Many people look forward to retirement because they can't wait to reclaim their time and stop reporting to a boss day in and day out. And if you have a notably stressful job, that's certainly understandable.
However, a fair number of people also end up retiring only to return to work in some capacity after the fact. This decision often stems from a financial need.
Many people retire with limited savings and find that they can't get by on nest egg withdrawals and Social Security benefits alone. In that situation, returning to work makes sense.
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But a need for money isn't the only thing that should have you considering a post-retirement return to work. You may find that holding down a job is just the thing that makes your senior years more meaningful, and even enjoyable.
It's not just about money
In a recent Empower survey, respondents were asked about their reasons for potentially going back to work after retiring. And respondents were allowed to select more than one reason for returning to a job.
A good 40% did say that they'd look to go back to work due to a financial need. But 41% cited personal fulfillment as a reason to return to work after retiring.
Meanwhile, 37% said they'd want to go back to work in order to have a daily routine. And another 37% said they'd want to hold down a job for intellectual stimulation.
What these results tell us that is that there are clear benefits to working in retirement that aren't just financial. So even if you're sitting on a giant nest egg and more money than you know what to do with, it could still pay to hold down a job in some capacity.
Of course, in this situation, you'd be in the enviable position of being able to choose a job based on interest -- not pay. Someone who needs cash to pay their bills in retirement might have to opt for a less desirable job to make ends meet. But if money isn't a problem for you, then you have an opportunity to go out and pursue any sort of role you think you'll actively enjoy.
You might struggle without a job
Some people spend their entire lives working hard and assume they'll love not having to work at all. But you may be surprised at how quickly you come to miss the routine and intensity of going to work.
Many retirees ultimately have a hard time adjusting to not having a job, even if their former careers were laden with stress. And it's easy to grow bored and restless fairly quickly when you're not used to having so much downtime.
As such, it pays to be open to the idea of working in retirement, even if you're doing well enough financially to not need the extra income. You may find that having a job allows you to enjoy retirement by giving you the sense of purpose your career provided -- only without all the constant pressure.
