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I like a flat 50 years. Even if an author is 21 when his first book is published and is still living when it goes out of copyright, it is highly likely that he has written more books in the intervening 50 years and has potential income from those works.
But the decision shouldn't be based entirely on financial considerations. If an author writes only crappy novels, they're not going to make him or his estate any money if they stayed in copyright for 125 years!
One wants the protection for her intellectual property for a reasonable period of time -- and a chance for financial gain during such time if the work is of high quality and/or high public appeal. (We all know that an established author can make LOTS of money with a dismal product, and some excellent works just don't sell because they don't catch the eye of the consumer.)
I'm impressed by the authors who generously encourage others to write fan fiction set in the worlds that they have created. Several authors have been able to sell their original works after getting a start this way.
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