Many Americans try retirement, then change their minds

[MichaelB]

There are some interesting observations in the article which would resonate with many members here.

Longer lives, better health and less physically taxing jobs than in previous generations help provide that choice, Dr. Maestas pointed out. “You hear certain themes: A sense of purpose. Using your brain,” she said. “And another key component is social engagement.” Earning money, while welcomed, rarely proved the primary incentive.

Most retirees who returned to work told researchers they had long planned to re-enter the work force.

The implication that many people are retiring, then unretiring, is the headline and a key point of the article, but is not supported by the data. First, the journalist links two studies, presents them as independent, with one supporting the other. She neglects to mention that the lead researcher (Maestas) in both is the same individual, they certainly are not independent. The second study (RAND) barely mentions retirement, does not provide any data, and is entirely unsupportive of the “unretirement” conclusion.

The data set is a group of people that reported themselves as retired in 1992, and then tracked for 10 years. Of this group, about 19% said they went back to work, either full or part time. The largest cohort to return to work was people in their early 50’s. Not clear how long they worked, nor if they were “really retired” the first time around.

All of the other larger numbers thrown around the article confuse part time and fully retired. No real conclusions can be drawn, and it takes some real imagination to get to the 40%.

It’s a shame, really, because without the weak data, an interesting article could be written about how some people leave jobs they dislike, take some time off, then go back and find jobs they enjoy more. This allows them to find more balance in their lives.

 

[W2R]

+1

Grit and determination seem to be lacking in the current generation of retirees. I blame it on video games and social media. Our civilization is doomed if something isn't done to change this alarming decline of intestinal fortitude.

I agree, but I blame it on lack of sufficient video games.

I would NEVER give up on retirement in a million years. If I went back to work, I wouldn't have nearly as much time for all the video games and other leisure activities that I enjoy so much in retirement.

Retirement has been by far the best time in my life. I'd rather live in a refrigerator box under a bridge, than go back to work. But right now I have my dream house paid off, not to mention SS and mini-pension, so I doubt it would ever come to that.

 

[ER Eddie]

The implication that many people are retiring, then unretiring, is the headline and a key point of the article, but is not supported by the data.

Funny how often that happens.

 

[Maenad]

I've been hearing more stories too of people who retired, started doing all the things they loved, and then realized they could make money off of some of them. I know I'm not planning on that for myself, but if it would happen, I wouldn't turn down some extra dough!

 

[Winemaker]

I have found that I don't have enough time to get a j@b! After sleeping 7 uninterrupted hours, I get up without an alarm clock, no matter where I am in the hemisphere. There is always something to do, or "the warden" has a "honey do list". And as an aside, I never ever had an 8 hour w*rk day in my life til now. It's 8-4 or 9-5, and I get a "paid" lunch. Weekends are optional, that is MY option.

 

[scrabbler1]

No way would I ever change my mind. I would see going back to work, even part-time as a failure of my ER plan to actually work out as planned. That was 9 1/2 years ago, and I want no part of that whatsoever.


Simply not having to get up early in the morning regularly to catch a train, whether it was ~220 times during my FT working days, or 50, 100, or 50 times in my various PT days, is great! I don't mind having to get up early a few times a year to go to some rare all-day events associated with my volunteer work, or to drive my LF around to work or a doctor appointment.

 

[Walt34]

I'm one of those who did unretire for a while. I retired at 52, then stumbled across a low-stress job with a 3.4 mile commute and I worked 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM, which suited me just fine. At the time DW was spending a huge amount of time looking after her father, we've never cared much for travel, and I took the attitude of "I'll see how it goes and if I don't like it I'll quit". I was very much aware that working was optional and that I'd long ago earned my KMA* hat. Except for a few unfortunate souls with lots of debt almost everyone there was in that position and the supervisors knew it so they didn't even try to jerk anyone around.

At least two of the guys I worked with there were multimillionaires and said they were working just to have something to do. I stayed on there for ~5 years and when things turned south I quit.

*Kiss my A**

 

[sonnieseas]

I'm not retired, I'm an Asset Manager (my own!) It just doesn't take up much time

 

[Red Badger]

I would imagine that with the amount of INTJs on here, the social interaction aspect would be pretty far down the list of needs, me included.

+1. I get my SI dosage through a few hours a week at the soup kitchen. Don't really need it (social interaction) as I'm strong INT with weak J.

A paying job? Not in the rest of this lifetime. Who knows? Life could end tonight (but I'm still gonna top off the Keurig).

 

[EllisWyatt]

Retired ar 52 the first time. Lasted 6 months until I was offered a dream job. Worked that job for 6 years until it no longer was a dream but a nightmare. Retired again.
That retirement lasted 4 years until I decided I missed the technical/intellectual challenges of doing a job I enjoyed.
Started w**king again 2 months ago doing the technical job I enjoyed. Was promoted to management after 1 1/2 months (not given the option) so have turned in my resignation.
Have decided retirement is like dancing or playing music - some of us have to practice lto get it right

 

[ugeauxgirl]

+1. I get my SI dosage through a few hours a week at the soup kitchen. Don't really need it (social interaction) as I'm strong INT with weak J.

I'm gonna have to research this personality type thing. Somehow all of you managed to run across this in your work careers and I didn't. No idea what those letters mean, but I have been running across this on this website for years now and clearly I am missing out on important stuff.

