As lawmakers, actuaries, pension managers and employers grapple with the demographic tidal wave of an increasingly greying population that will see the average retiree living well into their 80s, a majority of Americans may be setting their sights even higher.

According to a new survey from AIG Life & Retirement, most people want to live to see 100.

“You never know what you're going to get with these surveys, but to find that many people want to live to be 100 surprised us,” said Rob Scheinerman, president, AIG Retirement Services, the recently rebranded retirement plan recordkeeping arm of AIG.

AIG's survey probed the longevity expectations of more than 1,000 U.S. adults between the ages of 40 and 74 with at least $50,000 in savings in retirement accounts. More than half—53 percent—hope to live to at least 100.

Among those who want to someday claim centenarian status, the primary motivation was family. Others cited the opportunity to witness technological advancements and other changes in the world, and the desire to remain productive.

“The rationales make a ton of sense,” Scheinerman told BenefitsPRO. “People crave deep family relationships. The ability and different ways to communicate with family through technology changes the equation as you live a longer life.”

The technological advancements of the past 20 years, and the promises of artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, and other society-altering technologies to come, are causing more people to want a seat in the theater to witness how the future will shake out.

“It's pretty amazing what's going on in the world,” said Scheinerman, who compared the existing precipice of change to what someone living at the end of the 19th century was poised to witness. “Had you been alive then you would have seen the invention of the automobile, air travel, and maybe even seen a man walk on the moon.”

The duality behind the hope for 100

Chances are that most who report hoping to see 100 in AIG's survey won't. But odds show that some may.

U.S. Census Bureau research—now almost eight years old—shows the nation's 90-and-older population tripled between 1980 and 2010, when the 90 or older population made up nearly 5 percent of Americans 65-and-older.

By 2050, the same report projected the 90-and-older population will be 10 percent of those Americans at retirement age.

The “oldest old”—those age 85 or older—are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population, according to the National Institute on Aging, an arm of the National Institutes on Health. By 2050, that population is expected to top 19 million.

Among them will be more centenarians. In 1950, there were about 3,000 Americans age 100 or older. By 2050, the NIA expects there to be about 1 million.

Medical and drug innovations have of course led to longer life expectancy. So too has an increasingly wealthier society, and the imperative of healthy lifestyles, a trend that seems far from cresting.

But Americans' desire for longer, more productive lives comes with what AIG's Scheinerman says is a “duality” inside the thinking of those that want to make 100.

“The flip side is there's an anxiety about living that long,” he said. “If they live to be 100, what does that mean for their health, and the health of their finances?”

AIG's study—which syncs with the launch of what the firm is calling a “Plan for 100” initiative—shows respondents' optimism for aging is tempered by the well-documented fears people have of running out of money in retirement.

Only one in 10 told AIG they are extremely confident they will have enough income in retirement. Among those who want to see 100, half are uncertain their savings can fund what could be a retirement of 30 years or more.

But of all the data the retirement industry generates on retirement security, this point from AIG's survey may come to be quoted in policy circles: Nearly 60 percent of the respondents said they fear running of money more than they fear death.

For those who want to hit 100, “there's a practical anxiety about how to make that work,” said Scheinerman.

Correlation between financial health and wanting to live longer

Of those who told AIG they want to live to 100, more than two-thirds report working with a financial advisor. Of those with an advisor, nearly half are confident about their retirement prospects, compared to just 8 percent of confident “do-it-yourselfers.”

“Anyone wanting to live to 100 is going to want access to a good doctor. It's the same with your financial health,” said Scheinerman. “There's a high correlation between financial readiness and wanting to live longer.”

Still, those behind the savings curve are not without hope for improving their retirement prospects.

“A person can get started on a plan and make a difference at any age.” Scheinerman tells the story of a 59-year old female immigrant with no savings who worked with an advisor in AIG's channel. She started on a plan saving $100 a month, and increased it over time with the prospect of growing a small nest egg. But it was something, and a substantial improvement. The woman reportedly showed physical relief as she left her first meeting with the advisor.

“There is no magic wand for solving big problems,” said Scheinerman. “What we can do is address the problem on an individual level with focused steps. Anything that gets people to understand what the solutions are—that's a good thing.”

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