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Oct 2, 2026

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Don't Save Like Before. Longevity BROKE Your Plan. FIX IT

Your retirement is canceled! How longevity changes everything: from personal finance to career. Fix your plan before it's too late!

Current trends in healthcare and medicine are leading to a significant increase in life expectancy. This fact, while seemingly positive, challenges traditional models of personal finance planning, retirement, and career development. The author, Anar (Babaykin), who retired at 35, analyzes how the shift in life's "finish line" requires a re-evaluation of established notions about savings, careers, and the role of the older generation.

Revisiting the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) Concept

The FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) concept, based on the 4% rule (accumulating capital equal to 25 times annual expenses, followed by withdrawing 4% annually), is designed for a 30-year retirement period. However, with increasing life expectancy to 90-100 years, this horizon extends to 50-60 years. This means the safe withdrawal rate decreases to 3% or even less, requiring a 1.5-fold increase in the necessary capital, to 30-40 times annual expenses.

The author emphasizes that rigidly adhering to old rules can lead to the "over-saving" trap or, conversely, to a shortfall of funds. The key to a solution is flexibility: the ability to reduce expenses in difficult years or to find part-time work.

State Pension Provision Under Threat

The pay-as-you-go pension system, where the working generation finances retirees, is facing a demographic crisis. An increasing number of elderly people and a declining birth rate are leading to an imbalance between the number of "breadwinners" and "dependents." The author warns against complete reliance on state pensions, recommending that they be viewed as a pleasant bonus rather than the foundation of one's old age.

"Silver Economy": New Opportunities for Business and Career

Contrary to stereotypes, the older generation is becoming increasingly solvent. In Japan, for example, people over 60 own more than 60% of the country's financial assets (approximately $9 trillion). This trend is observed worldwide.

For businesses, this means a need to reorient marketing strategies from youth (25-45 years old) to a more mature audience. The concept of "customer lifetime value" (LTV) takes on new meaning, emphasizing retention and long-term relationships. Companies, such as Japanese retailers, are abandoning the word "pensioner" in favor of terms like "great generation" and are creating spaces tailored to the needs of people over 60.

Investing and Health in the Context of Longevity

The author highlights two key aspects of longevity: "wallet longevity" (lifespan) and "health longevity" (period of active and healthy life). Money without health is useless. Therefore, the main assets of the future are not only financial portfolios but also health, sleep, nutrition, physical fitness, and cognitive abilities.

Professional skills are also subject to "competence inflation" – their value quickly becomes obsolete. The author calls for continuous learning and retraining, viewing life as a multi-stage process that includes studying, working, and breaks for retraining.

In the long run of investing, as Warren Buffett's example shows, the key factor for success is not so much the choice of assets as the ability to stay in the market long enough. However, with age, managing large capital can become difficult due to declining cognitive functions. This requires simplifying investment strategies, focusing on cash flow and liquidity, and building strong relationships with loved ones.

The New Reality: A Profession for Old Age and a Reimagining of Life

The author suggests mastering a "profession for old age," where age and life experience become an advantage (e.g., real estate agent, psychologist). Old age ceases to be the end of the game and becomes a new, independent stage of life that requires careful preparation.

In conclusion, the author calls for a review of personal plans, including finances, career, and health, taking into account the new reality of longevity. He emphasizes the importance not only of accumulating wealth but also of maintaining health and clarity of mind for a fulfilling life in old age.

How Longevity Breaks Your Financial Plans

Increased life expectancy is fundamentally changing our financial plans, making previous calculations for retirement and FIRE concepts obsolete. Old rules for accumulation and withdrawal (e.g., the 4% rule) no longer work for a 50-60 year horizon. The old rules for accumulation and withdrawal (e.g., the 4% rule) no longer work for a 50-60 year horizon.

  • Life expectancy is increasing, pushing back the "finish line" of life.
  • Old financial plans, calculated for a 30-year retirement, are irrelevant.
  • The 4% rule for withdrawals is designed for a 30-year retirement.
  • For a 50-60 year retirement horizon, a safe withdrawal rate is around 3% or less.
  • 1.5 times more capital (30-40 years of expenses) is required for a long-term retirement.
  • There is a "super-saving" trap due to the fear of running out of funds.

The Pension System in the Era of Longevity

State pension systems are under threat due to demographic changes: the aging population is growing, while the number of young workers is shrinking. One should not count on state pensions in their previous form.

  • The 'working pay for pensioners' pension system is under threat.
  • There are more elderly people due to longevity.
  • There are fewer young workers due to low birth rates and late career starts.
  • State pensions may become a symbolic handout.
  • It is necessary to rely only on oneself, considering state aid as a bonus.

