Planning for a century

As more of us reach the age of 100, financial planning is vital to ensure we have enough money to fund our lifestyles through a potentially long retirement.

Reaching the age of 100 may seem a rather fanciful prospect but if you were born in 1974 in the UK, as I was, your chances of becoming a centenarian are 20.4% if you’re a woman and 13.9% if you’re a man. Based on the latest estimates from the United Nations, there were 593,000 centenarians around the world in 2021 and it’s a fast-growing age group. Studies estimate there could be 3.7 million centenarians alive by 2050.

Better healthcare and lifestyles around the world, along with luck in the genetic lottery, play a big part in increasing longevity. Yet there is still no way to accurately predict how long any of us will live and this is a crucial factor when it comes to planning your finances. How do you ensure you have enough money to fund your lifestyle through a potential 30-40 year retirement?

Here are six things to consider when preparing your wealth for a long life well lived:

1. Define your long-term financial goals

Talking about money and your aspirations with loved ones is key to understanding what you want from life – for yourself and your legacy. Defining this will help build a framework for managing your wealth to achieve these goals.

2. Make your pension a priority

Pensions can be one of the most efficient ways to save for your retirement, so it may be worth ensuring you make the most of your pension allowances. In the UK, the benefits include tax relief on your contributions and tax free growth of the investments within the pension. In addition, pension funds do not form part of your estate when you die and are therefore free from UK inheritance tax. If you have a number of pensions, it may be worth consolidating them, although the associated risks and charges should be considered. Taking advantage of ISAs is another tax-efficient strategy for long-term financial planning in the UK.

3. Invest for the long-term

The power of compounding and diversification make investing for the long-term one of the best ways to grow your wealth. Make sure you are comfortable with the investment risk in your personal portfolio, and it is suitably diversified to meet your needs.

4. Contingencies

If you live to age 100, there are likely to be a few unexpected events along the way. However, the financial impact of these can be considered and options such as life insurance, income protection and critical illness cover can help to protect your wealth and provide peace of mind for you and your family. Life expectancy may be improving but it is no guarantee of good health, so the possibility of long-term care should also be considered.

5. Estate planning and gifting

As well as managing your wealth during your lifetime, it’s important to consider how it will be managed after you’ve gone. The first step is to ensure you have an up-to-date will or wills (if you have assets in more than one jurisdiction). Whether you plan to pass your wealth on to your family or have philanthropic ambitions, considering your options and putting the right structures in place is vital to ensure a smooth, efficient transfer. Structures such as trusts, family investment companies and donor advised funds may be appropriate.

6. Make a wealth plan

Having considered your goals and values, creating a wealth plan will allow you to visualise the financial route you need to take – right up to age 100. Using specialist cashflow software, a wealth planner will work with you to define your current and future financial circumstances and align them to your goals and values, enabling more informed financial decisions. We call it ‘investing with purpose’. The future is never certain, and your wealth plan can explore various scenarios to stress test situations. This means you can be as prepared as possible for the unexpected. Your wealth plan should be flexible and with regular reviews it can be adapted as markets, fiscal regimes and your personal goals and circumstances evolve.

At Nedbank Private Wealth, we can partner with you to understand your financial goals and create the most appropriate wealth plan. We work with clients and their families around the world, in tandem with their professional advisers, to help them achieve a life well lived – all the way to 100 or more!

Clients of Nedbank Private Wealth can get in touch with their private banker directly to understand how wealth planning can help them achieve their financial goals and objectives, or call +44 (0)1624 645000 to speak to our Client Services team.

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you with retirement planning or more general wealth planning support, please contact us on the number above or via our Contact us page.

Any examples of investments and structures used are for illustrative purposes only. The inclusion does not constitute an invitation or inducement to buy any financial investment or service. None of the content constitutes advice or a personal recommendation. Individuals should seek professional advice, based on their jurisdiction and personal circumstances, before making any financial decision.