How long can a copyright typically last?

The duration of copyright protection is typically the life of the author plus 70 years. This duration reflects the intention to provide authors and creators with a significant amount of time to benefit from their original works after their death, allowing their heirs and beneficiaries to also profit from their creations.

This timeframe was established to encourage creativity and innovation by ensuring that the rights to the work remain with the creator (or their estate) for a substantial period. After this period, the work falls into the public domain, making it free for anyone to use without permission or payment of fees.

The other options do not accurately represent the current copyright law. Ten years is not sufficient to cover most copyright protections, and while certain protections like trademarks may last indefinitely, copyright specifically does not. Additionally, five years from publication is also incorrect, as there is no such standard duration under U.S. copyright law.