Retiring Together or Working Alone: The Impact of Spousal Employment and Disability on Retirement Decisions.

It is commonly the case that spouses retire at the same time as one another, however, this study examines the effect of one persons decision to retire, because of injury, on their spouses work decisions. Understanding the effects of injury related retirement on the work status of the spouse is of great importance to policy makers. This article focuses on retirement decisions and how they are influenced by spousal health and employment status. Mathematical models and interpretations are made in order to analyze the data. They noticed that a vast majority of women that worked for pay did so when their husband was also employed. When the husband retired voluntarily women were slightly less likely to stay employed. Differences in spousal employment, especially between classes, was greatest when the husband was under 62 and therefore not able to receive Social Security. Men were less likely to work if their wife was not working. If the husband retired involuntarily the wife was more likely then not to return to the workforce or continue to work.

RDA 1998-006

Retirement Planning/Marital Status/Labor--retirement decisions

6630