What happens after you reach financial independence? Many assume retirement means endless relaxation, but the reality is often more complex.

How do you find meaning when career obligations no longer drive your daily routine? What brings fulfillment in this new chapter of life?

In this episode, Nicole Romito revisits a conversation with Jeff Toner, CHFC®, RICP®, Partner at Private Vista, about moving beyond the numbers to discover purpose and meaning after achieving financial independence. Jeff shares insights from nearly 40 years in financial planning, discussing the evolution from solving math problems to helping clients navigate life transitions.

He explores resources for designing your next phase, real-world examples of clients finding fulfillment, and practical approaches to climbing the “second mountain” of purpose-driven living.

Jeff discusses:

• The shift from retirement planning as a math problem to conversations about purpose and life design
• How financial independence often arrives earlier than expected, creating both opportunity and uncertainty
• Practical resources like “Designing Your Life” and “The Second Mountain” for mapping your next chapter
• Real examples of clients finding meaning through social enterprises, education programs, and service work
• Why staying curious, investing time in exploration, and maintaining connections are essential to fulfillment
• And more!

Resources:

• Estate Planning for the Sandwich Generation with Jeff Toner (Ep. 34)
• Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
• The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks

Connect with Nicole Romito:

• LinkedIn: Nicole Romito
• MyPrivateVista.com
• info@myprivatevista.com
• Call: 312-831-4370

Connect with Jeff Toner:

• LinkedIn: Jeff Toner
• MyPrivateVista.com
• Call: 312-831-4370

About Our Guest:

Jeff Toner, CHFC®, RICP®, Partner at Private Vista, now almost 40 years into his career, has the luxury of looking backward and reflecting on the journey he has been on. Back in 1984, he didn’t know what a fiduciary was or what a financial planner did. What he did know was he wanted to help people with their finances and achieve their goals in life. He wanted to do it in a way that he wasn’t selling them a product but rather walking side by side with them as they moved toward their dreams. Jeff has been with them in moments of great joy and cried with them during their times of sadness. He has taught and educated them, but more importantly, he has been taught and learned from them as well.