Mitlin Financial founder Lawrence “Larry” Sprung, CFP®, CEPA®, has been named a finalist for the 2026 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards, recognizing his JOY-based approach to financial planning and financial education.
At Mitlin Financial, we believe financial planning should help you prepare for tomorrow without forgetting to enJOY your life today.
That philosophy has shaped how our team works with families, how we talk about money, and how Mitlin Financial founder Lawrence “Larry” Sprung, CFP®, CEPA®, shares financial education far beyond our office.
Larry has now been named a 2026 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards finalist in Thought Leadership and Education for bringing that JOY-based approach to a broader audience.
What Is JOY-Based Financial Planning?
JOY-based financial planning starts with a different question.
Instead of beginning with how much money you have or how much you think you need, we want to understand what you want your money to make possible.
- What does an ideal tomorrow look like for you?
- Who do you want to spend more time with?
- What experiences matter enough that you do not want to keep putting them off?
- What brings you JOY?
Your answers to these questions give the numbers purpose. Retirement planning, investment management, tax planning, Social Security strategies, education planning and business planning are all important pieces of a financial life. But a financial plan should not exist simply to produce a number on a page. It should help you use your resources in a way that supports the life you want to live.
That is the idea Larry has continued to bring to families and the financial services community.
Bringing the JOY Conversation Beyond Mitlin Financial
Over the past year, Larry has expanded the conversation around JOY-based financial planning through national media, financial industry publications, speaking engagements, podcasts and video.
He has spoken at industry events including the Fearless Investing Summit, Jolt! and Advise AI, sharing ideas with financial professionals about how better conversations can lead to better financial planning.
Through The JOYful Money Journey™ on YouTube and the Mitlin Money Mindset® podcast, Larry also talks directly with people about the financial questions that show up throughout their lives.
Those conversations cover retirement planning, Social Security, tax strategies, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence in financial planning, and the emotional side of money. The topics may change, but the purpose behind them does not. Financial information becomes more valuable when you can understand how it applies to your own life.
Why JOY Matters in Financial Planning
For Larry, JOY-based planning is personal. His mother, Linda, died from breast cancer at just 47 after battling the disease for more than a decade. Before she passed away, Larry’s parents were able to take a bucket-list trip to Hawaii together.
That experience stayed with him. Planning for the future matters. So does living along the way.
It is one of the reasons we encourage the families we serve to think beyond a retirement date, investment return or account balance. Your financial plan should make room for the people and experiences that matter to you now while helping you build toward your ideal tomorrow.
Burt White, Chief Executive Officer of Carson Group, described what makes Larry’s approach different:
“I’ve known Larry long enough to know that JOY isn’t something he puts on a slide; it’s how he thinks about the work. He has built an approach that moves the conversation beyond investments and toward what people want their money to make possible. That human connection is so important in our profession, and Larry has been a consistent voice for it. It’s great to see ThinkAdvisor recognize the impact he’s having on both the people we serve and the industry”
What Are the ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards?
The ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards recognize individuals and organizations making an impact across financial services through leadership, innovation, education and new approaches to serving people.
Larry’s 2026 finalist recognition focuses on the thought leadership and financial education he has built around a simple idea: money should serve your life. The recognition comes on the heels of Sprung being named a finalist for two Wealth Management Awards for his JOYful approach to financial planning.
For us, that matters because the message reaching more people means more families are being encouraged to have better conversations about their money and what they want it to do for them.
Helping Families Build Toward Tomorrow and enJOY Today
“Mitlin Financial’s mission is to help the families we serve experience JOY in their financial journeys while creating a clear path toward their vision of tomorrow, no matter what wealth-building stage they’re in,” Larry said. “I am incredibly JOYful that the industry continues to celebrate this leadership style, and I’m thrilled for the nomination.”
But that is bigger than an award or the recognition. It is the conversation we want families to have with each other and with their financial advisor.
Save for tomorrow. Plan for the things you cannot predict. Make thoughtful decisions with your money.And leave room to enJOY the life you are working so hard to build.
The winners of the 2026 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards will be announced on December 3, 2026, in New York City.
Until then, we will keep asking the question that started this entire conversation: What did you do today that brought you JOY?®
Disclosures:
Larry Sprung was selected as an award recipient for Think Advisor’s 2026 Luminaries Thought Leader of the Year award. ThinkAdvisor accepts online self-nominations and third-party nominations. Nominations are reviewed by judging panel made up of ThinkAdvisor’s editorial staff and its Luminaries advisory board which consists of leaders in the financial services industry. Final selection will be based on the panel’s assessment of the nominee’s impact on their firm, its advisors, and the broader professional community and industry. Award criteria includes but is not limited to the nominees demonstrated ability to achieve goals, dedication to furthering development of advisors and the industry, and personal commitment to highest ethical standards are excellence. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the nominee for participation or award consideration. Listing as a finalist is not a guarantee of future investment success. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of CWM, LLC by any client. Lawrence Sprung and The JOYful Money Journey™ (Larry Sprung, CFP® YouTube Channel) have been selected as a finalist for Wealth Management’s Wealthies Industry Award for Individual RIA Firm Leaders: Thought Leader of the Year and Investor-Focused Podcast respectively. This awards program recognizes individuals responsible for business initiatives initiated over an 18 month period that enhance the success of financial advisors at their firm. No compensation will be provided directly or indirectly by the nominee as part of the nomination or selection process. Finalist status is not a guarantee of future investment success, and recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor by any client.
