It used to be a foregone conclusion that most people would retire at around or 65 years old, but as with many aspects of their lives so far, the baby boomer generation doesn’t seem to be holding to that pattern. Many baby boomers (now aged 51-70) seem to have very little interest in permanently quitting work. Instead, for many reasons, they’re choosing to stay in the workforce in some capacity long after the age their parents might have retired.
Various studies on this subject have revealed vastly different data about how many people this trend affects. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20% of Americans over the age of 65 are now employed. Data from the University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study, however, shows that number to be significantly higher. That study found that 60% of men and women of retirement age don’t plan to leave the labor force when they leave their full-time careers.