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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Nov. 13, 2007
3 Kislev 5768
Gradual retirement may not be key to happiness
By
Gail Marks Jarvis
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT)
Ask a baby boomer what his or her retirement plan is, and you are likely to hear: "Work forever."
It's a standing joke in a generation that includes many who lived a little too much for today and not enough for tomorrow.
With more than 70 million baby boomers moving closer to retirement age, about 80 percent say they plan to work at least part-time after retiring, according to AARP, which has surveyed boomers extensively.
Money is the top reason, but so is enjoyment.
While keeping a foot in the work world should help pay for groceries and trips to see grandchildren, it might not make the next generation of retirees any happier than those who simply call it quits on retirement day.
Retirees who left work cold turkey are as happy as those who held onto jobs and retired gradually, according to a just-completed study by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research.
Rather than remaining at work, the key factor for a happy retirement seems to be control, according to the study led by Steven Sass, associate director for research at the center.
Retirees who left work when they were ready to retire were happier than those forced from jobs they didn't want to leave, the researchers said.
In addition, retirees who suffered from health problems that created daily hassles were less happy. And after the loss of a spouse, retirees experienced "significantly diminished happiness," the report said.
Jack Wolfe, a pharmacist from the Chicago area, is among retirees who long for work and the opportunity to do it.
He tried gradual retirement at age 72, after selling the pharmacy he owned for 35 years. He worked part-time at a Costco pharmacy but had to give it up because he couldn't stand eight hours a day with a back problem.
He misses the customers so much he is inclined to offer help to people he sees laboring over a choice of over-the-counter drugs in a store. And at 79, he is planning to attend some pharmacist seminars to keep up on the latest thinking in his profession.
His advice to people considering retirement: "If you like what you are doing, stay with it as long as you can."
As policymakers look at the effects that baby boomer retirements will have on companies and government, it has been assumed by some that phased retirements might help.
Robert Hutchens, a professor of labor economics at Cornell University, noted in a paper in February that surveys such as AARP's show people eager to work in retirement. And gradual retirement could provide businesses with experienced workers and take pressure off corporate pensions and Social Security.
Whether working longer will make retirees happier, however, is not a certainty.
The Boston College researchers studied 2,389 individuals who were fully employed and then retired gradually, or all at once. They used data from the federal health and retirement study that tracked older Americans for many years. They looked at whether people were happy, enjoyed life, were sad, lonely or depressed. They analyzed whether people who were happy when working full-time remained that way, or changed, when retiring gradually or all at once.
While gradual transitions give workers time to shift their daily activities, relationships and identity in a deliberate manner, the researchers said the gradual approach was not much different than jumping into a swimming pool: "People know it generally makes no difference whether they dive straight into a swimming pool or gradually acclimate their body to the water. But, for whatever reason, most opt for the latter approach."
According to AARP research, 35 percent of baby boomers say they plan to work simply for the enjoyment of it.
If the Boston College research is correct, the happiness of those boomers may depend upon holding onto their health and the jobs they want. Yet both are more uncertain than boomers may realize.
Hutchens noted that employers can be reluctant to offer part-time, or phased retirements, because the arrangement can be at odds with pension and health-care policies. Also, while 73 percent of employers said in a survey that they would be willing to offer jobs to retirees, they typically envisioned it for certain part-time responsibilities - perhaps not the jobs retirees would want.
Also, employees could find that they will lose some of their pension benefits by staying to do part-time work, Hutchens noted. Often, pensions are computed based on the pay people have earned late in their working years. If they move to a part-time job, the pay - and consequently the pension - would be smaller.
The realities may take boomers by surprise. They might feel a loss of control when their employers don't deliver the jobs they envision, on the terms they want. Their health could turn out to be an unhappy surprise.
According to the AARP research, only 16 percent of baby boomers believe they could have a serious health problem when they retire. But according to a Fidelity Research Institute report, nearly a quarter of all retirees left work early because of health reasons.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Gail Marks Jarvis is a personal finance columnist for the Chicago Tribune and author of "Saving for Retirement without Living Like a Pauper or Winning the Lottery." Comment by clicking here.
Previously:
11/05/07: Rate cut won't offer immunity to investors
10/29/07: Employers set to help workers save in 401(k) accounts
10/22/07: Playing bounce may be costly to stock investors
10/10/07: Investors find boring often can be fruitful
10/01/07: Make up lost time with swift, smart action
09/24/07: Balance is key for investing by retirees
09/18/07: Homeowners who wait see options fade
09/04/07: Easy matter to rate fund's performance
08/27/07: Mortgage mess could be good for savers
08/17/07: Small stocks are coming with large caveats
© 2007, Chicago Tribune Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services
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