Elderly Labor Supply: Work or Play?

As the labor force has begun to retire at earlier ages and the population of the U.S. continues to age, people over the age of 65 that are still working have become a very important part of the economy. This study creates many questions that will allow the researchers to find out why some people over the age of 65 continue to work. Those elderly people that work past normal retirement age, somewhat surprisingly, are the ones that are most educated, wealthiest, and healthiest. At the same time these elder workers receive less compensation than younger workers and less compensation then they had in the past. Health was found to be the deciding factor in whether or not these elderly people stay in the workforce.