 

[EllisWyatt]

The nice thing about be FI is that you have options. You can try out stuff and if it works out- Great! If you don't like it, or it doesn't make you happy, you have the option of trying something else.
Life is good.

 

[Morgan22]

I'm gonna have to research this personality type thing. Somehow all of you managed to run across this in your work careers and I didn't. No idea what those letters mean, but I have been running across this on this website for years now and clearly I am missing out on important stuff.

This explains the INTJ personality.
Portrait of an INTJ

 

[Moemg]

I retired and then returned on a very part time basis for one long year . I then retired but started an ebay business mostly to prove that I could do it . My daughter was in disbelief . I started selling things around the house and then I got a supplier for women's dresses and my business grew . I eventually became a top seller and after eight years I just closed shop . I was still making money but the thrill was gone . I never considered it a job . I did it on a part time basis in either my pj's or yoga pants. I considered it a profitable hobby .

 

[USGrant1962]

The nice thing about be FI is that you have options. You can try out stuff and if it works out- Great! If you don't like it, or it doesn't make you happy, you have the option of trying something else.
Life is good.

+1

 

[Dtail]

Retired for good. Will do whatever is necessary not to work again.

 

[Dash man]

Unretire? Does not compute.

 

[Jerry1]

I say, if you love what you do and want to do it in "retirement," who am I to criticize? I'm a bit envious of those who manage to find a job that doesn't seem like a "job" to them. Besides, someone has to keep paying into the SS trust fund.

I’ve only been retired a few months, but I’ve maintained that if there was ever a day I discover my passion, I’d do it in a minute.

 

[6miths]

Anything I have done since retiring 4 years ago that might be construed as w@#k I would do for nothing nd I chose the when and where. If people want to pay me something, I'm hardly going to say no. I still consider myself retired.

 

[Dash man]

I’ve only been retired a few months, but I’ve maintained that if there was ever a day I discover my passion, I’d do it in a minute.

Today is my fifth year anniversary of retirement. Never once considered going back to work. Who has time?

 

[NW-Bound]

.. Dr. Maestas pointed out. “You hear certain themes: A sense of purpose. Using your brain,” she said. “And another key component is social engagement.” Earning money, while welcomed, rarely proved the primary incentive.

I wanted to get this group's reaction to the article. Has anyone here retired, then changed their mind?

My family provides enough social engagement, supplemented by the time shooting the breeze here on this forum.

To use my brain, I created projects for myself. The only problem is if they are too hard, then I would wonder if I could be doing that for money instead.

Yes, I still like remuneration if possible, in addition to job satisfaction. Call me a mercenary, but that's how I feel.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

Some good posts on this thread, and also some condescending ones regarding disbelief that some would choose freely to go back to work. I will repeat my first post, I was FI when I first retired in the midst of the "Great Recession" and remain so today (and my net worth is almost 2X when I retired). Simply stated, between my pension and investments it would take a pretty catastrophic event to get me to a point where I would be forced to work. On top of that, my FI estimates don't include any social security, so that is further insurance of my plan. And yet I am back working.

Here's the thing. I am having fun doing it, and it is in no way like my previous high stress mega corp job. If it becomes high stress or no longer fun, I will quickly be out the door. In the meantime, I'm having plenty of time to cross country and down hill ski, run, walk, hike, and spend time outdoors. So I am getting plenty of both mental and physical stimulation.

What works for one doesn't work for all.

 

[tmm99]

I thought I would retire, but after 2 years of retirement, I was bored to tears. I don't have many hobbies and I don't have many friends. So I tried a full-time thing for one month and I absolutely hated it, except for the social aspect of it. Once I got into the retirement mode, having to get up at a certain time of the day every day was pure torture (It was interesting though that I felt such elation every Friday, the kind of feeling I hadn't felt since I retired.) Anyway, I've found a part-time, w*rk from home, freelance j*b and this fits the bill for me. It keeps my mind occupied, so now I don't have to feel desperate trying to find things to do. I take projects I want when I want them, and that's it. Sometimes I take a lot on and have a few days off after that, and it feels good, much better than having every day of the week off.

I can't rely on this j*b thing forever, so I should start making more friends and find more enjoyment in life by exploring my interests. Some people enjoy traveling or going to concerts or going to sports games, or finishing or whatever.

Anyway, so I do understand some people going back to w*rk after a few years of retirement. One time, I said to my friend who can retire financially, "why don't you retire?" and he said, "And do what?".

 

[dixonge]

I'm continually surprised at how few seem to be able to find any sort of challenge or fulfillment outside of a paid job. I've had to cut back on my hobbies a bit because it began to feel like work again with the pressure of me being obligated to show up at certain places. Spanish lessons and homework, even bridge lessons and homework. Then an acquaintance talked me into buying a keyboard and working up some set lists to play in local bars/restaurants. Dropped the spanish and bridge. Still behind on my genealogy and photography, still missing a lot of hiking and birding outings, still haven't managed to make it to the rock climbing gym.

Why in the world would I want to go back to a J-O-B? And how would I fit it into my schedule?

 

[HadEnuff]

I've known a few who did go back to work. In each case it was a man who retired, but whose wife was still working, and planned to indefinitely. The retired guy couldn't do all of the traveling (and snowbirding) he'd anticipated for his retirement, so he went back to work.

They all seemed quite happy to have tried it, and happier back working than they had been before they tried it.