life

(Less Than) Random Thoughts on Retirement – 05.03.26

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Yes dear reader, yet another post in the never ending series of random thoughts on retirement. https://lifeunderwriter.net/tag/random-thoughts-on-retirement/

Though the traditional retirement age in the U.S. typically falls between 62 and 67, many Americans continue working beyond that point. As of 2024, slightly more than 22% of adults aged 65 and older are still employed, either full-time or part-time. Though the traditional retirement age in the U.S. typically falls between 62 and 67, many Americans continue working beyond that point. As of 2024, slightly more than 22% of adults aged 65 and older are still employed, either full-time or part-time. – https://financebuzz.com/working-in-retirement-data

I’m not the only Old Guy who is still working past age 65.

But despite the fact I’m not the only Old Guy who is still working past age 65 more people are starting retirements earlier than they expected (always have a Plan B and maybe even a Plan C).

2026 EBRI/Greenwald Retirement Confidence Survey https://www.ebri.org/content/2026-ebri-greenwald-retirement-confidence-survey

I just learned I’m not the only Old Guy who still has a mortgage.

Over the past three decades, the share of homeowners ages 65 to 79 with a mortgage rose from 24% to 41%, while median mortgage debt surged by 400%, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. More Americans aging into retirement are still paying down mortgages – https://www.marketplace.org/story/2025/06/09/more-older-americans-continue-to-pay-mortgages

I also learned about the disappearance of structured cognitive demand in retirement.

A 2025 systematic review published in Health Psychology Review found that retirement is associated with measurable cognitive decline, not just because people age, but because structured cognitive demand disappears. Researchers have called it “mental retirement”: The brain follows the body’s example and withdraws from challenge. Gary Has a Plan for Retirement: Crash on the Sofa and Veg. Here’s the Problem With That …https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/retirement-planning/your-long-term-retirement-plan-needs-a-purpose

I’m now paranoid about the disappearance of structured cognitive demand with a mortgage to pay off and too scared to retire.

Concerning Trends in Retirement – More Less Than Random Thoughts

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  • Lack of sufficient savings
  • Inflationary pressures
  • Rising credit card debt
  • Half of respondents said they had saved less than what was needed for retirement.
  • When we asked an open-ended question about why they rated their satisfaction with retired life as they did, inflation was a major reason.

The ‘Concerning Trends’ in Retirement Now – https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/concerning-trends-in-retirement-now

I’ve decided not to retire. Wait, let me clarify my statement.

I’ve not changed my mind about my decision not to retire five years ago.

I love double negative sentences.

 Fewer than twenty percent of older people worldwide enjoy a retirement pension that is enough for them to live off. Although countries like China and India are now also developing their pension systems, the prospect of most older people receiving pensions totaling 60 to 70% of their final salaries remains a long way off.

The invention of retirement – https://www.swisslife.com/en/home/blog/interview-matthieu-leimgruber.html

The majority of our friends are retired. I’m always asked when I’m going to retire. My quick answer was always “Don’t know”. I’ve since modified my response to “Two to four years”. This has been my answer for the past two years. Might still be my answer next year too.

https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/retirement-planning/the-90-rule-of-retirement-live-long-and-prosper

Nearly 40% of Americans ages 55 and older were employed in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — a striking shift that’s even more dramatic when you look at the oldest workers. Today, 2.8 million men over 70 are working in the U.S. — part of an extraordinary long-term transformation in which employment among Americans 75 and older has quadrupled since 1964. More Americans are ‘unretiring’: 5 money factors to weigh before joining them – https://www.aol.com/finance/retirement-planning/article/unretiring-is-trending-5-money-factors-you-should-consider-first-153926242.html

I think I’ll retire in two to four years.