In the US, people keep retiring later in life

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Thursday, October 4. 2018

In the US, people keep retiring later in life

Why Americans Are Retiring Later. I don't think it's just about money. People find purpose and challenge in work, and the relational part is important too.

I know people in their 80s who work. If you ask them about it, they say things like "What good would I be?" or "What would I do all day? Play golf?"

Posted by The Barrister in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 14:33 | Comments (13) | Trackbacks (0)

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I guess you're only focusing on white collar work, where the work itself doesn't wear out your body.

Still, I think it's sad that there are people who can't imagine anything other than work to do.

I just retired, and i have years (God willing) of things stacked up that I will love doing , but which nobody would pay me for.

#1 RJ on 2018-10-04 16:13 (Reply)

I am 69 and still working. When people ask, my glib answer is 'more time and less money is not a good combination"

The truth is, though, I want to stay constructively functional, keep on my toes, keep competitive in the workplace. Once you stop, it's very easy to lose your sense of direction.

#2 jay (Link) on 2018-10-04 16:14 (Reply)

Depends on the work. Man in my church is in his early 80s. He paints houses and does snow removal. I never hear out of his mouth how much he loves still working. He does it to put food on the table. I think he'd love to actually stop working.

#3 MissT on 2018-10-04 16:32 (Reply)

I retired at 56. I am 75 now. Happy I did it and would have retired even earlier if I could have. I liked work and was unemployed for exactly one week in my life. But I like retirement even better.

#4 GoneWithTheWind on 2018-10-04 16:40 (Reply)

An old timer told me about retirement when I was 22. He said it allowed him to live a life of leisure. He was able to spend his days painting, woodworking and gardening.

Next day I retired. So I painted the barn, cut some firewood and planted the garden. Easy peasy.

#5 Jon from Illinois on 2018-10-04 17:20 (Reply)

My uncle had to keep working. Some poor decisions and some divorces left him with no money-in spite of his well-paying corporate VP job. He kept working as a consultant, until at age 87 he could no longer get on a plane. He died a year later.

His working helped keep him as vigorous as possible- as did his workouts.

#6 Gringo on 2018-10-04 17:34 (Reply)

Um, no. It's about money.

#7 Alex G on 2018-10-04 19:20 (Reply)

I absolutely love to work. I get a great deal of satisfaction out of it. It's not that important a job but my clients tell me how wonderful I am all the time and I know they don't actually know me they just know I did what I said I was going to do but I still like hearing it

#8 Whitney (Link) on 2018-10-04 19:33 (Reply)

In my case it is not about money it is the completely screwed up health care insurance caused by Obamacare. I have enough money to quit but insurance is too expensive so I work in a job I hate. (2 Masters and a PhD)

#9 keith on 2018-10-05 07:52 (Reply)

so........it really IS about money

#9.1 Alex G (Link) on 2018-10-05 08:00 (Reply)

I bet that the people who want to work into their 70s and 80s don't have a job; they have a vocation. Most people don't have work as a vocation and to punch in and out until you die is a harsh life.

If basic, private medical insurance was affordable a lot more people could afford to retire and would.

#10 Jack Walter on 2018-10-05 08:14 (Reply)

I like my job, enough so it's also a hobby.
But that doesn't mean I want to keep slaving away at it 7-5, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year, doing the bidding of often irate managers and/or customers, longer than I have to.

I'd still do what I love, but I'd do it on my own schedule, choosing my own projects to spend time on, not being subject to the constant stress of deadlines and budget restrictions.

#11 JTW on 2018-10-05 15:15 (Reply)

I see a lot of 70-80 year olds working the windows at McDonald's. It always makes me sad. There but for the grace of God...

#12 snopercod on 2018-10-05 17:56 (Reply)

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Thursday, October 4. 2018

In the US, people keep retiring later in life