What’s your life expectancy?
One of the most important reasons for investing is to build up enough assets to support us post our working lives. Not many of us want to rely on the forever-reducing government pension! So it’s only natural to ask: “how long can I expect to live?”
After all, our average life expectancy has been rising steadily for a century. However, there’s an important difference between our life expectancy – how long people live on average – and maximum life span, or how old the oldest people ever get.
And when it comes to maximum life span, the trend has already flattened; an in-depth study of our survival rates over the past 100 years found that the oldest humans barely reached age 100 in the 1800s, and started getting to 110 in the 1990s, but since the mid 1990s no one is getting beyond age 115 (with the sole exception of Jeanne Louise Calment of France, who reached age 122 and died in 1997, and continues to hold the record for the oldest human on record).
In other words, while advances in everything from sanitation to antibiotics to vaccines are doing a better job of helping us to live into our 90s, 100s, or even up to age 115 – which are all improvements in life expectancy – our maximum age hasn’t budged in decades now.
You can find out how long you’re expected to live, on average, by locating your current age in the table below, and then checking the ‘female’ column or ‘male’ column, depending on your gender. For example, if you’re 55 years of age, you can expect to live another 31.02 years (if a female) and 27.71 years (if a male). If you’re 65 years, your average life expectancy is 22.05 years (if a female) and 19.22 years (if a male).
The longer you live, the greater your life expectancy becomes. At age 55 years, a female can expect to live to 86.02 years on average, while a 70 year-old female can expect to live to 87.80 years – nearly an extra two years. At age 87, a female can expect to live to 93.11 years – an extra 5 years in life expectancy from what a woman can expect at age 70, and an extra 7 years in life expectancy from what a woman can expect at age 55.
Note: The table below contains average life expectancies, and you may well live longer than the average, or you may not reach your average life expectancy.
Average life expectancies: No of years to live from current age
| Current age | Female | Male | ||
| Years to live | Life expectancy | Years to live | Life expectancy | |
| 0 | 84.3 | 84.3 | 80.1 | 80.1 |
| 1 | 83.6 | 84.6 | 79.4 | 80.4 |
| 2 | 82.6 | 84.6 | 78.4 | 80.4 |
| 3 | 81.6 | 84.6 | 77.4 | 80.4 |
| 4 | 80.6 | 84.6 | 76.5 | 80.5 |
| 5 | 79.7 | 84.7 | 75.5 | 80.5 |
| 6 | 78.7 | 84.7 | 74.5 | 80.5 |
| 7 | 77.7 | 84.7 | 73.5 | 80.5 |
| 8 | 76.7 | 84.7 | 72.5 | 80.5 |
| 9 | 75.7 | 84.7 | 71.5 | 80.5 |
| 10 | 74.7 | 84.7 | 70.5 | 80.5 |
| 11 | 73.7 | 84.7 | 69.5 | 80.5 |
| 12 | 72.7 | 84.7 | 68.5 | 80.5 |
| 13 | 71.7 | 84.7 | 67.5 | 80.5 |
| 14 | 70.7 | 84.7 | 66.5 | 80.5 |
| 15 | 69.7 | 84.7 | 65.5 | 80.5 |
| 16 | 68.7 | 84.7 | 64.6 | 80.6 |
| 17 | 67.7 | 84.7 | 63.6 | 80.6 |
| 18 | 66.8 | 84.8 | 62.6 | 80.6 |
| 19 | 65.8 | 84.8 | 61.6 | 80.6 |
| 20 | 64.8 | 84.8 | 60.7 | 80.7 |
| 21 | 63.8 | 84.8 | 59.7 | 80.7 |
| 22 | 62.8 | 84.8 | 58.7 | 80.7 |
| 23 | 61.8 | 84.8 | 57.8 | 80.8 |
| 24 | 60.9 | 84.9 | 56.8 | 80.8 |
| 25 | 59.9 | 84.9 | 55.9 | 80.9 |
| 26 | 58.9 | 84.9 | 54.9 | 80.9 |
| 27 | 57.9 | 84.9 | 53.9 | 80.9 |
| 28 | 56.9 | 84.9 | 53.0 | 81.0 |
| 29 | 55.9 | 84.9 | 52.0 | 81.0 |
| 30 | 55.0 | 85.0 | 51.0 | 81.0 |
| 31 | 54.0 | 85.0 | 50.1 | 81.1 |
| 32 | 53.0 | 85.0 | 49.1 | 81.1 |
| 33 | 52.0 | 85.0 | 48.2 | 81.2 |
| 34 | 51.0 | 85.0 | 47.2 | 81.2 |
| 35 | 50.1 | 85.1 | 46.3 | 81.3 |
| 36 | 49.1 | 85.1 | 45.3 | 81.3 |
| 37 | 48.1 | 85.1 | 44.4 | 81.4 |
| 38 | 47.1 | 85.1 | 43.4 | 81.4 |
| 39 | 46.2 | 85.2 | 42.5 | 81.5 |
