Why life expectancy matters for planning
How long your money needs to last is one of the biggest unknowns in retirement planning. It affects how much you need to save, how fast you can spend, and when it makes sense to claim Social Security. This calculator gives a realistic, population-based starting point.
Where the numbers come from
The calculator uses the Social Security Administration's Period Life Table for 2023, as used in the 2026 Trustees Report. For each age from 0 to 119 and for each sex, the table gives the probability of dying within the next year and the average number of years of life remaining.
A period life table uses the death rates of a single year (here, 2023) for every age. It does not try to predict future improvements in medicine or lifestyle, so it may understate how long today's younger people will live if death rates keep falling.
How the calculator works
- Average life expectancy is your age plus the table's remaining life expectancy for your age and sex.
- Chance of reaching a given age multiplies the yearly survival probabilities, one minus the death probability, for every year from your age up to that target.
- The "half" age is the age by which half of people like you are expected to have died. It is often a little higher than the average, because a minority of early deaths pulls the average down.
Worked example
A 65-year-old man has a remaining life expectancy of 18.1 years in the 2023 table, so his average expected age is about 83. His chance of reaching 85 is about 45%, and of reaching 90 about 24%.
A 65-year-old woman can expect about 20.7 more years, to roughly 85.7. She has about a 57% chance of reaching 85 and a 35% chance of reaching 90.
Using this in retirement plans
Because averages hide a wide range, financial planners often suggest planning for a longer life than average, for example to age 90 or 95, so you are unlikely to run out of money. For couples, the chance that at least one partner lives to 90 is considerably higher than for either person alone.
Your personal outlook can differ from these averages because of health, family history, smoking, income, education and other factors the table does not include. Treat the result as a baseline, not a prediction.
Pair this with our Social Security break-even calculator: if you expect to live past the break-even age, delaying your claim usually pays more in total.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average life expectancy at 65?
In the SSA 2023 period life table, a 65-year-old man has about 18.1 years of life remaining on average, and a 65-year-old woman about 20.7 years.
Is this the same as the SSA life expectancy calculator?
It uses the same kind of official SSA life table. SSA’s own calculator works from your exact date of birth; this one uses your age in whole years and adds survival odds for later ages.
Why do women live longer on average?
Women have lower death rates at almost every age in U.S. data. Researchers point to a mix of biological, behavioral and social factors.
Should I plan to live to my life expectancy?
Planning only to the average age means roughly half of people outlive their plan. Many planners suggest using a longer horizon, such as 90 or 95.
Does this account for my health?
No. It reflects the average for the whole Social Security area population of your age and sex. Your own health, habits and family history can move your outlook up or down.
Last reviewed November 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.