By Rodney Brooks
The Washington Post
A whopping 75 percent of Americans say they plan to work “as long as possible” in retirement, according to a survey by Bankrate.com.
For many, it’s not because they love their jobs.
In fact, only 38 percent say they plan to work because they want to.
Another 35 percent say they plan to work because they need the money.
The remaining 27 percent said they plan to stay on the job for both reasons — they need the money and want to work.
According to the survey, 47 percent of retirees are either very worried or somewhat worried about outliving their retirement savings. That’s up from 37 percent the last time the question was asked in 2009.
What’s almost shocking? Only 25 percent said they had no plans to work during retirement.
“Working during retirement brings a lot of benefits,” says Jill Cornfield, Bankrate.com retirement analyst. “I’m not surprised that nearly three quarters of people said they’d like to work as long as they can while in retirement. It’s not just the money. When you can work as a consultant or find some part-time gig, it really helps you stay sharp.”
A reality check for most people planning to work through retirement: Most surveys show that even though a majority of Americans plan to keep working, most cannot because of health issues, layoffs or because they have to care for spouses or parents.
— The Washington Post
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