In the three-year period 2020-2022, the provisional value of life expectancy at age 65 was estimated at 19.30 years, showing a reduction of 0.05 years compared to the three-year period 2019-2021, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE). With this value, the retirement age should remain, in 2024, at 66 years and 4 months.

"The provisional value of life expectancy at age 65, calculated annually by INE, is released in November of each year, as provided for in Decree-Law No. Decree-Law No. 167-E/2013, of December 31, for the purpose of determining the normal age for access to the general social security regime old-age pension and the sustainability factor to be applied to the statutory amount of old-age pensions of the general social security regime", can be read in the report.

According to the rules in force, those who retire before the retirement age will have a cut in the value of their pension through the sustainability factor - a mechanism that adjusts the retirement age to the average life expectancy - and a monthly penalty of 0. 5% for each month in advance of the legal retirement age or personal retirement age.

Life expectancy at age 65, it should be noted, corresponds to the "average number of years that a person who reaches the exact age of 65 can still expect to live, maintaining the mortality rates by age observed at the moment".