scholarly journals How Did the Recession of 2007-2009 Affect the Wealth and Retirement of the Near Retirement Age Population in the Health and Retirement Study?

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Gustman ◽  
Thomas Steinmeier ◽  
Nahid Tabatabai
Keyword(s):  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Retirement Age ◽  
Retirement Study

scholarly journals What the Stock Market Decline Means for the Financial Security and Retirement Choices of the Near-Retirement Population

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan L Gustman ◽  
Thomas L Steinmeier ◽  
Nahid Tabatabai
Keyword(s):  
Stock Market ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Housing Prices ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Retirement Age ◽  
Defined Benefit ◽  
Defined Contribution ◽  
Defined Contribution Plans ◽  
Retirement Study

This paper investigates the effect of the current recession on the retirement age population. Data from the Health and Retirement Study suggest that those approaching retirement age (early boomers ages 53 to 58 in 2006) have only 15.2 percent of their wealth in stocks, held directly or in defined contribution plans or IRAs. Their vulnerability to a stock market decline is limited by the high value of their Social Security wealth, which represents over a quarter of the total household wealth of the early boomers. In addition, their defined contribution plans remain immature, so their defined benefit plans represent sixty five percent of their pension wealth. Simulations with a structural retirement model suggest the stock market decline will lead the early boomers to postpone their retirement by only 1.5 months on average. Health and Retirement Study data also show that those approaching retirement are not likely to be greatly or immediately affected by the decline in housing prices. We end with a discussion of important difficulties facing those who would use labor market policies to increase the employment of older workers.

Widowhood and Retirement Timing: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Schreiber
Keyword(s):  
Older Workers ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Low Fertility ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Retirement Age ◽  
Retirement Plans ◽  
Skilled Workers ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Retirement Timing ◽  
Retirement Study

AbstractThe combination of an increasing life expectancy, low fertility rates, and an early effective retirement age creates a pressure to act for governments and organizations. The pay-as-you-go social security systems of many countries are troubled by the increasing ratio of retirees to working people. In addition, many organizations face difficulties caused by a shrinking workforce and the accompanied shortage of skilled workers. To counteract, it is essential to create an environment in which older workers are encouraged to stay in the workforce. Therefore, it is important to understand which factors influence the retirement timing decision of workers. This study analyzes how widowhood and changes in demographic, health-related, and financial factors lead to changes in retirement plans of Health and Retirement Study (HRS) respondents. I compare respondents’ actual retirement age with their retirement plans elicited in the HRS wave prior to retirement. The strongest change in retirement timing is caused by widowhood. Respondents who become widowed retire on average 1.7 years earlier than previously planned. The estimated effect of widowhood goes beyond the deterioration of physical health and mental health. My findings suggest that an intervention in an early stage after widowhood by the employer or by health and social care services can help the widowed employee to overcome the temporary adverse effects of widowhood and to prevent a precipitous retirement decision.

scholarly journals The Composition and Drawdown of Wealth in Retirement

2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 95-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Poterba ◽  
Steven Venti ◽  
David Wise
Keyword(s):  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Retirement Age ◽  
Financial Assets ◽  
Home Equity ◽  
Policy Issues ◽  
Retirement Saving ◽  
Housing Equity ◽  
Retirement Study

This paper presents evidence on the resources available to households as they enter retirement. It draws heavily on data collected by the Health and Retirement Study. We calculate the “potential additional annuity income” that households could purchase, given their holdings of non-annuitized financial assets at the start of retirement. We also consider the role of housing equity in the portfolios of retirement-age households and explore the extent to which households draw down housing equity and financial assets as they age. Because home equity is often conserved until very late in life, for many households it may provide some insurance against the risk of living longer than expected. Finally, we consider how our findings bear on a number of policy issues, such as the role for annuity defaults in retirement saving plans.

scholarly journals INTERNET USE AND LONELINESS OF OLDER ADULTS OVER TIME: THE MEDIATION EFFECT OF SOCIAL CONTACT

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S194-S194
Author(s):  
Kexin Yu ◽  
Kexin Yu ◽  
Shinyi Wu ◽  
Iris Chi
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Total Effect ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Health And Retirement Study ◽  
Longitudinal Association ◽  
Retirement Study ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Internet is increasingly popular among older adults and have changed interpersonal interactions. However, it remains controversial whether older people are more or less lonely with internet use. This paper tests the longitudinal association of internet use and loneliness among older people. One pathway that explains the association, the mediation effect of social contact, was examined. Data from the 2006, 2010 and 2014 waves of Health and Retirement Study was used. Hierarchical liner modeling results showed internet use was related to decreased loneliness over 12-year period of time (b=-0.044, p<.001). Internet use was associated with more social contact with family and friends overtime (b=0.261, p<.001), social contact was related to less perceived loneliness longitudinally (b=0.097, p<.001). The total effect of internet use on loneliness is -0.054 and the mediated effect is -0.025. The findings imply that online activities can be effective for reducing loneliness for older people through increased social contact.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document