Is Working Longer a Good Prescription for All?

The brief’s key findings are:

• Working longer is an effective way to boost prospects for a secure retirement, but is it realistic for workers across the socioeconomic (SES) spectrum?
• The Center examined this question in a series of studies funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, using education as the measure of SES.
• Given rising life expectancies, the analysis finds that it is reasonable for lower-SES workers to work somewhat longer.
• However, it may be harder for them to extend their worklives, as they plan to retire earlier and face narrower job options than their higher-SES counterparts.