Why your wealth plan should include your health

We tend to treat health and wealth as separate – health for the doctor, wealth for the adviser. But our research suggests the people best placed to enjoy their third quarter are those who plan for both together.

Our New map of longevity survey has found that for 83% of people aged 45–75, staying healthy is the top priority for their third quarter of life. That’s because it’s not just lifespan that’s important but also health span – how many years we spend in good health, able to do the things we enjoy.

For Michelle Holgate, wealth manager at RBC Wealth Management, the connection between wealth and health is increasingly visible in conversations with clients who want to do more at this stage of life.

Plan for an active, well-funded retirement

There’s a long-standing assumption that spending falls as retirement progresses. While that may happen eventually, it doesn’t necessarily reflect how many people now experience retirement. As Holgate observes, retirement is rarely the single ‘stop’ it once was. She sees clients stepping down, moving to part-time work or returning to new roles rather than leaving work in one clean break. A wealth plan built for that kind of journey looks different from one built around a single finishing line.

Retirement often begins while people are still in good health, and the early years can be the most active. RBC’s research found that 72% of people surveyed feel younger than their age, and for somebody entering their third quarter in good health, the years immediately after work may include long-distance travel, regular exercise, hobbies or spending more time and money with family.¹

 “When people retire now, in general, they have the ability from a health perspective to travel, enjoy sports or have hobbies,” says Holgate. “But they haven’t necessarily considered what these things will be.”

There’s also a question of timing. Travel that involves a long flight, for example, may be easier to enjoy at 60 than at 80. If experiences such as these are important, the plan needs to recognise that some discretionary spending may be concentrated earlier in retirement rather than spread evenly across several decades. That can have a direct bearing on a wealth plan.

Income protection and critical illness cover in retirement planning

Planning for an active third quarter also means allowing for the possibility that illness or injury changes the route you take. Income protection, critical illness cover and life insurance are areas people sometimes overlook, especially once a mortgage has been repaid.

“If there isn’t a mortgage, people don’t tend to always see the need for protection,” Holgate explains. “But if injury or illness stops you building wealth during your working years, how do you fund the goals you have for tomorrow?”

Protection planning may therefore be relevant well before somebody reaches their 50s or 60s. An unexpected period away from work could affect pension contributions, savings and the amount available to fund third-quarter ambitions.

Financial demands can change again as people move beyond their most active years. Holgate notes that later life may bring care costs, whether support is provided at home or in a residential setting.

But thinking about later-life care in your third quarter isn’t about expecting the worst. It’s about setting things up while you have the time, health and clarity to do it well. Exploring care options, setting aside resources and talking through your preferences now means you can enjoy your most active years without that question hanging over you, and face later life with confidence rather than uncertainty.

Cashflow modelling for retirement: Seeing your options before life decides for you

Nobody can know exactly how their health or spending will develop. Cashflow modelling can help show how different scenarios might affect your finances.

Holgate suggests testing practical questions such as: “What would happen if I lost my job? What would happen if there was a market crisis? How would I deal with this situation if X amount of money was required to pay for medical costs?”

The same modelling can help somebody understand whether they could afford to stop working sooner than expected, or whether their planned level of retirement spending needs to change.

Holgate has seen clients who assumed retirement was financially out of reach until their position was modelled in detail. “It can be life changing for somebody to have the understanding that they can do it, rather than working on and on because of the belief that they can’t afford to stop,” she says.

Can financial confidence improve your health?

Our research also suggests the relationship works both ways: 63% say financial confidence gives them the freedom to live a healthier, more meaningful life, while 67% say financial security makes it easier to prioritise their health.¹

Uncertainty over whether you have enough money, when you can retire or how you would cope with an unexpected expense can weigh heavily, particularly when the answers remain unclear for years.

Dr Radha Modgil, a GP, broadcaster and spokesperson in our longevity video series, says: “As a practising doctor, I see people coming in who’ve got financial issues and pressures. You’ll often see an increased risk of anxiety and depression. They’re not sleeping well – chronic stress hormones can impact the immune system and increase cardiovascular events and blood pressure.”

For some people, the starting point is simply understanding what they already have. Multiple pension schemes accumulated through different employers, for example, may no longer align with your intended retirement date or the investment approach you have today. Reviewing them can reveal whether they still support the life you’re planning.

When to start financial planning for health and care

Health scares are the most common trigger for people to rethink their financial priorities, according to our research. Ideally, the first detailed conversation comes before that point.

That conversation doesn’t have to lead to major changes. It may begin with working out what you want your third quarter to contain, attaching realistic costs to those plans and understanding how your finances would respond if your health changed.

Your wealth manager can help you bring those questions together and review whether your current arrangements give you the flexibility to enjoy your healthier years while preparing for what may come later.

Plan your third quarter with confidence

Our longevity guide offers a practical look at planning your finances – and your wellbeing – for the years ahead. Download the guide.

About the author

Michelle Holgate

Director, Wealth Manager

Michelle has nearly 20 years’ experience specialising in providing financial advice on inheritance tax planning, pensions, investments and trusts to high net worth clients across the UK.

Michelle is a driven people leader with a strong focus on outstanding client and employee experience. She joined RBC Brewin Dolphin from Investec where she was Co-Head of Wealth Advisory for the UK business. She is passionate about creating a diverse and inclusive company culture as a critical foundation.

The value of investments, and any income from them, can fall and you may get back less than you invested. This does not constitute tax or legal advice. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future. You should always check the tax implications with an accountant or tax specialist. Information is provided only as an example and is not a recommendation to pursue a particular strategy. Information contained in this document is believed to be reliable and accurate, but without further investigation cannot be warranted as to accuracy or completeness. Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views held throughout RBC Wealth Management.

¹YouGov on behalf of RBC Wealth Management, May 2026.