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Retirement is no longer synonymous with ceasing to work. In fact, many people feel that leaving the workforce isn’t financially feasible. According to a new survey by AARP Research, 42% of adults age 50-plus either are working in retirement for financial reasons or expect to do so. 

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Key Findings

Over half (57%) of all nonretirees age 50-plus expect to work in retirement for financial reasons.

  • Among nonretirees who are currently working, 63% think they will need to work in retirement for financial reasons 

  • Among nonretirees who are not currently working, 40% think they will need to work in retirement for financial reasons.

Roughly 3 in 10 (29%) of all retirees age 50-plus are either already working in retirement for financial reasons or expect that they will need to do so. 

  • Among retirees who are currently working, 55% say the main reason they continue to work is out of financial need.

  • Among retirees who are not currently working, 25% think they will need to work during their retirement years for financial reasons.

Methodology

The survey was fielded May 19–23, 2022 among 1,016 adults age 50-plus in the Foresight50+ panel. Funded and operated by NORC at the University of Chicago, Foresight50+ is a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the U.S. household population age 50 or older.

For more information, please contact S. Kathi Brown at skbrown@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.