Life Expectancy for Public Safety Retirees

There appears to be a persistent belief among public safety employees that there is a substantial difference in life expectancy between public safety retirees and the rest of the retiree population.  In counseling sessions with members, this has been expressed in a number of ways, with some believing that public safety retirees live on average only seven years after retirement, or that their life expectancy is ten years less than other retirees.  Since a mistaken belief about one’s life expectancy can lead one to plan insufficiently for retirement, the Retirement Office felt it was important to address this issue.

A review of our retiree data over the last eight years shows no significant difference in life expectancy between public safety retirees (those classified in Group 4) and the rest of the retiree population (those classified in Groups 1 and 2).

In comparing the actual ages at death for all deceased Cambridge retirees between 2009 and 2017, including Superannuation, Accidental Disability and in-service deaths, we found that Group 1 and 2 retirees had an average life expectancy that was about two months longer than the group 4 retirees.  During the period under review, there were 925 retiree deaths.  661 of them were either Group 1 or Group 2, and 264 were from Group 4. 

A study conducted by the California Public Employees Retirement System found similar results, with public safety retirees living slightly longer than other retirees, but also within 2-3 months of each other.  That study is attached below.

The numbers shown above are only averages.  When planning for retirement, it is certainly helpful for members to make a frank assessment of their own health, and that of their spouse, particularly when considering which option to select at retirement.  We also encourage all public safety members to consult with a physician in the years preceding retirement, as a means of determining if they may be eligible for an Accidental Disability benefit under the Heart, Lung or Cancer presumptions.