The Real Reasons People Work After Retirement

Key Points

• Of surveyed retirees who've taken on jobs, 89% say working allows them to remain active and involved.

• Nearly as many, 88%, say they like having a job.

• A full 83% find their work rewarding.

• The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook ›

Whether you retire from your official job in your 50s or 70s, you could still have a lot of life to live. And if you've toyed with the idea of working a new job in retirement, you're not alone. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) in the 2025 edition of its Retirement Confidence Survey -- the longest-running survey of its kind -- 75% of respondents plan to work for pay in retirement. Some want to work to continue investing, while others crave social interaction.

The EBRI has been conducting this survey for years and has consistently found that fewer people end up working in retirement than planned. In other words, some of those 75% saying they plan to work will change their minds. Maybe once Social Security, annuities, and other sources of income start hitting their bank accounts, they decide they're fine financially and can get their social and emotional needs met in other ways.

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However, among those who do carry through and get a new job after saying goodbye to the old, the reasons they give for doing so are surprisingly positive. Survey respondents each offered more than one reason for wanting to work. For example, they may find a job rewarding, but also want extra money to pay healthcare costs later in retirement.

Here's why respondents who are working in retirement say they're doing so.

Image source: Getty Images.

Want to remain active and involved (89%)

According to planning-tool company Boldin, the most common complaint about retirement is boredom. After years of structure, schedules, and to-do lists, retirees have time to themselves and may feel a little lost. Daily activities don't come looking for them. Among working retirees, 89% say one of the main reasons they returned to work was to remain active and involved.

Appreciate work (88%)

Let's face it: Some people never slow down. They find joy in the accomplishment of working, and can't imagine life without new daily challenges. These appear to be the people more drawn to post-retirement work than the average person. Whether they work from home, go into an office, or clock in daily, life without a job doesn't appeal to them.

Find it rewarding (83%)

One of the best parts of working after retirement might be the opportunity to do something people genuinely enjoy. For example, working in a garden center may not feel like work for someone who's spent their career in a factory or stuffy office. For a retiree who's always enjoyed children, spending hours with them in a preschool setting could be their idea of perfection.

An opportunity came along (56%)

A surprising 56% of respondents have fallen into a job opportunity. Maybe it was a job offered to them out of the blue, or perhaps it was the result of a job listing they knew they'd be perfect for, but these are people who discovered an opportunity too good to pass up.

Don't want to reduce savings (54%)

According to experts, there's a trend among retirees called the "consumption gap." It refers to those who have the financial means to spend more, but feel frozen in place, afraid to reduce their savings. It makes sense when you consider how many years someone might spend planning and saving enough to retire in comfort. Of working respondents, 54% say they're working so they won't have to draw from savings.

Plan to continue investing (26%)

Whether it's investing in individual stocks that appeal to them, building up a Roth IRA, or attempting to grow their money somewhere else, 26% say they took on a post-retirement job to continue investing.

Need help making ends meet (40%)

As much as Americans are encouraged to develop a strategy for retirement income, life has a habit of getting in the way. Whether they love working after retirement or wish they didn't have to, 40% of respondents say they need the income to cover everyday expenses.

Still need access to insurance (16%)

For those who retire before they're eligible for Medicare, healthcare remains a necessity, and that often comes with a job.

If working after retirement repels you, there's no shame in that. After all, you've put in your time. But for many, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and a surprising number of post-retirement workers seem quite happy for the opportunity to be back in the workplace.

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