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The Surprising Equality of Retirement Time: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Survey

Posted on March 30, 2026March 30, 2026 by Nicole Giaccio

Anthony Bonen & Teresa Ghilarducci

Volume 20

Issue 2

PUBLISHED

Spring 2014

Abstract

This article discusses the impact that changes to the retirement age may have on the distribution of retirement time. The author investigates the length of time men and women live between their retirement and death, finding that the most critical factor in determining retirement duration is an individual’s socioeconomic status. As a result, the author concludes that because individuals in lower economic classes tend to die earlier, increasing the retirement age will disproportionately affect these individuals and exacerbate retirement time inequality.

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The Surprising Equality of Retirement Time: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Survey

Abstract

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