Written

For

The

Australian

-

More

people

are

choosing

to

work

into

their

70s

in

semi-retirement

One in four men are still working at age 70. Twenty years ago, that number was one in 10. So what's going on?

The traditional idea of retirement — clocking off at 55, collecting the gold watch, and never working another day — is dead. Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows the average retirement age has jumped from just under 55 in the year 2000 to 67 for men and 65 for women today. And plenty are pushing well beyond that.

Part of this is structural. The superannuation preservation age has crept up to 60, and the Age Pension eligibility age is now 67. But the more interesting shift is behavioural. People are choosing to keep working, even when they could tap their super and walk away.

Why? Longer life expectancies, better health in later years, and the rise of flexible and work-from-home arrangements have made "semi-retirement" a genuine option. The gig economy has helped too — older Australians are picking up shifts as ride-share drivers, handymen or delivery workers. In my own practice, I see clients in their 60s and 70s using their wages for two things: topping up super, and funding overseas holidays once or twice a year.

But it's not always about the money. Many are working to stay socially connected and mentally sharp. I can tell you from years of sitting across the table from retirees — those who stay mentally engaged, whether through work, reading, or socialising, are noticeably sharper than those who don't. The brain really does operate on a "use it or lose it" basis.

There's also a less-comfortable dimension. Parents in their 60s and 70s are increasingly propping up adult children — school fees, budget top-ups, divorce recovery money.

My worry? The government is watching. If Australians keep proving they can work into their 70s, expect louder calls to push the preservation age and pension age higher still.