"Pat Archer spent two decades as an accountant before retiring in 2020, confident her Social Security check and small pension would cover her expenses. They didn't. The 73-year-old now works part-time at an assisted living facility outside Boston. She's part of a growing cohort of “unretirees” - Americans who left the workforce only to return when their savings couldn't keep pace with inflation."
"The numbers are a buzzkill: 6.1 percent of people ages 55 to 64 who were retired in January 2025 were working a year later, according to Boston College economist Geoffrey Sanzenbacher. An AARP survey found that 48 percent of returning workers cited financial need as their primary motivation. With inflation hitting 3.3 percent in March and gas prices climbing amid Middle East tensions, that percentage could climb higher."
"Unretirees tend to be nonwhite, live in multigenerational households, and ironically, have more education - college degrees make re-entering the job market easier, even if you're 72 like James Jones, who now earns $10.06 an hour preparing meals in Norman, Oklahoma. His $1,200 monthly Social Security payment doesn't cover cable TV, let alone rising gas costs."
Millions of Americans are leaving retirement and returning to work because Social Security and small pensions do not cover rising expenses. Pat Archer retired in 2020 expecting her benefits to be sufficient, but now works part-time at an assisted living facility outside Boston. A growing share of people ages 55 to 64 who were retired are working again, with financial need driving the change. Inflation and higher costs such as gas can increase the pressure to re-enter employment. Unretirees are more likely to be nonwhite and to live in multigenerational households, and many have college degrees that make job re-entry easier. James Jones earns low wages despite a modest Social Security payment that does not cover basic costs.
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