There’s an old joke about a mugger who points a gun at a man and asks, “Your money or your life?” The man pauses and then answers, “My life. I’m saving my money for my old age.” Like many jokes, this one has a tie to reality. The truth is that money and life often go together. According to a new study that looked at lifespans in the US and UK, being wealthy adds nine years to life expectancy.

+ Researchers “analyzed how well various factors including education, social class and wealth predicted how long a person would live free of conditions that might impair them from activities such as getting out of bed or cooking for themselves — the study’s definition of ‘disability-free’ and ‘healthy.’ Everything paled in comparison with wealth.” NYT: Rich People Don’t Just Live Longer. They Also Get More Healthy Years. (The only downside to the extra years is the inflation…)