Advice and the 100-year life

New research on Ireland's longevity megatrend and the advice advantage

With life expectancy rising and families increasingly spanning multiple generations, advice is fast becoming the thread that holds them together. Ireland’s longevity megatrend allows brokers to help clients navigate longer and increasingly more complex lives. The broker’s role is evolving from product provider to trusted guide.

Life100+ is new independent research that asked 2,000+ people about the new reality of living longer and the role that advisers have to play. Leveraging these insights will help you build on conversations you’re already having with your clients and to instil them with confidence for the future.

Confidence and control are the real client outcomes

The Life100+ research shows the strong link between control and satisfaction: almost 9 in 10 people who feel completely in control of life are satisfied. But the prospect of a 100-year life makes people feel less in control, with concerns about failing health, losing independence and being a burden.

From my own time as an adviser, a huge part of the job is providing peace of mind and reducing complexity, not just selecting products. Empowering people with the right guidance puts them more in control and feeling prepared for change. 74% of people believe it’s important to get financial advice on funding a longer life; that’s a huge acknowledgement of the value brokers provide.

Advice is strongly linked with higher confidence. 45% of people who have used professional advice feel confident about funding a longer life, compared with 23% of those who haven’t. A solid, long-term plan prepares clients for change, offering clear steps, regular reviews and transparent trade-offs.

One of the most rewarding parts of the job is seeing people you know for years successfully reach big family milestones - like parents who’d been carefully saving for their child's future see them start college and be confident they can cover the costs.

Helping clients manage the mid-life pressure point

A mid-life pressure point is a consistent theme in Irish Life’s research. Adults aged 35-64 experience lower satisfaction and control than those aged 25-34 and those 65+. You’ll recognise your own clients juggling competing priorities: think of a typical 45-year-old client; they are likely raising children, caring for ageing parents, managing a busy career, paying the mortgage and other bills. It’s an emotionally stressful time as well as financial.

Supporting these busy people with retirement planning is key to helping them feel in control as they plan for longer lives. Before considering a 100-year lifespan, around 1 in 2 adults felt in control of the direction their life is taking (52%). When asked to consider a future where living to 100 becomes the norm, this falls sharply to less than 1 in 3 (31%).

This highlights a major opportunity for structured mid-life planning; your advice conversations can focus on balancing priorities and sequencing goals over time. With your support, it’s possible to help keep clients on track without sacrificing their future independence.

Proactive planning and the evolution of advice 

The Life100+ findings spotlight other planning needs where brokers can support clients. 
Rising longevity has people considering practicalities like home adaptations, later-life care costs and staying independent. Adult children are also thinking about how longer lives may mean extended caring responsibilities for their parents.

It was interesting that 66% of people value financial advice for helping them plan to meet care costs - nearly as many as the 70% who ranked getting financial advice to avoid running out of money in retirement as their top reason. Advice is evolving beyond helping clients hit a single retirement point; it is about resilience and flexibility across a 100-year life.

The importance of life-long advice

Few professions are as close to their customers, hearing first-hand what keeps ordinary people up at night and what excites them about the future. So, it was heartening to see the finding that professional financial advisers are the #1 most trusted choice for guidance among Irish adults.

With living to 100 a realistic milestone for the first time, you can highlight to your clients that annual and regular reviews are vital to help them stay in control throughout their lifespan. 80% of those surveyed agree people will need to fund a longer retirement, and 77% agree people will need to review their retirement plans regularly.

As you’re in constant conversation with your clients, you’re uniquely placed to see what they need and when they’ll need it. You can help them adjust to new responsibilities, changes to their health and family dynamics. Client confidence isn't just a feeling; it's the result of regular reviews, long-term planning and a strong working relationship.

How longer lives impact inter-generational wealth transfer

Rising longevity is reshaping family relationships and the timing of wealth transfer. With longer retirements and greater care needs, families increasingly want earlier, more open conversations about later life planning, inheritance and support. 82% of adults believe families will need to have open and honest conversations about later life plans. But only 43% think it’ll be easy for their family.

Interestingly, these conversations get easier with age, and for those who have used financial advice (53% Vs 37%). Advisers play a key role in both planning and facilitating these discussions.

Support clients by proactively opening these conversations. Ask questions like "How would you like to see your money looking after your family now and when you're gone?" and “How confident are you in your inheritance plans if care costs come into the picture?”

Older family members often balance helping children now with the need to protect their own long-term security. 70% of adults expect the next generation to inherit later as people live longer. This means it can sometimes arrive after the peak pressure years of mortgages, childcare and education costs.

People believe longevity will impact intergenerational wealth transfer, with gifting becoming less common due to extended financial needs (65%) and people opting to pass money on to their grandchildren rather than children (60%).

You can add value for clients by mapping out likely flows of money across parents, children and grandchildren. This takes away the stress, helps them decide what level of support is sustainable without jeopardising their own independence. It’s a gift to reassure your client by setting up structures protecting both their future care needs and leaving lasting family legacies.

Longer lives, bigger impact: Advice is key

Financial advisers are at the forefront of Irish society, spending every day hearing what’s really going on in people’s lives. There’s clear evidence that clients need and value your advice, especially in the context of a 100-year life.

Advice is key to a confident 100-year life, and with your support, your clients will be ready for the changes and opportunities life brings.