A lot of people I know are already looking forward to retirement despite only being in their late 30s to late 40s. And if I'm being honest, I don't really spend a ton of time thinking about retirement. Maybe it's because I'm too busy focusing on meeting deadlines at work, running my household, and getting my kids off to school on time.
But one aspect of retirement that I have thought a lot about is work. In fact, I already know that working in retirement I want to do on a partial basis. Here's why.
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1. Extra money is always good
I have no idea what living costs are going to look in the future. But I do know a lot of retirees today who saved decently and are still financially stressed because their expenses are so darn high.
I don't enjoy financial stress. It's something I've experienced my fair share of and I don't want to put myself through it in retirement. So the way I see it, if I'm able to work in some capacity, that helps take the pressure off of my nest egg.
I also have no idea what Social Security benefits are going to look like by the time retirement age rolls around. Benefit cuts are already on the table, and who knows if lawmakers will be able to stop them?
Thankfully, I'm not counting on too much income from Social Security, and I'm doing my best to save enough to not have to worry about winding up with a lower benefit than what I'm really entitled to. But either way, most people would probably agree that more money in retirement is better than less. And when you work, it tends to result in money.
2. I don't do well with being bored
I'm not the sort of person who can spend an entire weekend on the couch. Granted, I don't tend to get that option much these days given my schedule. But I know that boredom can be a big issue for retirees with no job to go to, and I don't want it to be an issue for me.
Does this mean that I want to work 40+ hours a week like I do now just to stay busy? Absolutely not. But does the idea of a 15- or 20-hour workweek sound reasonable? Maybe.
3. I actually like what I do
I can say with certainty that I would not want to continue working in retirement if I hated my job. But I don't hate my job. I really, really like my job. It's interesting and flexible and, at least sometimes, makes it so I'm helping other people. And that's something I don't want to give up.
Might I branch out and try to write more creative pieces in retirement? Sure. But when you love what you do and it doesn't even always feel like work, it's easy to picture yourself doing it even when you're old and gray.
Many people look forward to retirement specifically so that they can stop working. And I totally get that. But I feel much differently about the idea of working as a retiree. And I really hope I get my way and that I'm able to continue doing what I do for as long as I want to keep doing it.
