Work after retirement: intentions,realities and implications

The economic security of families in retirement is a function of levels of inflation and how well families can adjust their retirement incomes to meet inflation. One way of buffering the effects of inflation is to work part-time after retirement from one's main job. Studies of retired people, however, have indicated that levels of post-retirement work are low. This study of a near-retirement aged cohort offered a special early retirement incentive indicates that intentions to work after retirement from their main job are consistent with previous retired cohorts' work levels. On average, respondents anticipated working less than 3·5 h per week or less than 10 weeks per year. Major factors affecting the hours or weeks of work desired were age, life expectancy, perceived retirement income adequacy, marital status, health, sex, area of residence and education.