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The New Fluidity:
Financial Resilience in 
the Age of Longevity
 

Is Your Wealth Strategy Built for a Longer Life?

Living longer is changing the rules of wealth planning.

Manulife's latest research, conducted with Financial Times Longitude, surveyed 1,000 high-net-worth and mass affluent individuals across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East (Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates) to understand how longevity is reshaping financial priorities. The findings point to a fundamental shift towards greater flexibility, liquidity, healthcare preparedness and intergenerational planning.

The Future of Wealth Is Fluid

As longevity reshapes the future of wealth, these findings reveal how high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are adapting their priorities, plans and aspirations.

Survey Insight & Key Finding

Retirement is Evolving

Only 35% of HNWIs plan to retire at or before the traditional retirement age, with most embracing multi-phase “portfolio lives” that combine work, passion projects and investments.    

Adaptability is the New Wealth Priority

65% of HNWIs believe flexibility and optionality are more important to long-term financial security than wealth accumulation alone.

Life Insurance Plays a Strategic Role

74% view life insurance as a key part of their overall wealth strategy, supporting succession, liquidity, healthcare planning and wealth transfer.

Younger Generations are Driving Change

74% of Millennials are redesigning their portfolios for greater financial flexibility, compared with 60% across all age groups.

Confidence Gaps Remain

Only 32% of Gen Z HNWIs feel confident managing complex financial matters independently, highlighting the need for stronger financial education and governance.

Integrated Planning is Still Uncommon

Just 17% of HNWIs have a fully integrated wealth plan covering investments, tax, succession, legal and family governance.

Women Seek Greater Financial Resilience

Women HNWIs are more aware of longevity-related risks but are less likely than men to have integrated wealth strategies in place.

Healthcare Preparedness is Lagging

52% rank healthcare costs among their top longevity concerns, yet many remain underprepared for long-term care, cross-border treatment and caregiving needs.

The New Rules of Wealth Planning

The research reveals a fundamental shift in how affluent individuals approach financial security. Rather than planning for a single retirement milestone, many are preparing for multiple life stages, evolving family dynamics and longer periods of productivity. In this new era, wealth resilience is increasingly defined by adaptability, liquidity, healthcare preparedness and effective intergenerational planning—not wealth accumulation alone.

The Strategic Role of Life Insurance

As wealth planning becomes more integrated, life insurance is playing a broader role beyond protection, helping families create liquidity, support wealth transfer and strengthen legacy planning. Yet only 53% of HNWIs have insurance in place for longevity and healthcare protection.

Adaptability Is the New Wealth Advantage

As longevity reshapes the wealth journey, financial resilience is increasingly defined by the ability to adapt across generations, changing priorities and life's unexpected turns. At Manulife, we help individuals and families build that resilience through integrated strategies that combine protection, liquidity, healthcare preparedness and legacy planning.

Ready to Build a More Resilient Wealth Plan?

The New Fluidity research highlights a clear reality: longer lives require more flexible financial strategies. Speak with a Manulife financial consultant to explore how you can strengthen your approach to wealth preservation, healthcare preparedness, retirement planning and legacy transfer.

   

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Information is correct as at 18 August 2026.