
Loading summary
Jill Schlesinger
Today's episode is brought to you by alma. You know, gang, I've talked about how helpful therapy has been for me. But finding the right therapist, it's never easy. Often you just don't know where to start. And when you do look, it feels overwhelming trying to figure out who takes insurance, who you might connect with. It's just a lot. That's why ALMA really stands out. ALMA is on a mission to simplify access to high quality, affordable mental health care. And and they've built a network of over 26,000 therapists nationwide. You can browse their directory without even making an account and filter for exactly what matters to you, like insurance, specialty, background and more. And since May is Mental Health Awareness month, it's a great time to take that step. Clients with insurance pay $20 on average and 98% of Alma therapists accept insurance plus plus you can see your costs up front with their free estimator. Most people actually find their match on the first try and 95% connect with a therapist within a week. Over 80% of people report feeling better within six months. Get started now@helloalma.com money. That's helloalma.com money Summer's almost here and you may be thinking a lot about how you want to spend it. Maybe it's a trip or saying yes to a last minute weekend and and really enjoying yourself. Not stressing about whether or not you can afford it. That's why you need to think about getting your finances in order now. Monarch is the personal finance app that tracks everything accounts, investments, savings goals and spending. Get your first year of Monarch for half off just 50 bucks with promo code Jill on Money. Monarch basically monitors your money for you. You may realize that a third of your income is quietly going to dining out something you may not have caught without their cash flow visualizations. It's like having a financial advisor or coach in your pocket. The weekly AI recap can flag random spending spikes before they get out of hand. Monarch doesn't just show you what you've spent, it helps you plan ahead. You can ask it things like can I afford this vacation? And actually get a real answer. It takes so much mental load off your plate. You use code jillonmoney@monarch.com to get your first year half off at just $50. That's 50% off your first year at monarch.com with code jillonmoney. Welcome to the Jill on Money show. It's Friday, May 15th and we are here trying to help you navigate your financial journey. If you need some assistance, especially with some of the more complicated emotional, emotional aspects of your financial journey. Please get in touch with us. All you need to do is go to jillonmoney.com, click the contact Us button, write us a note, and if you'd like to join us live on the air, check the box. Mark will do everything else. While you are on the website, I just have to point out a couple of things. First of all, you should absolutely subscribe to our free weekly newsletter. It comes out on Fridays, which is today. You may also want to check out our subscription service. It's called Jill on Money Live. That is where you have access to quarterly live webinars, the back catalog of those webinars, as well as bonus audio and video content. All of that for 45 bucks for the next 12 months. Now our upcoming webinar, it is next month, Wednesday, June 17, with Heather Schreiber. Heather is a Social Security expert. We are already getting questions that are pouring in. It would be great if you plan to join us live on that webinar to send us all Social Security questions ahead of time. That way we can really consolidate and figure out which of the questions need the most attention. And if you don't want to purchase the whole series the whole 12 months, what you could do is you could actually purchase a single webinar for 15 bucks. So you can go back in time and buy the Ed slot webinar that we conducted in the first quarter of this year. You, you can register and you'll be able to get this upcoming webinar with Heather Schreiber all about Social Security. Each of the single webinars will cost you 15 bucks. So let's get to today's show. We are going to give you a snippet of a longer interview that we conducted with author Michael Clinton. Now Michael wrote a book called Roar, but his new book is so fascinating. It's called Longevity Nation. The People, Ideas and Trends Changing the Second Half of Our Lives. This is such a great topic for so many of of you who are really thinking about what comes next. And Michael does a lovely job of weaving together people and stories and research into this book and contemplates what is the impact of the idea that we are all living longer. So here is our interview with Michael Clinton.
