Life Expectancy: The (F)Law of Averages

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This article challenges the conventional wisdom of planning your retirement income around the average life expectancy, revealing a startling truth: Relying on a general number for something as personal and unpredictable as your lifespan is a mistake you can’t afford to make.

Key Takeaways:

📌 Life expectancy is a population average—not a personal prediction. For example: Imagine a group of 1,000 women turning 60 today. Their life expectancy might suggest they’ll live to around age 89, but in reality, the most common age of death is 94, and nearly 60% are still alive at 89.

📌 Many people will live well beyond life expectancy. Planning based on general figures risks outliving your savings

📌 Survivor curves and longevity planning provide a much clearer, safer path for retirement income decisions

Remember: Your financial strategy should reflect the full, beautiful, and unpredictable spectrum of life. Retirement isn’t about planning for the middle—it’s about protecting yourself from the extremes.