The Road To Retirement In The U.S.: The Importance Of Part Time Work In The Process Of Labor Force Withdrawal

This paper describes current paths to retirement in the U.S. with emphasis on the importance of transitional bridge jobs between a career job and full retirement. It compares U.S. patterns of labor force withdrawal and part-time work with those in selected other countries. It discusses the plans and preferences of older Americans concerning retirement, as well as current policies encouraging and discouraging gradual labor force withdrawal on the U.S. It concludes with a look ahead, and the prediction that the importance of part-time employment among older Americans will increase in the future.