Life Expectancy & The Cost of Inequality: A Hard Lesson From Arlington Cemetery

?? What can a graveyard teach us about life expectancy?

More than you might think.

While studying at Columbia College, I conducted a life expectancy study at Arlington National Cemetery while stationed at Fort Myer, Virginia, with the 3rd US Infantry Regiment, "The Old Guard," analyzing the headstones of Civil War soldiers.

The results were stark:

?? Enlisted men—the ones who dug the trenches, fought in brutal hand-to-hand combat, and endured horrific POW conditions—rarely lived past their 50s.

?? Officers—who strategized from horseback, lived with privileges and avoided the worst of the battlefield—often made it into their 70s.

The difference?

Lifestyle, conditions, and access to resources. The frontline soldiers faced trauma, malnutrition, and disease. The officers had better food, medical care, and living standards.

Fast forward to today, and we see the same patterns of inequality—just on a different battlefield.

A new study in The Lancet reveals that the life expectancy gap in America has nearly doubled since 2000. Native Americans in the western U.S. now have a life expectancy below 64 years, comparable to some of the poorest nations in the world. Meanwhile, many Asian Americans live past 84, on par with Switzerland and Japan.

?? Low income? Shorter life.

?? Lack of healthcare? Shorter life.

?? Education, wealth, and resources? Longer life.

And here’s the brutal truth:

If your family is struggling to pay bills now, how will they afford a funeral when the inevitable happens?

?? The national median cost of a funeral with a viewing and burial in 2023 was $8,300, while the median cost of a funeral with cremation was $6,280. (nfda.org)

?? But final expenses go beyond the funeral itself. The average American household's monthly expenses are about $6,440 (nerdwallet.com), and it's recommended to plan for 1.5 times your monthly expenses for final costs—bringing the total final expense estimate to $9,660.

?? Funeral + Final Expenses = $18,000+ ??

That’s a devastating financial burden when grief already weighs heavy.

That’s why I tell my clients about the "Dollar a Day" philosophy—for the cost of a cup of coffee, you can ensure your family won’t have to set up a GoFundMe, much like Adan Manzano Aguilar's family who was tragically stolen from us who worked for Telemundo here in Kansas City while covering the Super Bowl, when tragedy strikes.

You can’t change the past but can secure your family’s future.

?? Message me today. Let’s talk about how to protect your loved ones before it’s too late.

#LifeExpectancy #FinancialProtection #LegacyPlanning #HistoryRepeats #Inequality #Veterans #FamilyFirst