What’s Your Money Personality? The 8 Financial Archetypes with Emily Benedetto, CFP®
Ever get solid financial advice that worked for a friend but never quite stuck for you? It may not be a willpower problem. It may be your financial archetype.
If Money Were Easy host, Neela Hummel, CFP®, sits down with Emily Benedetto, CFP®, financial advisor and partner at Abacus Wealth Partners, to explore the emotional side of financial planning.
Your money decisions are shaped by more than account balances. The messages you absorbed about money growing up, the moments you felt you had enough (or didn’t), and the patterns you’ve repeated since can quietly influence how you spend, save, give, and invest today, often without you noticing.
The eight financial archetypes were developed by Abacus co-founder Brent Kessel and are explored in his book, It’s Not About the Money. Neela and Emily walk through all eight: the Innocent, Saver, Guardian, Pleasure Seeker, Empire Builder, Caretaker, Activist, and Influencer. For each, one, they explore its “sunny side,” the strengths it brings, and its “shadow side,” the painful emotions and patterns it can create. They also discuss why a shared language makes money conversations easier, how partners with different archetypes can work toward a shared vision, and why naming your patterns honestly and without judgment can be a helpful first step toward more intentional choices.
Resources Mentioned:
- It’s Not About the Money by Brent Kessel
- The Financial Archetype Quiz
- How Your Financial Archetype Can Impact Your Finances
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- What a financial archetype is and how it can shape your relationship with money
- The strengths and shadow sides of all eight archetypes
- Why no archetype is “better” than another, why most people are a mix, and how your archetypes can change over time
- How archetypes show up, and sometimes clash, between partners
- Reflection questions to help you approach money with more self-compassion
Learn more about Emily Benedetto and connect on LinkedIn.
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