Full Citation
Title: When I'm 54: Working longer starts younger than we think
Citation Type: Working Paper
Publication Year: 2021
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Abstract: Those who are not employed during their 50s – and who may not be candidates for working into their 60s – are frequently invisible in the working longer discussion. We bring these individuals back into the conversation by examining who is and is not working in their 50s, the stability of individuals’ employment in their 50s, and their likelihood of working into their 60s. We find that those who lack stable employment during their 50s are disproportionately nonwhite, women, and those without college degrees. While disadvantaged groups start from a lower base, employment rates fall by about 20 percentage points for all groups between ages 50 and 60. We also find that continuous employment during one’s 50s appears to be a critical foundation for working longer, but about half of Americans do not have continuous employment during their 50s. Policies that improve the quality and consistency of employment in late middle age may increase rates of working longer.
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Authors: Truesdale, Beth C; Berkman, Lisa; Mitukiewicz, Alexandra
Series Title: HCPDS Working Paper Series
Publication Number: 21:9
Institution: The Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies
Pages: 1-47
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Data Collections: IPUMS CPS
Topics: Aging and Retirement, Labor Force and Occupational Structure
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