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The Selection of Partial or Full Retirement by Older Workers

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Abstract

The study investigated whether older workers chose partial or full retirement instead of full-time work. Partial or full retirement status was modeled as a combination of self-reported retirement status and change in number of hours worked. The results of multinomial logistic regression using data from the first and fifth waves of the Health and Retirement Study collected in 1992 and 2000 showed that age and gender had similar effects on the likelihood of partial and full retirement. Full retirement was also influenced by investment assets, pensions, employee health insurance, and poor health. The likelihood of partial retirement was also influenced by self-employment, chronic health conditions, and education. Workers who seek partial retirement need working conditions that allow them to make this choice.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Michigan University, 107 Wightman Hall, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859

    Haejeong Kim

  2. Purdue University, Matthews Hall, Room 216, 812 W. State Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-2060

    Sharon A. DeVaney

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  1. Haejeong Kim
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  2. Sharon A. DeVaney
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Correspondence to Haejeong Kim.

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Kim, H., DeVaney, .A. The Selection of Partial or Full Retirement by Older Workers. J Fam Econ Iss 26, 371–394 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10834-005-5903-8

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