New Survey Reveals How Longevity Confidence Differs Across Generations Of High Net Worth Individuals
How do wealth status and financial planning impact perceptions of our health, especially when we imagine ourselves a few years—or even a few decades—from now?
It's a nuanced question, which is why Forbes Insights and Manulife Singapore, a life insurance and wealth management provider, decided to research the correlation between health and financial planning and examine how individuals navigate each.
Among our 250 high-net-worth respondents, representing three generations based in Singapore, Hong Kong and mainland China, 96% view health as a No. 1 priority—and 80% consider wealth a crucial ingredient to long, healthy lives.
Financial security across generations enables access to better healthcare and insurance, says Mark Czajkowski, chief marketing officer of Manulife Singapore and chief analytics officer for Manulife Asia. 'At the same time, good health allows individuals to enjoy their wealth, remain active and reduce long-term care costs.'
While results generally align with Czajkowski's client observations, the study also unearthed some less-expected generational gaps when it comes to longevity confidence and priorities among respondents—which included young adults (18 to 40-years-old), middle-age adults (41 to 60-years-old) and older adults (61-years-old and up). For Czajkowski, their varied views '[reinforce] the importance of tailoring financial strategies to life stage and personal values.'
Explore research highlights below and discover actionable advice from Manulife.
Their Top Health Goal: Helping family with longevity and health
Their Top Health Challenge: Difficulty navigating healthcare systems and insurance
Most young adults (92%) are at least moderately confident they'll be in good health and active after their working years and 79% feel at least moderately confident that their wealth management plan is equipped to support their family's lifestyle over a longer life expectancy.
But that shouldn't deter them from taking even more initiative when it comes to their money—and future wellness. With midlife comes new challenges and responsibilities, shifts in perspectives and reshuffled priorities. This is why Czajkowski advises young adults who are still in peak health to start focusing on wealth management for longevity as early as possible.
'Building a solid foundation in estate planning, insurance and investment strategies now can empower younger adults to support aging parents while securing their own future,' he says. Young adults should openly discuss expectations and responsibilities around health with family members and consider planning tools like multigenerational trusts and legacy insurance plans.
Feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of insurance is common but conquerable: Czajkowski recommends working with a trusted financial consultant 'who can demystify the process, explain the differences between comprehensive and specialized coverage and help select plans that align with both current needs and future goals.'
Young adults can also optimize lifelong health by ensuring they're intentional and consistent about it today, whether that means participating in structured exercise programs, staying on top of preventative health screenings or seeking mental health therapy, nutrition counseling or fitness coaching.
'This can lay the foundation for long-term wellbeing,' Czajkowski says. 'By building healthy habits now, they not only improve their quality of life but also reduce future healthcare costs and enhance their ability to support loved ones.'
Their Top Goal: Staying active as they age
Their Top Challenge: Difficulty navigating healthcare systems and insurance
The middle-age cohort are also confident they'll enjoy good health and remain active in retirement (79%), and 92% are at least moderately confident their wealth management plan is future-proofed for longevity.
Middle-age adults have momentum—and they can capitalize on it by committing time and care to retirement readiness, Czajkowski suggests. To start, they can stress test their retirement plans and gauge future financial and longevity security by considering three critical questions:
Since many people in this demographic are in their peak earning years, Czajkowski says it's 'the ideal time to align your lifestyle ambitions with your long-term health and retirement vision.' This means not only prioritizing financial planning but customizing your health approach to suit your individual lifestyle and objectives. Maybe that means finding bespoke health programs with access to features you value most, like elite preventive care, wellness coaching or curated experiences with peers.
'These programs are designed not only to preserve vitality but to enhance quality of life well into retirement,' Czajkowski says. 'Whether it's personalized longevity coaching, integrative therapies or structured wellness retreats, these services help ensure that your retirement years are not just financially secure—but also active, fulfilling and aligned with the lifestyle you've worked hard to build.'
Their Top Goal: Ensuring financial stability for health expenses and long-term care
Their Top Challenge: Limited knowledge about best treatments and hospitals
According to our survey, older adults feel less secure about longevity compared to young respondents, with 58% saying they're at least moderately confident about their future health and staying active.
Czajkowski says healthcare contingency plans are essential. These include getting acquainted with insurance benefits, setting aside funds for unexpected medical expenses and identifying trusted caregivers, decision makers and health care proxies. Older adults without plans can partner with a financial consultant to create one.
'It's not just about wealth preservation—it's about ensuring they retain care, comfort and choice in later years,' he says.
Financial literacy is also particularly important as we age—and feeling equipped to manage wealth with confidence can in turn help us feel more secure about future health. 'Education and empowerment are key to maintaining independence and dignity,' Czajkowski says. 'We encourage older clients—especially women—to be actively involved in financial planning, understand their insurance coverage and know how to access funds for healthcare.'
Our study shows women care deeply about financial wellness and longevity, but they may take a less active role in wealth planning compared to their male counterparts: They're less likely to personally handle their investments and financial planning (29% versus 46%) and more likely to rely on a wealth manager (71% versus 54%), for example.
By cultivating financial literacy early on, women can position themselves to be more confident, proactive and autonomous when it comes to optimizing wealth and long-term health, Czajkowski says. 'Women's financial journeys are unique. Not only are they assuming more prominent roles as financial decision makers, but they also face distinct challenges, including longer life expectancies—which necessitate planning for extended retirement periods—and career interruptions due to caregiving responsibilities.'
To navigate those specific lifestyle challenges, integrating financial wellness into the broader realm of self-care is especially key for women.
Ready to take control of your future?
Download the full report to uncover deeper insights into how high-net-worth individuals are preparing for longer, healthier lives—and learn how Manulife can help you build a financial strategy that supports your longevity goals.
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