Subject: Re: taking SS early
Don't forget that wealthier people tend to live a lot longer than the average Social Security beneficiary. Those in the Top 10% of the income and wealth pyramid live 5 or 6 years longer than average.

http://www.equality-of-opportu...

Great example of how to lie with statistics, that web site.

The first chart "Life Expectancy vs. Income in the United States" shows ALL life expectancy, whereas the appropriate data would be LE of people who are 62 or 65 years old. Because THAT is what we care about.

Nonetheless, I don't disagree with the overall thesis that rich people on average live longer than non-rich people.

However, another question that keeps getting ignored is utility of money and quality of life. Some of my direct ancestors lived their last few years drooling in a nursing home.
I know for a fact that things like travel, etc. are much easier at 62 than at 80. Not many 80 year old Machu Picchu hikers.


If you don't have a medical diagnoses that portends a shorter life expectancy, I'd be using the life expectancy based on my wealth/income.

I also know for a fact that a person can go from "no medical problems" to "get your affairs in order before the weekend" in an eyeblink.

Personally, I estimate my LE as the figure from the SS LE table plus 5 years.
My kids have been directed -- with a wink and a nudge -- that if I ever get to the drooling-in-my-mush state that they should find a high cliff for me to slip off of. An option that is only available to people with kids & family.