Working Longer in the U.S.: Trends and Explanations / Courtney Coile.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Coile, Courtney.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w24576.

NBER working paper series no. w24576

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Other Title:

Working Longer in the U.S

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2018.

Summary:

Over the past two decades, labor force participation rates for older men have been rising, reversing a century-long trend towards earlier retirement. Participation rates for older women are rising as well. A number of theories have been put forward to explain the rise in participation at older ages, including improving mortality and health, increasing education and a shift towards less physically demanding work, and changes in employer-provided benefits and Social Security. This paper documents trends in labor force participation and employment at older ages and in the factors that may be contributing to rising participation. A review of these trends and of the relevant literature suggests that increases in education, women's growing role in the economy, the shift from defined benefit to defined contribution pension plans, and Social Security reforms all likely played some role in the trend towards longer work lives.

Notes:

Print version record

May 2018.