I’m almost 70 years old. I’ve spent nearly 50 years working in the investment world and watching how money and life unfold across every decade.
Over that time, I’ve worked with people across the full spectrum: teenagers opening their first investment accounts, parents building careers and raising children, entrepreneurs growing companies worth millions, and families deciding how to give away the wealth they spent decades creating.
Watching those lives unfold taught me something simple.
Most people don’t get in trouble because of one big mistake, but because they repeat small ones for 30 years.
The opposite is also true. Small wise decisions repeated consistently compound into remarkable outcomes. And every decade tends to have a few lessons that matter more than the rest.
Age 10–19: Learn the Rules of the Game
Budgeting
Most people think money is about math. It’s really about behavior.
Teenagers who learn to spend less than they make gain a powerful advantage later. Learning that lesson at 16 instead of 36 can change the trajectory of a life.
Investing
Young investors have one asset older investors can’t buy more of: time.
Even small investments started early benefit from decades of compounding. Starting early matters far more than starting big.
Giving
The happiest wealthy families I know usually learned generosity early. Even small acts of giving shape how people relate to money and remind us it’s a tool, not something to cling to.
Health
People who age well often picked a lifetime activity early — tennis, pickleball, running, swimming, or cycling. Fitness is much easier to maintain than rebuild.
Age 20–29: Build the Foundation
This decade quietly shapes much of what follows.
Budgeting
The people who thrive later usually learn to live below their means on purpose. This is also when lifestyle inflation begins — income rises, expenses follow, and saving slowly becomes optional instead of automatic.
Investing
The young investors who succeed long term rarely do anything complicated. Instead they follow a few simple habits:
- automate investing
- prioritize retirement accounts early
- ignore market hype
- stay invested during downturns
You don’t need brilliance. Consistency usually wins.
Giving
Many people wait to give until they feel wealthy. But generosity is a habit, not a milestone. The families who start early tend to keep money in healthier perspective.
Health
Sleep, movement, and basic routines often get overlooked in this decade. The people who protect them early tend to carry those advantages forward for decades.
Age 30–39: The Pressure Decade
Life accelerates during these years — careers grow, families expand, and responsibilities multiply.
Budgeting
The people who handle this decade well usually create a simple financial system: a fixed savings rate, a fixed investing rate, and a fixed giving rate. Once those are covered, they spend the rest without guilt.
Investing
Many people try to outsmart the market during this stage. Experience shows that consistency beats cleverness. Most investors lose more money trying to avoid downturns than they ever lose during them.
Giving
Involving children in giving decisions can be powerful. It teaches generosity as a normal part of life, not just an obligation.
Health
Strength training becomes more important during this decade. After the mid-30s, the body gradually begins losing muscle and mobility. Maintaining strength early pays off later.
Age 40–49: The Wealth-Building Decade
If the foundations were built well, this is when compounding starts to become visible.
Budgeting
Many people shift from optimization to alignment during this stage. The better question becomes: does my spending reflect what actually matters to me?
Investing
The investors who do best during this decade stay diversified, maintain reasonable cash reserves, and avoid “all-in” temptations. Discipline usually beats dramatic moves.
Giving
The biggest givers aren’t always the richest. They’re the most intentional. Many families begin planning their giving the same way they plan their investing.
Health
Preventive health begins to matter more — bloodwork, metabolic health, and regular screenings. The goal isn’t just living longer. It’s living well longer.
Age 50–59: The Fork in the Road
By this decade, the results of earlier habits begin to show.
Budgeting
Many people realize retirement isn’t simply an age. It’s both a math problem and a purpose problem.
Investing
This is also when investors can become vulnerable. Feeling behind often tempts people to chase returns. Historically, that’s the most dangerous time to take big risks.
Giving
More people begin practicing “giving while living” during this decade — not just through estate plans but through meaningful impact today.
Health
Mobility, joint health, and nutrition consistency begin to matter more. Small daily habits start paying large dividends.
Age 60–69: The Freedom Decade (If the Foundations Were Built Well)
For many people, this decade opens the door to greater flexibility.
Budgeting
One surprising pattern among retirees is underspending. Often it’s not because they lack resources, but because they don’t trust their plan. Confidence allows spending to shift toward joy rather than fear.
