Do you know of anyone who should be retired by now yet he/she finds himself well over the age of 65 in a position where he/she should continue doing something for a living?

I know a medical transcriptionist who is 84 and still working at the county hospital . She types like a bandit and knows all the medical terms so the doctors love it when she does their work. She works 2–3 days per week because she wants to – and they pay her.

The way your question is written is awkward. There are plenty of people who are 65 who cannot afford to retire. Many people have lost their pensions due to company closings, financial reversals, etc. on the part of their employer. Likewise their personal investments have tanked. I have twice lost almost 50% of my investments during the last 12 years. As the age for Social Security continues to go up, more and more people will not be able to afford to retire. Wanting to retire and being able to retire are two different things.

I work with someone who is 68 years old and still going strong. He and his wife have a middle school aged child, and he cannot afford to both retire and put their child through college. You would not guess that he’s 68; he seems about 10 years younger.

My neighbor is 86, and while retired, she volunteers 40+ hours a week at about 5 different causes. She might as well be working full time.

I know several people in their late 50’s who retired from state or city government, drew their pension, and then were rehired by the state or city government at ¾ time a higher salary than they were earning before they retired. They are now both working almost full time and drawing their retirement benefits.

Me! me!—though I’m not much past official retirement age. But really, I’m not hanging on for dear life—just not quite ready to walk away from a fairly secure position and decent fulltime salary. Nonetheless, I’m busily laying the groundwork for that inevitable walk-away day—looking for part-time work and freelance writing jobs, exploring volunteer opportunities, and planning other ways to fill time in my autumnal years.

Both my parents are 75 and just renewed their Realtor licenses for another 2 years when they say they will retire. Been saying that same thing for over 10 years now!

So the majority CAN definitely afford to retire but won’t because they want to keep themselves busy and active, which is WONDERFUL. BUT are there many who simply cannot retire due to some reasons mentioned by BarnacleBill?

Where did yo get the idea that the majority can retire but don’t want to? From 4 fluther answers?

Yes; two men, one is 71 (college professor), one is 66 (commercial real estate broker). Both are doing well but just don’t feel they should or want to make that break yet . I actually know More professors like that. A lot of men feel that it’s the Beginning of the End to retire. Others can’t wait !

@tinyfaery I guess you’re right.

I have a friend who’s approaching 70 and owns his own business as an X-ray engineer. (There’s just himself and one secretary). He won’t retire because he loves his work and he hasn’t found anyone he trusts enough to take over the business.

We have a friend who is over retirement age and he does his job (engineering), travelling up and down the country 5+ days a week. He just loves what he is doing, and doesn’t see any reason to retire.

My Father-In-Law never retired, he was active in Real Estate until he died just before his 90th birthday, and his estate was active until finally dissolved months later.

I am over 65, but I expect to work at home for the rest of my life.

My pool cleaner is well past retirement age, but he is self employed, with no social security benefits available, and must keep working.

My brother was working well past retirement age, and only quit because his boss, age 82, died and the company was sold off.