Coming Out of Retirement

You probably are already aware that we are currently enjoying historic lows in unemployment.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall jobless rate as of September 2019 was 3.5%.  But what you may not know is that the jobless rate for workers over age 55 is even lower (2.4%) than the overall jobless rate!

Recent studies show 65% of employers are in a hiring mode.  In such a tight labor market, many companies are hiring senior workers and even offering incentives to recruit them.  With these inducements, many seniors are choosing to come out of retirement. 

Some returning workers fear they won’t have enough money to last through retirement, while others find retirement less fulfilling than they thought it would be.  Whatever your reason may be, here a few tips to remember if you're thinking about heading back to work:

1.     If you took reduced Social Security early, you can pay it back if you're in the first year of receiving benefits.  This may give you a little peace of mind if you’re concerned about outliving your money.

2.     Don't think you have to take the first offer just because you're an older worker.  Like anyone else, you can negotiate for pay and benefits with your employer.

3.     If you don't want a traditional job, there are many ways to work.  Choose a match for your needs:  contract, gig, project, freelancing, flex time, temporary/seasonal, and more.  Many people use websites such as fiverr.com and upwork.com to offer their services on a project basis so they can work as much or as little as they choose.

If you want a job, check out the opportunities!  There’s never been a better time to come out of retirement.  

-Sandra Cleveland-