Investing
The goal of investing begins to change. The portfolio is no longer primarily about growth. It becomes about reliability and sustainability.
Giving
Many people find deeper meaning in giving during this decade — helping younger generations, mentoring others, or supporting causes that matter.
Health
Walking becomes one of the most powerful habits for longevity. Simple routines often outperform complicated fitness plans.
Age 70–79: The Health-Wealth Connection
This decade reveals a clear truth: money is most valuable when your body can still enjoy it.
Budgeting
Planning often shifts toward support systems — home adjustments, transportation, and simplifying daily life.
Investing
Reducing stress becomes more important. Liquidity and estate readiness move higher on the priority list.
Giving
Giving often becomes more personal — sharing stories, wisdom, and experiences along with financial gifts.
Health
Planning for cognitive health, fall prevention, hearing, and social connection becomes important. Loneliness is a real health risk.
Age 80–89: Simplify Everything
Complexity becomes the enemy.
Budgeting
Simplifying accounts, passwords, subscriptions, and financial paperwork can make life far easier for both individuals and their families.
Investing
Consolidated custodians, trusted access, and updated beneficiaries become essential.
Giving
Many people begin giving away possessions earlier — not just to declutter, but to lighten the burden on their family.
Health
The focus shifts toward dignity, comfort, and independence as long as possible.
Age 90–100: The Legacy Decade
By this stage of life, the meaning of wealth usually changes.
It’s no longer about net worth. It’s about the relationships you kept, the people you helped, and the calm you created along the way.
Budgeting
Experiences with family often become the most meaningful use of resources.
Investing
The point of wealth was never to die with the largest number. It was to fund a meaningful life and have an impactful legacy.
Giving
The greatest inheritance often includes love, guidance, and a thoughtful plan — not just money.
Healthcare
Clear end-of-life decisions — medical directives, powers of attorney, and open conversations — may be one of the greatest gifts someone can give their family.
If a 100-Year-Old Could Tell You Only 10 Things
After watching thousands of financial lives unfold, these lessons appear again and again:
- Automate savings before you automate spending.
- Start investing early and stop trying to be clever.
- Don’t confuse income with wealth.
- Buy freedom, not status.
- Cash flow matters more than net worth in retirement.
- Give earlier than feels logical.
- Your health is your most important portfolio.
- Protect your relationships like assets.
- Simplify your finances every decade.
- Compounding works on everything — money, habits, and relationships.
No matter what decade you’re in, it’s never too early (or too late!) to start building better money habits.
If you’d like help turning these ideas into a clear plan for the life you want to live, we’d be glad to start that conversation with you.
Craig Hamilton
Strategic Advisor
About the Author
With over 30 years of experience as a Certified Financial Planner, Craig Hamilton joins Alterra as a sort of paternal figure and has a position of respected “special counsel” to the firm. This role is likely familiar to Craig as one of his four children is also a financial advisor. Mr. Hamilton is also a Certified Public Accountant with a degree in Business from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, where he graduated magna cum laude.
Craig was born and raised in the Pacific NW and built a family here that now includes twelve grandchildren. In Craig’s words, “coaching, counseling, and mentoring are in my DNA.” This approach also characterized Craig’s financial career for 20-plus years as an Investment Officer for Russell Investment Services and their later incarnation as The Threshold Group. Throughout that time, Craig approached financial planning as “a critical tool to manage financial priorities and achieve a client’s dreams,” a philosophy perfectly aligned with the Alterra approach.
Craig took an early interest in all things financial, purchasing his first security while still in elementary school. Given his history, it’s not surprising multi-generation investing and legacy planning are his special interest. Listening to the stories of his clients and then helping them along the path to their goals brings Craig personal joy. So, it will likely come as no surprise that Craig was also a college tennis coach for over 20 years. As Craig says, “coaching, counseling, and mentoring are assets” that he will invest in Alterra Advisors.
The “Alterra” name was coined by joining the Latin roots “alter”, the origin of the word “altruism” with “terra” meaning earth or land. This name reflects the company philosophy of “clients before profits” and providing firmly grounded advice.
