Americans score 60 on longevity readiness as care gaps persist

A new national index finds US adults are no more prepared for longer lives than they were a year ago and those without a financial advisor are falling furthest behind.

Americans scored an average of 60 out of 100 on the 2026 Longevity Preparedness Index (LPI), released October 27, 2026, by John Hancock and the MIT AgeLab - the same score recorded in the inaugural 2025 study. The findings, drawn from a nationally representative survey of 1,340 US adults conducted between May 8 and May 26, 2026, reveal that despite growing awareness of longevity challenges, readiness across key dimensions of healthy aging has stalled.

"The data tells us that awareness - while profoundly important - is not enough," said Brooks Tingle, President and CEO of John Hancock. "Most Americans are living longer, but the systems, policies, workplaces, and support needed to help them thrive have not kept pace."

The care gap is the most pressing problem

The LPI evaluates Americans across eight domains: social connection, finance, daily activities, care, home, community, health, and life transitions. Community (71) and social connection (69) scored highest. Care scored just 43 - the lowest of all eight domains - while home (56) and health (56) also lagged significantly.

The care domain's low score points to a planning blind spot that financial advisors are well-positioned to address. Many Americans have not identified who would provide them care if needed, do not understand the costs of long-term care, and have not established advance directives such as a power of attorney or living will. As advisors grapple with how to estimate a client's longevity, the LPI data suggests that care planning deserves the same urgency as portfolio construction.

Advisors move the needle

One of the index's sharpest findings for financial professionals is the gap between those who work with an advisor and those who do not.

Respondents currently working with a financial professional scored an average of 67 on the LPI - nine points higher than the 58 scored by those who have never worked with one. That advantage extended across every domain measured.

"Our research is clear: people who work with a financial professional are better prepared for longer lives, not only financially, but across key aspects of overall well-being," said Wayne Park, CEO of Manulife John Hancock Retirement. "Financial professionals can help people connect the dots between their finances, health, caregiving responsibilities and life transitions so they can approach the future with greater confidence."

The data supports a business case for advisors who are positioning longevity planning as a central part of their practice. Clients who engage holistically - across financial, health, home, and caregiving dimensions - score measurably better on every metric the index tracks.

Who is most prepared - and who is not

Age, income, and marital status all correlate with preparedness, though some patterns run counter to intuition. Americans aged 75 and older scored highest at 68, while those between 45 and 54 - often in peak earning years - scored just 57. Retired adults scored 66, compared to 58 for those still working.

Higher investable assets correlated with higher scores: those with more than $3 million in investable assets averaged 68, while those with less than $50,000 scored 56. Income differences followed a similar pattern, with households earning more than $150,000 averaging 65 versus 55 for those earning below $25,000 annually.

Hispanic respondents scored 57, the lowest of any racial or ethnic group measured, while white, non-Hispanic respondents scored 61. The report does not offer specific explanations for these gaps but notes that oversamples of Non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and Non-Hispanic Asian American and Pacific Islander respondents were included to enable sub-group analysis.

Regionally, Northeastern respondents scored lowest at 59, while Westerners averaged 61. Northeastern and Midwestern respondents also posted significantly lower scores in the home domain - a finding the index attributes to the prevalence of older housing stock in those regions.

Building a more complete longevity plan

John Hancock is using the index findings to develop targeted tools for both consumers and advisors. Those include the John Hancock Longevity Preparedness Tool, an interactive questionnaire that assesses individual readiness across the same eight domains as the LPI, and the Longer. Healthier. Better. Network, designed to equip financial professionals with longevity resources, sales support, and access to subject matter experts.

For advisors, the index highlights an opportunity to expand client conversations well beyond portfolio management.

"The conversation can no longer be just about how much money you've saved for retirement," said Dr. Joe Coughlin, Founder and Director of the MIT AgeLab. "More Americans need to be asking themselves, 'Where will I live?' 'Who will I live with?' and 'Who will take care of me?'"

The full 2026 LPI findings and personal assessment tool are available at JohnHancock.com/PrepareForBetter.