Legacy Planning
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.
Legacy Planning
Legacy Planning
Legacy Planning
These insurance products and its supplementary benefits are underwritten by Manulife (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (Reg. No. 198002116D). This advertisement has not been reviewed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Buying a life insurance policy is a long-term commitment. There may be high costs involved if you terminate the policy early, and your policy’s surrender value (if any) may be zero or less than the total premiums paid.
This website is for your information only and does not consider your specific investment objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not a contract of insurance and is not intended as an offer or recommendation to purchase the plan. You can find the full terms and conditions, details, and exclusions for the mentioned insurance product(s) in the policy contract.
This policy is protected under the Policy Owners’ Protection Scheme which is administered by the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation (SDIC). Coverage for your policy is automatic and no further action is required from you. For more information on the types of benefits that are covered under the scheme as well as the limits of coverage, where applicable, please contact us or visit the LIA or SDIC websites (http://www.lia.org.sg or http://www.sdic.org.sg ).
We recommend that you seek advice from a Manulife Financial Consultant or our Appointed Distributors or visit any DBS/POSB Branch before making a commitment to purchase a policy.
Information is correct as at 18 August 2026.