Retirement savings are being put to a new test as older Americans who once believed they had enough to stop working find themselves returning to jobs to keep pace with higher living costs, rising bills, and unexpected expenses.
The shift is visible in US labour data. In 2025, 18.4% of Americans aged 65 and older were employed, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Separately, US Federal Reserve data revealed that 16% of people who described themselves as retired had worked for pay during the previous month.
