Why does my life expectancy go up as I age?

Because the figure at birth includes everyone who died young. Once you have survived past those ages you are no longer part of that average, so your own expectancy rises.

Should I plan retirement around this?

Plan for longer. Averages mean half of people live past them, and running out of money is a far worse outcome than leaving some behind.

Health & Fitnesslifestyle

Life Expectancy Estimator

A rough life expectancy from age, showing why the number rises as you get older. Life expectancy at birth averages in everyone who died young, so surviving to any age already puts you above it.

Also called: how long will i live, life expectancy by age.

Expected age

About 84, which is 44 more years from 40. Reaching 40 already puts you above the average at birth, which is why the figure rises with age.

Years remaining

Months remaining

528

Life expectancy at birth

Years gained by having reached your age

How this is calculated

An estimate, not an offer or a guarantee. Projected returns assume the rate you entered holds for the whole term, which no market does.

Method and background

This is what the calculation gives for the numbers you entered. It is an estimate, not advice, and it knows nothing about your situation beyond those numbers. Rules for India change on a published schedule; the effective date is shown on every rule-based tool.

How this is calculated

Life expectancy at birth is an average across a whole cohort, including everyone who died in infancy or early adulthood. Having reached forty means you are no longer in that pool, so your remaining expectancy is higher than the headline figure implies. The allowance here is a simple approximation of that survivorship effect rather than an actuarial table, and it is deliberately crude: this is a planning prompt, not a medical or actuarial estimate.

expected age = life expectancy at birth + a survivorship allowance for having reached your age + your own adjustment

L: Life expectancy at birth (years)
a: Current age (years)

Worked examples

Each of these is asserted on every build. If a change to the engine ever moved one of these answers, the build would fail before the page could print it.

at forty

Current age: 40
Life expectancy at birth where you live: 79
Years to add or subtract for your own circumstances: 0

Expected age84

arithmetic identity on the stated approximation

Open this example

the survivorship allowance grows with age

Current age: 80
Life expectancy at birth where you live: 79
Years to add or subtract for your own circumstances: 0

Expected age89

boundary: the figure keeps rising because the average keeps excluding more early deaths

Open this example

a newborn gets the headline figure

Current age: 0
Life expectancy at birth where you live: 79
Years to add or subtract for your own circumstances: 0

Expected age79

degenerate case

Open this example

Method and limits

What it assumes

A rough survivorship adjustment rather than a mortality table.

What it deliberately does not model

Not an actuarial calculation. A real estimate uses a period or cohort life table for your country, sex and year of birth.
It knows nothing about your health, and the adjustment field is yours to set rather than anything derived.

Sources

World Health Organization. Life expectancy data (standards body)

Formula version 1.0.0 · definition 1.0.0 · India · Report a problem with this calculator

Frequently asked questions

Why does my life expectancy go up as I age?: Because the figure at birth includes everyone who died young. Once you have survived past those ages you are no longer part of that average, so your own expectancy rises.
Should I plan retirement around this?: Plan for longer. Averages mean half of people live past them, and running out of money is a far worse outcome than leaving some behind.