Michael Clinton
Countries aren't ready. Cities aren't ready. Structures and systems aren't ready. Financial literacy is needed. You know, there's so much that's going to be be turned inside out because of this as people are living longer. Here's the stat. I love Jill, and you and I have talked about this. You know, 100 years ago when Social Security was established, there were 7.8 million people that were 65 or over, right? Life expectancy was 62. Today there are 62 million people who are 65 and over. And the drain, and the upcoming drain on Social Security and the trust you and I have talked about in the past, and you've got 80 million people that are going to be in that cohort in the next decade or so. So lots of pressures, financial pressures, policy pressures that are going to have to be addressed.
Jill Schlesinger
I also want to get into, you know, beyond the financial part in and of itself. But if we look at the workplace, right, and we know that right now, let's say Jill, 60 years old, you know, toiling away, doing her thing, it would normally be like, hey, it's time for you to retire, Jill, you're 60 and someone else is coming up behind you. So I also wonder what the workplace implication is, is if I'm working longer and I'm feeling better and, you know, I'm taking care of myself, what does that mean for the generation behind me? Because now I'm worried about those folks who are already so pessimistic and negative and you have an old fart like me occupying a seat that really maybe a 40 something wants. So how do we manage that part of it?
Michael Clinton
Well, first of all, I think as we're all living longer, we're going to need to work longer, we're going to want to work longer, we're going to be able to work longer. And what I say is that you and others and myself are paving the way for the next generations because when they're in jobs, they're going to want to work long, longer as well. And so it's all sort of, we're kind of paying it forward in, in an odd kind of way. But you know, in the AI revolution, much like in the digital revolution, you know, new kinds of jobs are created, new kinds of things happen. So what is really happening is there's a huge talent drain on the upper, middle and upper level job marketplace because there aren't enough people in Gen X to actually fill those jobs. The bigger issues are, you know, what's happening with younger millennials and people coming out of college right now, you know, with AI and the cutbacks. But what I'm hoping is that people like you and others will be working well into their 70s, so that by the time that 35 year old gets to that place, they're going to say, well, gee, I'm going to live to 95. I do need to work longer, I need income. And so I think we're the role models.
Jill Schlesinger
And you have like an ear to the ground, not just in, you know, from as you former publisher, but you also have an ear to the ground of what companies are doing. So can you talk a little bit about how this experience of Roar, how you've interviewed a lot of people and talked to a lot of companies. How are the companies themselves preparing for the fact that people are living longer?
Michael Clinton
Yeah. So enlightened C suite are stepping out into acknowledging and recognizing this. And I always use l' Oreal globally as a great example. They have a global initiative called l' Oreal for all generations. And they have a specific focus on people. 50 plus. They are focused on retraining, upskilling, retaining hiring, promoting and. And they are part of a consortium in France, ironically, which, you know, there's a lot of noise around retirement ages in France, but yet there are these, a group of companies in France, axa, Air France, that have come together in a group. They have been very focused on how do we retain people longer. We need people working longer. I think this is also an enormous big long term trend because as you know, birth rates are down in 150 countries. And so this isn't just a short term thing. This is going to be a long term issue in the world. So those companies are part of a group called the Charter in France and they're really leading the way, I would argue, among other companies in the EU and in Asia. We have a lot of catching up to do in the US But l' Oreal is a great example.
Jill Schlesinger
Now that was just a snippet of the interview if you want to see the whole thing. It lives behind the paywall. Behind the Jill on Money Live paywall. Remember the 45 bucks? I said additional interviews and podcasts and audio and all that stuff. We have a video interview with Michael that lives behind the paywall. So you should definitely check that out. Okay, gang. Well, it's Friday. It's time for our thank yous. Our music is composed by Joel Goodman. Mark Telerio is our executive producer and the king of all things web. We are distributed by the lovely folks at Odyssey. By the way, you can subscribe to us on the Odyssey app or wherever you find your favorite podcast. Podcast. Please lift someone up. Change your work, change your wealth, change your life. Thanks for listening and we'll talk to you on Monday.
