I’ve been delivering financial advice to families for over 16 years, and while the question is often asked in a variety of flavors, I think most people really just want to know “Am I OK?”

With that in mind, here are a few sample questions to help you better frame your financial decisions:

I’m ____ years away from retirement. Do I have enough?

What if I live another ____ years? Do I have enough?

Will I be able to live comfortably without unduly sacrificing now or later on?

Will we be able to leave something for our children? Our grandchildren? Our favorite charity?

Will I be able to take a Mediterranean cruise?

Will I be able to start my own business?

What if I change my plans in ____ months or in ____ years?

Can we afford to help support our parents as they age?

What if I leave my job to pursue something I’m passionate about? Can we afford it?

I’d like to point out a couple of things:

1. the questions above are a small sample of the potentially hundreds of questions you may have, and
2. I hope you noticed that none of the above were about beating the market or your investment performance.

Because, after all, it’s really about making the most of your life, not necessarily about making the most of your investment account.

What do you think?