To Each Their Own: "Why Retire?"

[Al in Ohio]

People are living longer and some people still need to earn a living.

Past FRA there is not penalty for working while drawing SS, AFAIK.

Actually people HAD been living longer, but now the trend is reversing back downwards. The current lifespan of those able to retire now is lower than their parents. It has been getting very little press yet.

 

[Al in Ohio]

When talking in percentages I wonder if the pool of >75 workers is very small. So fairly easy to effect change in % terms.

The percent is stated in terms of total workforce so you’re misunderstanding the pool size with your math.

 

[samcat]

The funny thing is, I have told my management to feel free to move me aside to save someone else's job or to allow them to hire new folks, and so far they do not want to do that... but they have me doing more mentoring of the new folks, which is something I enjoy. As my manager commented, "it goes beyond what we pay you, it goes to the way you are influencing the next generation to get to your level and skills, and we appreciate that". At least, they do so for now.

I wish there was a like button!

 

[Souschef]

I wish there was a like button!

Here you go

 

[Walt34]

Actually people HAD been living longer, but now the trend is reversing back downwards. The current lifespan of those able to retire now is lower than their parents. It has been getting very little press yet.

I've seen several articles on it. Much is attributed to drug overdoses but I suspect obesity has a lot to do with it as well. Looking at photos of crowds from 30+ years ago one just doesn't see the obesity that is so common now.

But WV leads the nation in both problems so that may be why I see more press about it.

 

[livingalmostlarge]

My dad is still working at 87. Does not need it and my mom talks about all the time RMD.

 

[Jerry1]

The funny thing is, I have told my management to feel free to move me aside to save someone else's job or to allow them to hire new folks, and so far they do not want to do that... but they have me doing more mentoring of the new folks, which is something I enjoy. As my manager commented, "it goes beyond what we pay you, it goes to the way you are influencing the next generation to get to your level and skills, and we appreciate that". At least, they do so for now.

This is exactly what I wanted to do but company was so short sighted that they did not see the value over current budgetary wins. I told company two years ago that I wanted to go part time and then retire. I wanted to mentor my replacement and do other special projects. All was going as planned until the week or so that it was supposed to take effect and they pulled the job posting for my position. They let me go part time, but never filled my position. Fast forward two years and another budget cut. I volunteered to get let go and it looks like they are going to pick me. I'll know for sure later this week if they go through with it, but it looks like a go. I would have stayed longer if I could have helped the next generation but the atmosphere is so worry about today's budget (bonus) and the hell with tomorrow that it's basically toxic at this point. So sad.

 

[joeea]

The current lifespan of those able to retire now is lower than their parents.

What leads you to that conclusion?

You used the term lifespan here rather than life expectancy. Do you perhaps mean maximum lifespan or something else?

Do you mean in the US?

I'd love to see reliable data that supports your conclusion, but I believe you are incorrect.

Please provide a link.

 

[Aerides]

Google found this on the first page, from Dec 2017:

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/12/life-expectancy/548981/

"For the first time since the early 1960s, life expectancy in the United States has declined for the second year in a row, according to a CDC report released Thursday. American men can now expect to live 76.1 years, a decrease of two-tenths of a year from 2015. American women’s life expectancy remained at 81.1 years.

The change was driven largely by a rising death rate among younger Americans. The death rate of people between the ages of 25 and 34 increased by 10 percent between 2015 and 2016, while the death rate continued to decrease for people over the age of 65."

 

[joeea]

Google found this on the first page, from Dec 2017:

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/12/life-expectancy/548981/

"For the first time since the early 1960s, life expectancy in the United States has declined for the second year in a row, according to a CDC report released Thursday. American men can now expect to live 76.1 years, a decrease of two-tenths of a year from 2015. American women’s life expectancy remained at 81.1 years.

The change was driven largely by a rising death rate among younger Americans. The death rate of people between the ages of 25 and 34 increased by 10 percent between 2015 and 2016, while the death rate continued to decrease for people over the age of 65."

Sorry, but that doesn't support the premise that "The current lifespan of those able to retire now is lower than their parents."

Unless you are saying that the parents are just a few years older than those able to retire now? (Even then it doesn't work).

 

[FlaGator]

so, if one is over 65 and not a drug user, life is good?

 

[jollystomper]

so, if one is over 65 and not a drug user, life is good?

I think that has been the case for a number of years.

 

[harley]

Speaking as a 62 y.o. drug user, life is good. Of course, almost everybody is a drug user in some form (alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, aspirin and other OTCs, prescriptions, whatever). But the best ones are fun. Who wants to live forever?