ABSTRACT Research Question/Issue Retirement age expectations and preferences are shaped by individual, social, and government policy influences. Our paper reviews major policy changes in the Australian Retirement Income System over the past two decades and documents changes in Australian workers' expected and preferred retirement age. Research Findings/Insights We identify three key results. First, workers prefer to retire earlier than they expect to, on average. Second, both expected and preferred retirement age increased through the 2000s and 2010s but stalled from 2017. Third, a significant proportion of workers do not know when they expect to retire. Practitioner/Policy Implications In the absence of the ability to set a mandatory retirement age, a key objective of retirement policy has been to raise retirement age. Our results suggest that while workers' expectations and preferences reflect this, they have stalled somewhat. Further, a small but persistent proportion of workers do not form expectations which, given its importance in successful workforce exit plans and retirement wellbeing, presents a key challenge. Methods Used We describe changes in policy over the past two decades before describing patterns and dynamics in retirement age expectations and preferences of workers aged 45–60, 2003–2023 using the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey.

This article examines mandatory and involuntary retirement in South Korea. Information is first provided about Korea and the older adults who may have faced mandatory or involuntary retirement. This is followed by a human rights approach to employment and a brief discussion about ageism. The next section is about some attempts to improve the situation in Korea: a training program for middle-aged adults, the work of the national human rights organization, the national attention given to reform efforts and the initiatives of the organization of retired people. The conclusion includes 10 suggestions about what can be done to continue to improve the employment situation of older adults.

Despite extensive research on smartphone phubbing among youth, its manifestation among older adults remains overlooked in digital sustainability frameworks. This study challenges pathological framings by examining phubbing as potential compensation for structural constraints in China’s urban aging context. Adopting a theoretical thematic analysis approach, we interviewed 24 urban Chinese older adults (aged 60–75, daily smartphone use >4 h) from April to September 2024. Data underwent three-stage NVivo coding, distilling 156 initial codes into 19 thematic categories and five analytical dimensions through iterative refinement and member checks. Analysis revealed smartphone phubbing as structured compensation driven by push factors (empty-nest loneliness, mandatory retirement, epistemic devaluation) and pull factors (affordance-need matching). Cultural capital stratified outcomes: high-capital users attributed difficulties to ageist design while low-capital users internalized failures. Recursive feedback loops transformed use into dependency traps with health and financial consequences. Extending Push–Pull–Mooring theory, we developed a Digital Compensation Framework identifying epistemic inequality as a third-order digital divide. By reframing phubbing as a structural issue and advocating interventions addressing institutional foundations through universal design and platform responsibility, the framework illuminates pathways toward sustainable digital aging and directly advances UN Sustainable Development Goals for health (3), industry (9), equality (10) and partnership (17).

General Background: The regulation of notaries’ retirement age in Indonesia has long been debated for its incompatibility with contemporary professional dynamics and increased life expectancy. Specific Background: Constitutional Court Decision No. 84/PUU-XXII/2024 redefines eligibility for notarial tenure by shifting emphasis from age-based to competency-based assessment. Knowledge Gap: However, the legal implications of this paradigm shift and its impact on professional governance remain insufficiently examined. Aims: This study analyzes the relevance and juridical consequences of the Court’s decision for reformulating Indonesia’s maximum notarial retirement age. Results: Using a normative juridical approach, the findings show that the decision provides a constitutional foundation for extending tenure based on competence, health, and integrity while urging clearer and more objective implementing regulations to reduce legal uncertainty and administrative discrimination. Novelty: The study demonstrates that extending retirement age up to 70 years can strengthen service continuity and the quality of authentic deeds when supported by periodic professional evaluations. Implications: These insights position the Court’s decision as critical momentum for modernizing Indonesia’s notarial system toward more adaptive, equitable, and quality-oriented professional governance. Highlights: The Constitutional Court shifts retirement eligibility from age-based rules to competence-based assessment. Extending the notary retirement age to 70 enhances service continuity and maintains deed quality. Clear, objective implementing regulations are essential to prevent legal uncertainty and discrimination. Keywords: Notary, Retirement Age, Constitutional Court, Professional Competence, Legal Certainty

BackgroundRetirement is a critical life transition that requires emotional, psychological, and social adjustments. For nurses in South Korea, who typically spend over three decades in clinical practice, little is known about their pre-retirement experiences and perspectives. This study aimed to explore how nurses nearing retirement reflect on their careers, respond emotionally, and envision life after retirement.MethodsAn exploratory qualitative design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 nurses working at four general hospitals in South Korea, all within five years of mandatory retirement. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis.ResultsFive themes were identified: Reflection in a life like late autumn, Rest at the end of passion, Worries about having to fill in the blank, Expectations for strengthening family and social relationships, and Confidence in challenges and self-realization. Participants described mixed emotions of loss, relief, and pride, along with anxiety stemming from insufficient preparation. At the same time, they expressed hopes for strengthened family ties, new social affiliations, and self-realization, albeit often without concrete plans.ConclusionsThis study highlights that nurses approaching retirement undergo psychological and emotional transitions while facing limited practical preparation. Tailored counseling, education, and systematic retirement programs are needed to support this transition. At organizational and community levels, mechanisms to sustain professional identity and utilize retirees’ expertise in mentoring and community health can positively influence both nurses’ post-retirement well-being and healthcare resources.

