Forecast: Sunny with a Chance of Rain

Mark Twain famously said everyone complains about the weather, but no one ever does anything about it. It is a pity Mr. Twain never met a longevity advisor! Longevity planning experts are changing our third act forecast from storm clouds gathering to clear blue skies.

So, what exactly is this practice of longevity planning, and how can it help us achieve our retirement goals? For most of us, we want to live healthy, engaged, and relaxed lives. We want to pursue our passions, share our knowledge, and cultivate gratitude. We also want to enjoy family harmony, deepen our friendships, and avoid our worst fears, such as diminishing autonomy, becoming a burden, forced moves, family conflict, or outliving our nest egg.

It is no wonder we are anxious about aging atmospherics. The current forecast calls for a 70 percent chance of misery. Even when we retire right, with a great family, solid nest egg, and traditional legal documents in place, if we hit a health bump in the road, more than 70 percent of the time our challenging system delivers our worst fears—our families overwhelmed, adrift, or even in conflict. And the ultimate indignity is that we may get pushed to live in a nursing facility, all while watching our hard-earned nest egg slip away.

But don’t despair, because longevity planning is here to offer a new forecast! Longevity planning focuses on five key drivers of modern retirement success: finances, legal, health, housing, and family. By simplifying, dignifying, and unifying our lives and those of our loved ones, we can radically change the odds in our favor.

Goal number one is to avoid retirement interrupted. Currently, the average American lifespan is 78.5 years but average health span—the period of life spent in good health— is only 66 years. Did you know that just by changing doctors to a geriatrician after 70 years old you can reduce the likelihood of disability by 25 percent?

Longevity advisors offer proactive solutions that you won’t find elsewhere. Smart targeted solutions that empower you to shape your story and avoid family burden or drama down the road. For example, if a nurse says to your power of attorney, “Your mom can never go home again, here is 15 minutes with a discharge planner, where do you want to put her?” A good child that wants to do right but asking the social worker, “What do you recommend?” may put you on a path toward the nursing facility. Instead, you want them to say, “Hold on one second, I know Mom wants to go home if possible,” then call your geriatric care manager—your lawyer for the health system—to work with the hospital and, if viable, set things up at home in a cost-efficient and effective way.

With the right planning, your forecast for tomorrow can be clear blue skies. So why wait? Start your longevity planning journey today, and embrace the possibilities of a bright and sunny future.

Scott Schill, a NW native, found his calling in longevity law after a searing experience advocating for his mom. As the Director of Longevity Law & Planning at S. R. Schill & Associates, and founder of Thrive Longevity Law, Scott believes that relationships are key to longevity. He lives in West Seattle with his family.