Ref 27
The Business of It
Emerging
Investing in longevity - planning to 95 is now prudent
12th October 2026
RBC Wealth Management frames longevity as a structural, not cyclical, investment theme: 2.1 billion people aged 60-plus by 2050, with the 80-plus group set to triple. The piece argues portfolios and retirement plans must adapt - at 3 percent inflation, 100 today buys roughly 41 of goods in 30 years - and that planning for a retirement lasting to 95 is now prudent rather than pessimistic.
Key takeaways:
- Longevity as an asset class: healthcare, housing, consumer goods and financial services all exposed to one structural trend
- New categories forming: functional nutrition, longevity-as-a-service subscriptions and premium wellness for older consumers who spend to stay healthy
- The risk side: longer lives strain pensions and public finances; cash erodes quietly over a 30 to 40 year retirement
Why it matters - It connects the library’s healthspan story to the money story - extra years only work if wealth planning assumes them, which is core territory for The business of it.