# Life Expectancy

*Insurance — Finicade finance glossary*

Life expectancy is the average remaining years of life at a given age — and planning to it means roughly half of people run out of money. Two subtleties matter: expectancy rises as you age, since you've already survived the risks that killed others, and a couple's joint expectancy is materially longer than either individual's. Retirement plans should target a high percentile, not the average.

**Also known as:** expected lifespan, period life expectancy

**Related terms:** [Mortality Table](https://finicade.com/glossary/mortality-table), [Longevity Risk](https://finicade.com/glossary/longevity-risk), [Annuity](https://finicade.com/glossary/annuity), [Required Minimum Distribution (RMD)](https://finicade.com/glossary/required-minimum-distribution), [Safe Withdrawal Rate](https://finicade.com/glossary/safe-withdrawal-rate)

Source: https://finicade.com/glossary/life-expectancy