| 40 | 45.2 | 85.2 | 41.5 | 81.5 |
| 41 | 44.2 | 85.2 | 40.6 | 81.6 |
| 42 | 43.3 | 85.3 | 39.6 | 81.6 |
| 43 | 42.3 | 85.3 | 38.7 | 81.7 |
| 44 | 41.4 | 85.4 | 37.8 | 81.8 |
| 45 | 40.4 | 85.4 | 36.8 | 81.8 |
| 46 | 39.5 | 85.5 | 35.9 | 81.9 |
| 47 | 38.5 | 85.5 | 35.0 | 82.0 |
| 48 | 37.6 | 85.6 | 34.0 | 82.0 |
| 49 | 36.6 | 85.6 | 33.1 | 82.1 |
| 50 | 35.7 | 85.7 | 32.2 | 82.2 |
| 51 | 34.7 | 85.7 | 31.3 | 82.3 |
| 52 | 33.8 | 85.8 | 30.4 | 82.4 |
| 53 | 32.9 | 85.9 | 29.5 | 82.5 |
| 54 | 32.0 | 86.0 | 28.6 | 82.6 |
| 55 | 31.0 | 86.0 | 27.7 | 82.7 |
| 56 | 30.1 | 86.1 | 26.8 | 82.8 |
| 57 | 29.2 | 86.2 | 26.0 | 83.0 |
| 58 | 28.3 | 86.3 | 25.1 | 83.1 |
| 59 | 27.4 | 86.4 | 24.2 | 83.2 |
| 60 | 26.5 | 86.5 | 23.4 | 83.4 |
| 61 | 25.6 | 86.6 | 22.5 | 83.5 |
| 62 | 24.7 | 86.7 | 21.7 | 83.7 |
| 63 | 23.8 | 86.8 | 20.9 | 83.9 |
| 64 | 22.9 | 86.9 | 20.0 | 84.0 |
| 65 | 22.1 | 87.1 | 19.2 | 84.2 |
| 66 | 21.2 | 87.2 | 18.4 | 84.4 |
| 67 | 20.3 | 87.3 | 17.6 | 84.6 |
| 68 | 19.5 | 87.5 | 16.8 | 84.8 |
| 69 | 18.6 | 87.6 | 16.1 | 85.1 |
| 70 | 17.8 | 87.8 | 15.3 | 85.3 |
| 71 | 17.0 | 88.0 | 14.6 | 85.6 |
| 72 | 16.2 | 88.2 | 13.8 | 85.8 |
| 73 | 15.4 | 88.4 | 13.1 | 86.1 |
| 74 | 14.6 | 88.6 | 12.4 | 86.4 |
| 75 | 13.8 | 88.8 | 11.7 | 86.7 |
| 76 | 13.1 | 89.1 | 11.1 | 87.1 |
| 77 | 12.3 | 89.3 | 10.4 | 87.4 |
| 78 | 11.6 | 89.6 | 9.8 | 87.8 |
| 79 | 10.9 | 89.9 | 9.2 | 88.2 |
| 80 | 10.2 | 90.2 | 8.6 | 88.6 |
| 81 | 9.6 | 90.6 | 8.0 | 89.0 |
| 82 | 8.9 | 90.9 | 7.5 | 89.5 |
| 83 | 8.3 | 91.3 | 7.0 | 90.0 |
| 84 | 7.7 | 91.7 | 6.5 | 90.5 |
| 85 | 7.1 | 92.1 | 6.1 | 91.1 |
| 86 | 6.6 | 92.6 | 5.6 | 91.6 |
| 87 | 6.1 | 93.1 | 5.2 | 92.2 |
| 88 | 5.7 | 93.7 | 4.9 | 92.9 |
| 89 | 5.2 | 94.2 | 4.5 | 93.5 |
| 90 | 4.8 | 94.8 | 4.2 | 94.2 |
| 91 | 4.5 | 95.5 | 3.9 | 94.9 |
| 92 | 4.1 | 96.1 | 3.7 | 95.7 |
| 93 | 3.8 | 96.8 | 3.4 | 96.4 |
| 94 | 3.6 | 97.6 | 3.2 | 97.2 |
| 95 | 3.3 | 98.3 | 3.1 | 98.1 |
| 96 | 3.1 | 99.1 | 2.9 | 98.9 |
| 97 | 2.9 | 99.9 | 2.8 | 99.8 |
| 98 | 2.8 | 100.8 | 2.7 | 100.7 |
| 99 | 2.6 | 101.6 | 2.6 | 101.6 |
| 100 | 2.5 | 102.5 | 2.5 | 102.5 |
| 101 | 2.4 | 103.4 | 2.4 | 103.4 |
| 102 | 2.3 | 104.3 | 2.3 | 104.3 |
| 103 | 2.2 | 105.2 | 2.2 | 105.2 |
| 104 | 2.1 | 106.1 | 2.1 | 106.1 |
| 105 | 2.0 | 107.0 | 2.0 | 107.0 |
| 106 | 1.9 | 107.9 | 2.0 | 108.0 |
| 107 | 1.9 | 108.9 | 1.9 | 108.9 |
| 108 | 1.8 | 109.8 | 1.8 | 109.8 |
| 109 | 1.7 | 110.7 | 1.8 | 110.8 |
Source: Compiled from Australian Life Tables, 2010-2012, Australian Government Actuary (www.aga.gov.au). Released 10 December 2014. Next update due in 2019.
Scott Phillips joined Montgomery Investment Management in 2013. Scott joined the firm from BlackRock Investment Management, where he was Managing Director, Head of Retail Australia for 12 years.
This post was contributed by a representative of Montgomery Investment Management Pty Limited (AFSL No. 354564). The principal purpose of this post is to provide factual information and not provide financial product advice. Additionally, the information provided is not intended to provide any recommendation or opinion about any financial product. Any commentary and statements of opinion however may contain general advice only that is prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial circumstances or needs. Because of this, before acting on any of the information provided, you should always consider its appropriateness in light of your personal objectives, financial circumstances and needs and should consider seeking independent advice from a financial advisor if necessary before making any decisions. This post specifically excludes personal advice.
Carlos
:
These figures are only averages of course and there are lots of people who live a lot less or lot more than average, so the term “expectancy” is not really as it sounds.