Retirement isn's what it used to be

Noah Sheidlower, MSN -   Fewer people are simply working 40 years, stepping away as Social Security kicks in, and then riding out their golden years. Over the last two years, I've interviewed more than 200 people who are still working past 80, and dozens more who retired in their 30s and 40s. Collectively, their stories lay bare how the traditional retirement path has withered away for millions of Americans.

As I reported in my "80 Over 80" series, 4.2% of the 80+ population still works, up from 3% in 2010, based on an analysis of Census data. The 75+ workforce is the fastest-growing of all demographics, while roughly one in five Americans 65+ works, double the rate in the 1980s. On the younger end, the FIRE (financial independence, retire early) movement has gained momentum as financial education moves into the mainstream. A 2023 survey of over 2,000 respondents conducted by The Harris Poll found that a quarter wanted to retire before turning 50, though the number who actually pull it off is much lower.

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