Is Your Clients’ Longevity Plan Built to Last?
Carroll Golden - Retirement Strategist
Why Traditional Retirement Planning Isn’t Enough Anymore—and What to Do Instead
Retirement used to be a finish line. Now, it’s a new frontier.
With lifespans stretching into their 90s—and in many cases, beyond—your clients aren’t just planning for retirement. They’re planning for longevity. And that requires more than a portfolio projection or a “4% rule” withdrawal strategy.
It requires a plan built to last—financially, emotionally, relationally, and strategically.
The Longevity Gap: What Traditional Planning Misses
Traditional retirement planning has largely focused on the first phase of retirement—the “go-go” years. But what about the slower years? The care years? The years when clients are no longer generating income, may be facing cognitive decline, and are increasingly reliant on family or outside help?
Most financial plans don’t account for that.
But clients live through it. And too often, they do so unprepared.
Longevity Planning Is Not Just About Numbers
Longevity planning is about real life:
How long will I live?
Who will take care of me if I can’t care for myself?
Will I have enough to support my spouse, my kids, or my lifestyle—if life doesn’t go according to plan?
It’s also about family systems. As we’ve seen through our Longevity Literacy Gatherings, retirement decisions rarely affect just one person. Aging parents, adult children, caregiving responsibilities, housing transitions—these are all financial decisions hiding behind emotional doors.
And this is where most plans fall short: they treat longevity like a footnote instead of a core pillar.
Is Your Practice Evolving with the New Retirement Reality?
Ask yourself:
✅ Does your planning process account for all three phases of retirement—active, transitional, and dependent years?
✅ Have you helped your clients articulate their vision for long life—not just a long portfolio?
✅ Do you offer guidance around Social Security, Medicare, and long-term care from a position of true expertise?
✅ Are you engaging the entire family system—not just the primary account holder?
This is what we mean by Leading in the New Retirement Era.
What You Can Do Next
Deepen your longevity conversations. Move beyond money. Ask about caregiving, family roles, and preferred aging scenarios.
Level up your credentials. Consider the RSSA® designation or training in elder care planning.
Host your own Longevity Literacy Gathering. Start the conversation, clients didn’t know they needed.
Audit your planning tools. Are they designed for 15 years of retirement—or 35?
Final Thought: The Future Is Already Watching
Longevity is no longer a niche issue. It’s the new baseline.
Clients aren’t just looking for someone to grow their wealth. They’re looking for someone to help them make it last—for themselves, their families, and the life they’re still dreaming of.
So ask yourself again:
Is your clients’ longevity plan built to last?
And if not—are you ready to be the advisor who helps them build one?
📘 This blog builds on themes from my book, Leading in a New Retirement Era: How to Lead, Adapt, and Win in an AI-Driven World. It’s not about creating a one-size-fits-all retirement—it’s about understanding your influences, your finances, and your future so your plan is truly yours.
Disclaimer: This material does not constitute tax, legal, investment, or accounting advice and is not intended for use by a taxpayer for the purposes of avoiding any IRS penalty. Comments on taxation are based on tax law current as of the time this article was produced.
