Does Late-Career Nontraditional Work Improve Retirement Security?

The brief’s key findings are:

• Nontraditional jobs lack health and retirement benefits, but could help older workers prolong their careers by offering more flexibility and less stress.
• The questions are whether workers in traditional jobs at 62 who are underprepared for retirement are more likely to switch to nontraditional work, and whether it helps.
• The results show no evidence that they are more likely to switch.
• But, those who do switch close much of the gap in their retirement security by age 68, suggesting nontraditional jobs are a viable option.