The Influence of Push and Pull Factors on Voluntary and Involuntary Early Retirees' Retirement Decision and Adjustment

This paper examines early retirees' decisions to retire, as well as their postretirement adjustment, in terms of both push (negative considerations: e.g., poor health) and pull (positive considerations: e.g., leisure interests) factors. Results confirm the hypothesis that both negative push and positive pull factors differentially influenced those retirees who voluntarily retired and those forced to retire. After retirement, the negative push factors became the more salient differentiators; those forced to retire appeared to have generally lower self ratings of physical and emotional health and lower satisfaction rates. In addition, the findings suggest that the way an individual views their retirement decision is related to their postretirement experience: those who viewed their retirement decision as voluntary reported higher satisfaction and health levels during retirement than those who viewed their retirement as involuntary.