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They Don't Retire When Everyone Else Does
The average age for Americans to stop working is now 61, according to a recent Gallup poll, up from 59 ten years ago and 57 in the early 1990s. But America's highest earners—i.e., those with the biggest savings—don't plan on retiring until they're at least 70, another new survey shows. Almost half of those people, who make $75,000 or more a year, say they plan to keep working because they want to. Granted, this group holds white-collar jobs that aren't physically taxing—but the "never quit" concept is one that almost anyone can embrace. Stepping down to a less stressful position, or shifting to part-time work can put you farther ahead, savings-wise, when you do decide to retire. Because although you can start collecting Social Security anytime from ages 62 to 70, the later you start, the bigger your benefit. This article gives some useful guidelines for deciding when to begin.