How long will your retirement last? It’s a question many Americans haven’t thought through carefully enough, and the answer may surprise you.

According to a March 2026 report from the TIAA Institute, only about one-third of Americans can correctly answer a basic question about how much longer a 65-year-old woman is likely to live.

The correct answer, which is roughly 22 more years, to age 87, stumps many people. That knowledge gap has real consequences for retirement planning.

The Numbers May Surprise You

The life expectancy figures most of us learned in school are calculated at birth. But here’s the key insight: life expectancy rises with age. A man who turns 65 today can expect to live another 19 years, to around age 84. A woman of the same age will live nearly 22 more years on average.

Simply put, the longer you live, the longer you’re likely to keep living.

Underestimating Can Be Costly

When people underestimate how long they’ll live, they tend to plan for a shorter retirement and that can be a costly mistake. More than half of those who underestimated life expectancy said they expected to live fewer than 20 years after retiring, an estimate that’s likely too low.

Many Americans retire in their early 60s. Many financial services professionals suggest preparing for a retirement that’s 30 years or more, depending on your personal situations and needs.

When gauging your own longevity, resist relying solely on family history. Life expectancy tends to improve with each generation.

Talk with your financial services professional about building a strategy designed to help you go the distance!