buy time. Time to focus on what truly matters to you, and the freedom to offload what doesn’t. For many of our clients, this means using their resources to pay for services or hire others to handle tasks they shouldn’t be spending time on—whether that’s personal errands, home maintenance, or even professional help like business managers or advisors. Instead of spending hours on tasks that drain your energy, you can focus on what fuels you.
Ask yourself: If money weren’t a limiting factor, how would you spend your next 1,000 hours?
2. Values-Based Living
Your investments should reflect your values, and so should your calendar. For many of our clients, identifying what truly matters helps them make decisions that align with their most deeply held priorities. For example, if spending quality time with family is a core value, it might mean budgeting for annual family vacations or creating more space for shared experiences. If you view your home as a sanctuary, it could lead to remodeling to create a more welcoming and comfortable environment.
For others, the desire to age in place might inspire home updates that ensure long-term comfort and accessibility. If education is a central value, it could mean being more involved in your grandchildren’s schools or providing resources for their learning. Or perhaps travel is a key priority, and your wealth allows you to experience new cultures or revisit places that nourish your soul.
We work with you to help realign your spending, giving, and investments with what matters most to you, whether that’s enriching family life, personal growth, or legacy building.
3. Legacy Beyond Wealth
Many of our clients care deeply about what they leave behind, not in estate documents, but in impact. That might look like charitable giving strategies, family wealth education, or setting up opportunities for the next generation that reflect earned values, not just inherited assets.
What do you want your kids or grandkids to remember you for? That’s a legacy worth planning for.
What This Means for Your Financial Plan
None of this replaces the technical side of planning. Tax efficiency, retirement income projections, asset protection…these are all still vital. But when your financial plan is built around your life portfolio, everything becomes clearer:
- You’re more confident in your decisions.
- You’re more likely to stick to your plan.
- You’re less swayed by market noise or “hot tips.”
Make the Intangible, Tangible
The best plans come from the right questions. Rather than “How much do I need?” think:
- “What do I want my wealth to enable?”
- “Who and what do I want to show up for?”
- “How can I use my success to create meaning, not just security?”
When your investments support the people, passions, and purpose that matter most, wealth becomes a means to a richer life.
If you’re ready to align your money with your purpose, let’s talk—less about market moves and more about where you are. Call (317) 469-2455, email ssteel@deerfieldfa.com, or use my online calendar to start the conversation. You can also read what clients share about creating their own life portfolios with me here.
About Susie
Susie Steel is COO, Wealth Manager, and Senior Shareholder at Deerfield Financial Advisors, a fee-only financial advisory and wealth management firm with offices in Indianapolis and Chicago. With over three decades of experience in financial planning, Susie’s approach has always been rooted in a spirit of service, treating each client as an extension of her own family. She simplifies the complex for clients, with the goal of creating a calm, trusting, and nurturing environment. Her unwavering commitment to the principle of “To whom much is given, much will be required” serves as the driving force behind her dedication, diligence, and empathy.
Susie obtained a business management degree from Ball State University, holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation, and held the Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®) designation from the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC) from 2013 to 2018. Susie is actively involved with an extensive list of professional organizations, including NAPFA (The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors), a premier association of fee-only financial advisors, and has served on multiple boards, committees, and councils. Her consistent recognition as one of Indianapolis Monthly’s “Five Star Wealth Managers” for the past decade attests to her outstanding accomplishments (2009-2025).
Outside the professional realm, Susie has contributed to her community through numerous efforts including her involvement in the Financial Center First Credit Union (FCFCU), the Indianapolis Children’s Museum Planned Giving Council, the Kiwanis Club of Northwest Indianapolis, and Junior Achievement. She mentors women through the CFP® Board’s “WIN-to-WIN” program, embodies the spirit of Rotary Club of Carmel, advocates for Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN), and actively serves on the board of the Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center (MRNC).
Susie and her husband, Kevin, reside in Carmel, Indiana, where they raised their three children. Outside the office, her focus centers around family, spirituality, and fostering meaningful connections. Embracing the concept of the body as a temple, her personal growth is nurtured through practices like strength training, yoga, and meditation. In her leisure time, she enjoys strolls with her dog, Lulu, and indulges in movies, podcasts, books, and the theater. To connect with Susie online, follow her on LinkedIn or Facebook.
