Most boomers are painfully aware of how badly prepared they are for retirement. Almost half of them have saved virtually nothing for their golden years. The situation is not pretty.
The only solution for many is to work full-time to age 70 (and beyond for some) or to transition into part-time employment after their full retirement age – 65 or 66 depending on your birth year.
But if the numbers I am seeing about employment after retirement are correct, the love generation could be in store for a rude awakening.
Most boomers assume employers are supportive of people working past age 65. They assume that their employers will allow them to transition to part-time work and will provide benefits for part-time employees. They also assume that staying healthy and performing well in their current positions is enough to guarantee they’ll be able to hold on to their jobs.
Unfortunately, recent research says nothing could be further from reality.
Everyone by now is aware that age discrimination is rampant, and it is the one type of discrimination this country accepts. As a result, 37% of the long-term unemployed population in this country is older than 55.
If you are between the ages of 55 and 64, it takes twice as long to find a job as it would if you were in your 20s.
A Society for Human Resource Management study reported that only 5% of employers offer a phased retirement program and few employers offer part-time opportunities.
Of the employers who offer any part-time positions for those of retirement age, even fewer offer the same benefit packages that they offer full-time workers.
I meant it when I said this situation was not pretty. But there are things you can do to make your work situation after retirement viable.
First, we have a lot of experience under our belts – experience that younger workers can benefit from. Consider offering yourself as a mentor to your current employer.
If you’re as good as you think you are at your job, your boss should be open to using what you’ve learned over the last 40-some years to benefit his newer folks.
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