How Northwestern Mutual Works—And Why That Matters 

When our advisors sit down with people like you for in-depth conversations, they often hear a similar concept. It’s easy to look around and think others are further along financially. We also hear that traditional milestones that seemed more attainable for older generations can feel harder to reach today.

As a result, many people are rethinking how they approach life’s big financial moments—from marriage and homeownership to raising a family and retirement.

If you’ve felt this way, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. We help people build momentum toward their goals with a unique approach that brings together trusted advisors, personalized planning, and our exclusive portfolio of risk and wealth solutions. Here’s how it comes together.

Our proven approach can lead to better financial outcomes

We work differently, and we’re structured differently, too. We’re a mutual company, so what’s considered profit at another company goes to our policyowners—meaning the money stays with our clients rather than benefiting outside shareholders. These payments are called our dividends, and while they’re not guaranteed, we’ve paid dividends every year since 1872.

This mutual approach shapes our priorities, keeping our policyowners at the center of every decision we make. For more than 165 years, we’ve helped clients navigate changing markets, economic cycles, and life’s biggest financial decisions.

We’re probably best known for our life insurance, and we’re the largest direct provider of individual life insurance in the U.S.¹ But that’s just the start. Northwestern Mutual offers a broad set of financial tools—including some that are designed to help your money grow.

Given all the tools available to them, Northwestern Mutual’s advisors have a financial solution for almost any need. You’ll get recommendations specific to you and your goals.

Those recommendations may include insurance, investments, and annuities—our unique, comprehensive perspective that produces superior financial outcomes.⁴ Research shows that plans with a combination of whole life insurance, income annuities, and investments can lead to more income in retirement than plans that take an investment-only approach.

And working with advisors leaves clients feeling less anxious financially and more confident⁵—that’s worth a lot.

The right financial advisor can make all the difference

We have over 8,000 financial professionals who serve over 5.2M clients with a breadth of solutions to help them progress toward their goals. So, we’ve got a unique perspective on the challenges people face and the strategies that can help them move forward. After all, our mission is to improve financial security for Americans—and redefine what financial security means.

The way you work with your financial advisor is important, so make sure they’re a good fit for your needs. You’ll be discussing emotional and complex topics and need to be able to really trust them. Think about what’s important to you in your advisor—things like familiarity with the area where you live, being similar in age to you, or holding certain qualifications. We can help you find a good match online.

After all, your advisor will continue to be a trusted partner—asking deep questions and helping you handle whatever life throws at you. You’ll meet with them as the years go by to fine-tune your plan and make adjustments as things change.

Our advisors function as small business owners and are based in offices around the country. You may notice that some use the Northwestern Mutual brand in their business name, and others create their own name to differentiate themselves.

A financial partnership to fit your life

Your partnership with an advisor will depend on the type of support you’re looking for. You can simply purchase financial tools from your advisor, have them develop a plan for you, or have them manage your investments.

If you purchase a product from your advisor, they’ll get a commission. Fee-based planning is a relationship in which you pay your advisor a fee to develop a plan for you. And if your advisor manages your investments, they’ll charge a percentage of the assets they oversee.

Advisor relationships are as unique as your financial plan—and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for everyone. Your advisor can help you understand how they make money. Go ahead and ask.

Build a plan to map the path forward

When meeting with a Northwestern Mutual financial advisor, the conversation starts with your goals—not with a product. Your advisor will ask thoughtful questions about your financial life, your responsibilities, your concerns, and what you want your money to do for you. These questions and your advisor’s expertise will help uncover blind sports and identify new opportunities that might otherwise go overlooked.

Know that your advisor isn’t here to judge you—they will meet you where you are and guide you forward. Together, you’ll develop a plan that matches your priorities and goals. This could mean life insurance and disability income insurance to protect your income—the money that helps you drive toward all your goals—as well as investment solutions to help your money grow.

We believe that financial progress comes in phases, and so should your financial plan. So we’ve mapped out phases of planning to break complex decisions into clear, manageable steps.

After all, risks to your money seem to come from every direction. You might outlive your retirement funds, see your account balances get hit by market ups and downs, and wrestle with the high costs of healthcare. To help prepare for these risks, our plans bring together tools like life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, annuities, and investments. The plans are customized, realistic, and designed to help you reach the goals that matter most to you.

As your life changes, your plan will evolve. And your advisor will be there for you to provide guidance along the way.

How our solutions anchor your financial plan

We like to think about an overall financial plan rather than a stand-alone transaction. That’s because financial products work best when they support each other.

You may begin by addressing one gap in your financial life, such as getting life insurance in place or getting serious about investing. Over time, that can grow into a more complete financial plan that connects your protection, savings, investments, and long-term goals. Comprehensive planning often leads to stronger coordination across your finances, but you don’t have to arrive with everything figured out on day one.

That’s one of the most important things to know about working with a Northwestern Mutual financial advisor: You don’t need perfect timing or to already have a perfect financial life. A good advisor meets you where you are. They help you make the next smart decision and then the next one after that.

A real plan starts with a real conversation

If you’ve been feeling behind or unsure about what to do next with your money, that doesn’t mean you’ve missed your chance. But it might be time for an honest conversation with a real person who can give you personalized, actionable advice. And the right advisor can help you turn that conversation into a financial plan that will help you achieve your goals.

Don’t wait for the perfect time—reach out now. It doesn’t hurt to have a conversation.