With more education, these skilled, experienced workers have become more valuable to employers. In 1985, workers tended to earn the highest salaries of their careers in their 40s, the Center for Retirement Research study found. By 2010, those peak earning years had shifted from the 40s to the 50s. All age groups older than 50 earned more than they did 25 years earlier, with those in their late 60s making 30 percent more. Workers under 50 earned less than they used to.
Older Americans are healthier and living longer
At last, many Americans have more time to do what they want to do. With a rise in average life expectancy, a longer career doesn’t necessarily mean a shorter retirement.
Wealthy, educated people have gotten the biggest boost to their longevity, but even the least-educated Americans are getting a few more years than their parents did three decades ago.
There’s some evidence that working can actually improve the health of older people, though studies have also found the opposite. A February study of U.S. factory workers found that retirement was good for their health.
Or maybe retirement just isn’t as much fun
It’s hard to explain why Americans might be enjoying their golden years less, but that's what a study last month by the Employee Benefit Research Institute found.
Maybe it's self-perpetuating, a result of peer pressure. It has become increasingly normal to be over 65 and working, as more and more boomers reach retirement age, said Torsten Sløk, chief international economist at Deutsche Bank. Now that one in five older Americans has a job, he says, “I would think this just continues to move higher.”