At the US News & World Report Smarter Investor blog, Lyle Wolberg writes that his firm Telemus is using genetic and other tools to guide financial planning.
One of the biggest concerns people have when saving for retirement, he says, is whether they will outlive their money. While life expectancy estimates can give people a sense of the time they have, Wolberg says incorporating genetic and lifestyle information can refine those estimates.
His firm relies on a tool developed by Genivity, called Health Analysis & Longevity Optimizer, that creates a personalized report of client's current and predicted health needs. One person, Wolberg writes, learned he was at risk of a late in life genetic disease that could leave him debilitated and that he could then benefit from long-term health care insurance.
"We show you your lifespan in relationship to your financial needs," Genivity founder and CEO Heather Holmes tells Wolberg. "If you can understand your future health care needs, you can better plan to pay for them."