Reference
Last updated: May 2026 (period table: 2022-2024)
New Zealand life expectancy from the Stats NZ life tables. Life expectancy matters for retirement planning: how long your savings need to last depends on how long you are likely to live. The figures below are from the period life table (based on recent death rates); a person already aged 65 can expect to live well beyond the life-expectancy-at-birth figure.
Retirement Calculator Drawdown Calculator Annuity vs Drawdown| Gender | Life expectancy at birth |
|---|---|
| Male | 80.1 years |
| Female | 83.5 years |
| Type | What it assumes |
|---|---|
| Period life table | Uses current death rates as if they stayed fixed for life. The standard published figure (80.1 / 83.5). |
| Cohort life table | Allows for likely future improvements in mortality. On this basis, children born in the early 2020s could expect to live to around 89 (boys) and 92 (girls). |
For planning a retirement that starts at 65, the cohort view and the life-expectancy-at-65 figures are more useful than life expectancy at birth, because they reflect that someone who has already reached 65 has a good chance of living into their late 80s or beyond. Many planners use age 90 to 95 as a prudent planning horizon, so savings do not run out too early.
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