Life Expectancy Social Security Calculator
Social Security Life Expectancy Calculator works out Years still expected and Expected age at death from Current age, Date of birth and As of. The default figures on this page give years still expected of 38.8 years; change any entry and the result, the working and the sources update together.
Your figures
Updates as you typeHow this is worked out
4 steps
- Look up e(x) at exact age 40 in United States complete period life tables, 2021 (total): 38.832253 years still expected.
- Expected age at death = 40 + 38.8323 = 78.8323.
- Chance of reaching 85 = l(85)/l(40) = 38.45%.
- Half the survivors at this age are still alive 41.42 years from now.
Survival probabilitiestable
| age | percent |
|---|---|
| 65 | 83.4409 |
| 75 | 66.9128 |
| 85 | 38.4504 |
| 90 | 21.2059 |
| 100 | 1.4574 |
Figures from US period life tables (CDC/NCHS), 2021 edition. Its 5 worked examples are re-run on every release, last on 15 September 2026. What changed · how reference data is kept current
Sources and references
6 sources
What the Social Security Life Expectancy Calculator calculates
Remaining and total life expectancy at your current age from the published US period life table, with survival probabilities to later ages and an optional adjustment for smoking, weight, activity and alcohol using published years-of-life effects.
How to use this Social Security Life Expectancy Calculator
Enter Current age, Date of birth, As of and Life table. Years still expected updates as you type. Change one figure at a time to see what drives the result.
How the result is worked out
Open “How this is worked out” beside the result for the step-by-step calculation behind Years still expected, Expected age at death and Years still expected before adjustment.
The method follows Arias E, Xu JQ. United States Life Tables, 2021. National Vital Statistics Reports vol 72 no 12. NCHS, 2023, Social Security Administration, Actuarial Life Table (period life table), Jha P, Ramasundarahettige C, Landsman V, et al. 21st-Century Hazards of Smoking and Benefits of Cessation in the United States. N Engl J Med 368:341-350 (2013), Prospective Studies Collaboration. Body-mass index and cause-specific mortality in 900 000 adults. Lancet 373:1083-1096 (2009) and Moore SC, Patel AV, Matthews CE, et al. Leisure Time Physical Activity of Moderate to Vigorous Intensity and Mortality. PLoS Med 9(11):e1001335 (2012).
What you can compare
Change one input at a time to see how it affects Years still expected, Expected age at death and Years still expected before adjustment. The inputs you can vary are Current age, Date of birth, As of, Life table, Table source and Your own qx series.
Understanding Years still expected, Expected age at death and Years still expected before adjustment
A period life table describes a population under one year’s mortality rates. It is not a prediction about an individual and must not be used as medical advice or as the sole basis for a retirement, annuity or insurance decision.
Results are general information, not financial, tax, legal, medical or engineering advice. Check any decision that matters with a qualified professional.
See something wrong? Report a problem with this calculator
Frequently asked questions
What is the most accurate life expectancy calculator?
The Social Security Life Expectancy Calculator follows the stated method, but the result is only as reliable as Current age, Date of birth, As of, Life table and Table source and the assumptions shown. Check the working and sources before relying on it for an important decision.
What are the life expectancy tables for Social Security?
On the figures this page opens with — current age 0 years — the years still expected is 38.8 years. No single number fits everyone: change any figure above and the answer updates as you type, with each step of the arithmetic beside it.
What information do I need for the Social Security Life Expectancy Calculator?
You need Current age, Date of birth, As of, Life table, Table source, Your own qx series and Retirement age. The page opens with default figures that give years still expected of 38.8 years, so you can see the scale before entering your own.
What does this Social Security Life Expectancy Calculator show?
It shows Years still expected, Expected age at death, Years still expected before adjustment, Lifestyle adjustment, Where the adjustment comes from, Median years still to live, Chance of reaching 65 and Chance of reaching 75, with the working and any warnings for your entries.
Can I check how the Social Security Life Expectancy Calculator result was calculated?
Yes. The “How this is worked out” section shows the calculation steps, and the sources section identifies the references used for the method.