Peter Hamby
Insurance isn't one size fits all, and shopping for it shouldn't feel like squeezing into something that just doesn't fit. That's why drivers have enjoyed Progressive's name your price tool for years. With the name your price tool, you tell them what you want to pay and and they show you options that fit your budget enough. Hunting for discounts, trying to calculate rates, and tinkering with coverages. Maybe you're picking out your very first policy. Or maybe you're just looking for something that works better for you and your family. Either way, they make it simple to see your options. No guesswork, no surprises. Ready to see how easy and fun shopping for car insurance can be? Visit progressive.com and give the name your price tool a try. Take the stress out of shopping and find coverage that fits your life on your terms. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates Price and coverage match limited by state law Understanding power requires more than headlines I'm Peter Hamby, host of the Powers that Be, a podcast from Puck, examining politics, economics, and media. To provide context, analysis, and clarity without sensationalism, we ask how power operates, who benefits, and what's at stake. If you want to move beyond breaking news to deeper understanding, join us on the Powers that Be new episodes every weekday. Follow the Powers that Be wherever you get your podcasts.
Date: May 15, 2026
Host: Jill Schlesinger
Guest: Michael Clinton (Author, “Roar” and “Longevity Nation”)
In this episode, Jill Schlesinger sits down with Michael Clinton to discuss his latest book, Longevity Nation: The People, Ideas and Trends Changing the Second Half of Our Lives. The conversation explores how extended life expectancy is upending societal structures, challenging existing financial and workplace paradigms, and what it means for future generations. The discussion touches on the impact of longevity on social safety nets, the necessity for new workplace attitudes, and how forward-thinking companies are adapting.
Michael Clinton ([05:01]):
Populations are living longer worldwide, but government and corporate systems are unprepared.
Notable statistic:
“Countries aren't ready. Cities aren't ready. Structures and systems aren't ready. Financial literacy is needed. There's so much that's going to be turned inside out because of this as people are living longer.”
— Michael Clinton, [05:01]
The increasing number of retirees is putting significant strain on Social Security and related policies.
Jill Schlesinger ([05:54]):
Raises concerns about generational tension in the workplace as older workers stay longer, possibly blocking upward mobility for younger colleagues.
“If I'm working longer and I'm feeling better and...taking care of myself, what does that mean for the generation behind me?...I'm worried about those folks who are already so pessimistic and negative and you have an old fart like me occupying a seat… How do we manage that part of it?”
— Jill Schlesinger, [05:54]
Michael Clinton ([06:42]):
Advocates for working longer as a new normal, driven by both necessity and desire.
Older workers are paving the way—modeling new expectations for career longevity that future generations will likely follow.
Notes a talent shortage at the middle and upper levels due to demographic gaps, not just “hoarding” of positions by seniors.
The emergence of AI and digital transformation will create new job opportunities across generations.
“We're kind of paying it forward in an odd kind of way...What is really happening is there's a huge talent drain on the upper, middle and upper level job marketplace because there aren't enough people in Gen X to actually fill those jobs.”
— Michael Clinton, [06:42]
Jill Schlesinger ([07:57]):
Michael Clinton ([08:21]):
Highlights companies taking proactive, inclusive approaches for workers aged 50+.
Global example: L'Oréal’s “L'Oréal for All Generations” initiative, focused on retraining, upskilling, retaining, and promoting older employees.
France-based companies (Axa, Air France) are part of a consortium addressing long-term workforce sustainability.
Declining birth rates across 150 countries make longevity a long-term—not short-term—priority for employers.
The U.S. lags behind Europe and Asia in workplace policy adaptation for extended working lives.
“They are focused on retraining, upskilling, retaining, hiring, promoting...as you know, birth rates are down in 150 countries. And so this isn't just a short term thing. This is going to be a long term issue in the world.”
— Michael Clinton, [08:21]
This episode unpacks the urgent need for society, employers, and individuals to reconsider assumptions about aging, retirement, and career spans. Michael Clinton’s insights highlight a seismic demographic shift—one with profound implications for financial planning, workplace management, and intergenerational dynamics. Both the problems and the solutions span decades, and how we adapt now will shape the future for all ages.