This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Prudential

Money is a subject women don’t talk about enough with each other. We become very guarded and secretive over this topic. Money is a personal thing, so believe me, I get it. Money isn’t something everyone likes to talk about freely, especially when it comes to talking about planning for your financial future. As a 40-year-old woman, I definitely already have retirement wishes in the back of my head. It’s only natural to think into the future with a wide, open lens. You can dare to dream big about the future. But I don’t want my retirement future to be a “maybe”, I want it to be something concrete and tangible. I spent an evening with Prudential last week sharing how you can make that dream come true and protect your retirement.

Prudential recently asked me what my retirement wishes and dreams were for the future. Immediately I thought, “Live by the beach and relax all day!” In all reality, that’s a fun thing to think , but those aren’t truly my retirement wishes and dreams. If I had to give a “perfect” answer to this question, I would say that I want to be able to have the freedom not to worry about money. I want to be able to travel to where my kids will be living. I want to be able to relax and not worry about paying my bills. I want to be able to gift my grandkids presents and fun things without worrying that I don’t have the funds for it.

I want to live without worry.

I want to live with a sense of financial freedom.

These are my retirement wishes.

Prudential gathered a group of us together in NYC last week for an open discussion and panel on retirement planning. The goal of the evening was to help teach women the importance of having protected lifetime income. This means having guaranteed income in your retirement that you can count on, no matter what the market is. Prudential is a leader in the financial world and they have researched women’s financial needs and challenges. They know first-hand how women need protected income planning in retirement. Prudential offers annuities, which can help provide a “paycheck” in retirement.

In all honesty, much of this can be another language for many women. We work and work and work and save and save and save, but the one step many of us don’t take is then protect what we have saved . Prudential was there to share about this essential topic of protected lifetime income and I was honored to be on the panel to share my experience, too.

As a mom to 5 kids, my biggest concern financially is saving for their college and making enough money to support our family. I haven’t even thought about retirement yet! Here I am dreaming of my retirement wishes and I don’t have a dime put away towards it. I was embarrassed to admit it to anyone before the panel, but it became clear that I was not alone. I’m actually in the majority of women out there who haven’t started yet.

The one thing I loved about the Prudential financial professionals was their honest approach in saying, “It’s never too late to start.” And they’re there to help. I was really put at ease to hear that it’s OK to have not started yet, and that regardless of my current financial situation, a Prudential financial professional could sit with me and help me figure out the best way to meet my financial wishes and goals for the future. There’s power in learning. There’s power in sharing your story. There’s power in having someone say to you, “I’m here to help.”

The one common thread that so many of us women have is that we have unique challenges when it comes to retirement income planning. There’s not one single story, but all of us have that common denominator. We all want to get there, but we may not know how to take the path to make it happen. Prudential has solutions to help solve these challenges. This is what I loved about the panel. I loved hearing everyone’s different story and approach and version of their own situation. I loved listening and feeling that common bond with other women. I loved seeing other women become bold enough to share their stories, as tough as it is to share this financial piece.

Take the time to dare to dream about your retirement. Make a list of your retirement wishes and goals and dreams. Put it out there into the universe. Just as you would go to the doctor with a question about a medical issue, make sure you go to a financial professional with questions about finances. Don’t try to solve everything yourself. There are so many different approaches and ways to make your financial dreams come to life. Allow Prudential to help you get there with a strategy personalized for you! Click here to sign up for a complimentary consultation with a Prudential financial professional.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with Prudential. All opinions are 100% my own.