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Life Expectancies

A life expectancy table shows an average future lifetime for retirement plan members from each attained age.  We based the table shown below on the RP-2000 combined healthy mortality table,* with mortality improvements projected to the year 2011.  We used 50 percent of Scale AA* for the annual mortality improvement factors.

We use the mortality rates from the underlying mortality table to estimate survivorship both pre- and post-retirement.  Based on actual plan experience, we set rates “back” or “forward” for some plans.  A “set back” means that at each attained age, a member has the life expectancy of a younger person.  A “set forward” is just the opposite; members have the life expectancy of older individuals.  The following table displays the age offsets (in years) for each of Washington’s public pension systems.  Negative numbers denote set backs.

System PERS TRS SERS PSERS LEOFF WSP
  Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female
Age Offsets -1 -1 -2 -2 0 -2 -1 -1 -1 1 -1 1
 

To use the life expectancy table: Find your age in the column below, then look to the appropriate gender column on the right to find the additional number of years you may expect to live. It is important to note that one-half of individuals can expect to live beyond their life expectancy and one-half will not live to that age. We apply these tables to large populations; they are not intended for individual retirement planning purposes.

Life Expectancy Using the RP-2000 Combined Healthy Mortality Table Projected to 2011*
Age Male Female Age Male Female
18 62 65 65 18 20
19 61 64 66 17 19
20 60 63 67 16 18
21 59 62 68 15 17
22 58 61 69 14 17
23 57 60 70 14 16
24 56 59 71 13 15
25 55 58 72 12 15
26 54 57 73 12 14
27 53 56 74 11 13
28 52 55 75 10 12
29 51 54 76 10 12
30 50 53 77 9 11
31 49 52 78 9 11
32 48 51 79 8 10
33 47 50 80 7 9
34 46 49 81 7 9
35 45 48 82 6 8
36 44 47 83 6 8
37 43 46 84 6 7
38 42 45 85 5 7
39 41 44 86 5 6
40 40 43 87 4 6
41 39 42 88 4 5
42 38 41 89 4 5
43 37 40 90 3 5
44 37 39 91 3 4
45 36 38 92 3 4
46 35 37 93 3 4
47 34 36 94 3 4
48 33 35 95 2 3
49 32 34 96 2 3
50 31 33 97 2 3
51 30 32 98 2 3
52 29 31 99 2 3
53 28 31 100 2 3
54 27 30 101 2 3
55 26 29 102 2 3
56 25 28 103 2 2
57 24 27 104 2 2
58 23 26 105 2 2
59 23 25 106 1 2
60 22 24 107 1 2
61 21 23 108 1 2
62 20 22 109 1 2
63 19 22 110 1 2
64 18 21      
*RP-2000 Combined Healthy mortality table and Scale AA were both 
published by the Society of Actuaries.  As we project improvements
into the future, life expectancies improve slightly each year.  This
table does not use age offsets.  We determine mortality rates for 
disabled members using a separate table.