KNOW: The average age of someone buying long-term care insurance today is 57. Ten years ago it was 67. More and more of your Boomer clients are waking up to the need to protect their assets from long-term care costs.

DO: Leverage the awareness being generated by Genworth and others about long-term care insurance to have the conversation now with your clients, even though the healthcare legislation is still to be decided. No government option is designed to provide complete coverage, so assets are still at risk.

KNOW: International surveys show that people who work longer retain their mental edge more than same-age peers who retire, says a recent paper by the Rand Center for the Study of Aging. The workplace provides a more stimulating environment than home.

DO: Trusted advisors already had one good reason to urge clients to delay retirement: Make more money and shore up their personal finances. Now they have a second: Work keeps their cognitive skills sharper.

KNOW: Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1982, have a strong independent streak, reflected in their reputation as job hoppers. But Gen X anxieties are rising, reports the Associated Press, as the recession crimps job creation, retirement-delaying Boomers clog the top ranks, and tech-savvy Millennials press from below.

DO: Gen Xers with a family and mortage need to settle down, get steady work and save more. But how does a trusted advisor make that message palatable? Appeal to their independence. Building up that nest egg gives them options — including the option of leaving a dead-end job if it becomes really intolerable.

KNOW: This recession is a Great Depression to Millennials, those under age 28. Unemployment is higher, incomes are lower and debts larger than faced by any other generation. That’s why when they run out of money, they come back home to live off of Mom and Dad, guaranteed.

DO: Make sure you understand the family dynamics facing your Boomer clients, some of whom are staying in the workforce to strengthen their own retirement plans. Now, they face returning Millennial offspring needing financial assistance as well.

KNOW: Reversing a trend in which older adults have fewer disabilities than previous generations, Boomers in their 60s are experiencing more disabilities, according to research funded by the National Institutes on Aging. The deterioration is likely related to the increased incidence of obesity.

DO: It may be awkward to bring up a client’s weight, but financial advisors don’t win trust by tip-toeing around unpleasant facts. And the fact is, severely overweight people are at significantly greater risk of experiencing disabilities than people with healthy weights — and they need to adjust their long-term financial plans accordingly.

KNOW: If you didn’t believe the dozen or more previous surveys saying essentially the same thing, believe it now: Americans are determined to be more disciplined and conservative with their finances. Sixty percent say that they have paid down some debt, and 20% say they are saving more, according to MetLife’s recent Lessons Learned Poll.

DO: While Americans of all ages are more risk averse, be attuned to generational differences. According to MetLife, the younger generations are more optimistic about their financial future, while Boomers fear that it may take a decade to recoup their recent losses. Tailor your approach accordingly.

KNOW: The market for annuities is expected to stay strong for the foreseeable future, as more and more Boomers realize it is the only investment they can make that delivers a guaranteed paycheck for life.

DO: Stay abreast of news and information available to your Boomer clients about annuities. Today’s Wall Street Journal features an advertising section called “A Guide to Annuities” that’s worth a close read (not available online).

KNOW: There are plenty of easy-to-implement ideas for “saving” Social Security for another 75 years, according to a new policy paper from the National Academy of Social Insurance, with varying degrees of impact on taxes and eligibility.

DO: Tell your Silent and Boomer generation clients that while there remains plenty of uncertainty about the future, it is more than likely they will be able to count on Social Security for income in retirement.

KNOW: Forty-five percent of young adults (18 to 29) say they’ll need at least $2 million to fund their retirement, compared to only 27% of older adults, according to a recent online survey by Northwestern Mutual.

DO: Cultivate a Millennial generation clientele. Members of this generation may not have money now, but all evidence points the same way — they are far more eager to save and invest than Baby Boomers and Generation Ys ever were.

KNOW: Last week more bad news about retirement savings made the rounds. According to an analysis by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, some 41% of older Boomers, 48% of younger Boomers and 56% of Gen Xers are “at risk” for not having enough money for retirement.

DO: Keep encouraging your clients, ages 28 to 63, to put money away for retirement, no matter what. Even if they tell you their retirement plan is to just keep working, circumstances beyond their control (illness, recession) could leave them without an income stream.