"Silver Economy": New Opportunities for Business

Population aging opens up huge opportunities for business (the "silver economy"). Older people have significant assets and experience, making them the most solvent audience.

  • People over 60 own over 60% of financial assets in Japan (about $9 trillion).
  • Experience, connections, accumulated capital, and power are concentrated in older generations.
  • The age of 45-50 is not a decline, but a potentially golden age.
  • Young people under 30 are overvalued by the market in terms of purchasing power.
  • Businesses should reorient from youth to an older and more solvent audience.
  • Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) increases up to 40-50 years old.
  • Japanese retail is replacing the word "pensioner" with "great generation" or "generation of peak life experience."

Capital Creation: Off-Exchange and With Community Support

Capital is created outside the stock exchange (in business, career), and the exchange is merely a tool for its preservation and growth. It is important to increase income and use new tools (e.g., neural networks), not just focus on investments.

  • Capital is made outside the stock exchange: in business, career, through benefiting society.
  • The stock exchange is an 'envelope' for already earned capital.
  • The 'Retire at 35' club focuses on increasing income and seeking opportunities.
  • It is important to have a community of like-minded people for discussion and problem-solving.

Adapting to Change: AI, New Professions, and the "Silver" Economy

Artificial intelligence will not so much take away jobs as change them, creating new needs and professions. It is important to adapt and constantly update your skills to avoid "competence inflation".

  • Fears about AI are marketing, not the full picture.
  • Industrial revolutions have always created new professions to replace disappearing ones.
  • New needs and money will appear in unexpected areas, including for the elderly.
  • Possible directions: elderly care, home-based medicine, services for active 60+.
  • The loneliness crisis creates demand for communication services and co-living.
  • The business idea of "outsourced grandchild" as a subscription service.

Health Longevity and Competence Inflation

Health longevity (living with a clear mind and strength) is no less important than wallet longevity. The foundation of health is boring but effective things: sleep, nutrition, movement, stress management.

  • Two types of longevity: wallet (financial) and health (physical and mental).
  • Money without health is useless.
  • The main assets of the future: health, sleep, nutrition, physical fitness, brain.
  • Biohacking and expensive tests are toys; the base is important: sleep, movement, nutrition, absence of stress.
  • Competence inflation – devaluation of professional skills – is more dangerous than money inflation.

Multi-stage Life and the Need for Continuous Learning

Life has become multi-stage, requiring constant learning and retraining. Employers do not always pay for retraining, so the responsibility for keeping skills up-to-date lies with the individual.

  • The three-stage model of life (study-work-retirement) is dead.
  • Modern life is multi-stage: study, work, breaks, retraining.
  • The responsibility for keeping skills up-to-date lies with the individual.
  • It is necessary to constantly reinvent oneself by acquiring new skills (e.g., neural networks).

Long-Distance Investing and Wealth Management in Old Age

Longevity benefits investors through compound interest, but requires a long-term market presence and continuous updating of the global investment picture. Wealth management in old age demands simplicity and liquidity.

  • Warren Buffett earned most of his fortune after age 65 due to the long duration.
  • Compound interest unfolds over a very long horizon.
  • It's not so much about choosing an asset as it is about staying in the market and not panicking.
  • The global investment picture changes, and the portfolio needs to be updated.
  • Wealth management in old age requires simplicity, understandable tools, and liquidity.
  • Deposits, gold, rental real estate, dividend stocks, and bonds are recommended.
  • The strategy should be simple, like for a fifth-grader (e.g., dividend or index strategy).

Wealth Management with Declining Cognitive Functions

As people age, cognitive abilities can decline, making wealth management more challenging. It's important to adapt investment strategies to an elderly person's capabilities, making them as simple and liquid as possible.

  • Vicious cycle: You save your whole life, but by the time you have significant capital, your cognitive abilities may be declining.
  • Examples of fraud targeting the elderly, where they give money to scammers or transfer property.
  • One cannot completely abandon investing, but it needs to be adapted for age.
  • For elderly people, simple tools are important: deposits, gold, real estate.
  • Key factors for the elderly: cash flow and liquidity.
  • The strategy should be as simple and understandable as possible (e.g., dividend or index investing).

Physical Health, Technology, and Career Choice for Old Age

Physical health and the ability to manage assets in old age are critically important. Technology helps, but good relationships with loved ones and choosing professions where age is an advantage play a key role.

  • Physical ailments can make asset management impossible.
  • Applications and electronic signatures help manage money remotely, but are insufficient.
  • Good relationships with loved ones are important for support.
  • It is necessary to master a "profession for old age" where age is an advantage (e.g., psychotherapist, real estate agent).
  • Old age is not the end, but a new middle of life that requires preparation.