As Malaysia’s population ages, understanding the financial implications of longevity risk and chronic illnesses among the older population is increasingly important. This study investigates how longevity risk interacts with selected chronic illnesses among older Malaysians using a multiple-state annuity model. First, the study explored the mortality and morbidity risks of selected chronic illnesses affecting older Malaysians. This research employed actuarial modeling techniques, including the Markov chain model, the Lee–Carter model, and the age-period-cohort (APC) model. The Markov chain model estimated the likelihood of health transitions, while the Lee–Carter model and the APC model were employed to project mortality and morbidity rates. These models offer a comprehensive framework to assess the longevity risk and financial pressures associated with managing chronic illnesses in aging populations. Second, the projected rates were utilized in the retirement annuity pricing models. There were two multiple-state annuity pricing models considered, one with only healthy and dead states, and the other included chronic illness states. Overall, increased longevity resulting from ongoing improvements in mortality will raise the cost of annuities for a predetermined annuity payment at the compulsory retirement age. By contrast, the inclusion of chronic illness risk in annuity pricing reduces the cost of an annuity for retirees. Hence, the risks of longevity and chronic illness will be taken into account to fairly price retirement-linked products such as annuities.

Perceptions and Experiences of Active and Retired PNP Uniformed Personnel on the Mandatory Retirement Age Policy: A Concurrent Triangulation Mixed-Methods Design

ABSTRACTThis study explores the relationship between the CEOs' demographic characteristics (age, tenure and professional qualification) and business strategy (prospector vs. defender) development. Using evidence from a sample of 4826 Australian firm‐year observations, the findings suggest that CEO age and tenure are negatively associated with the prospector business strategy, while CEO education is positively associated with the prospector business strategy. Further analysis suggests that CEO age negatively impacts firm performance. The results are robust based on firm‐fixed effects, propensity score matching and lagged CEO demographic characteristics. Policymakers in Australia could consider introducing CEO Mandatory Retirement Policies (MRPs).

This study aimed to critically evaluate the fairness of mandatory retirement policies under South African law and compare them with the legal frameworks in the United States (USA) and Canada, where retirement age dismissals are approached differently. This desktop study used a comparative legal research methodology to analyze statutory provisions, case law, and academic scholarship to evaluate the protections against age-based dismissals in these jurisdictions. According to the findings, South African labour law permits retirement age dismissals if appropriate; they may still be contested as automatically unfair under the Labour Relations Act if they lack a legitimate rationale. In contrast, the USA and Canada impose stricter anti-discrimination measures, making mandatory retirement more difficult to enforce. The study recommends reforms to South African retirement laws to align more closely with international best practices, ensuring greater protection for older workers. This research contributes to the discourse on labour rights and age discrimination, offering insights for policymakers, employers, and legal practitioners on balancing retirement policies with fundamental employment protections. Keywords: Automatically Unfair Dismissal, Retirement Age, Age Discrimination, Comparative Labor Law

Abstract The primary policy response to population aging in advanced economies has been to raise the mandatory retirement age. However, these policies have reignited calls for differentiated retirement ages that take into account variations in work intensity. This paper utilises microdata to examine the relevance and feasibility of this concept in Europe. It first quantifies career arduousness using SHARE wave 7 retrospective ISCO4-digit data on careers in combination with US O*NET working conditions data. Then, using SHARE follow-up data collecting (bad)health and death information about wave 7 respondents, it estimates (healthy) life expectancy by career arduousness decile, combining econometrics and life table methods. Findings reveal a life expectancy gap between the least and most arduous careers of 4to 4.2 years. Healthy life expectancy differences are slightly larger, ranging from 6.9 to 9.1 years. Also, women’s healthy life expectancy seems to be somewhat more impacted by arduousness.

The relationship between retirement and health is a critical issue in rapidly aging societies. Numerous studies have investigated the effect of retirement on subsequent health, but this research has paid little attention to heterogeneous patterns of retirement. To address this limitation, we examine the relationship between retirement pathways from full-time regular employment and health. Using the 2005-2019 Longitudinal Survey of Middle-aged and Elderly Persons conducted in Japan, the world's oldest country, we first use sequence analysis to identify distinct retirement trajectories at ages 59-66. We then evaluate alternative approaches to estimate relationships between these retirement trajectories and an index measure of self-rated health. Results of ordinary least-squares and inverse probability-weighted regression adjustment models show that both gradual and abrupt retirement are associated with worse health relative to continued regular employment. In contrast, estimates from instrumental variable models are imprecise and provide no clear evidence of a relationship between retirement trajectories and health. Results are generally robust to sensitivity checks. These findings help establish an empirical foundation for understanding the potential implications of heterogeneous retirement pathways for health at older ages in the context of mandatory retirement policies and rapid population aging.

BackgroundWhile mandatory retirement ages for commercial air transport (CAT) pilots are based on assumptions about age-related cognitive decline, empirical evidence examining brain aging in senior professionals in this field remains scarce. The aim of this study was to compare functional and blood-based biomarkers of brain aging between senior CAT pilots approaching retirement and age-matched office workers.MethodsWe conducted a case-control study involving 31 male CAT pilots aged 60-64 years and 31 age- and sex-matched office workers. Following the Aging Biomarker Consortium framework, we assessed functional biomarkers of brain aging, including processing speed (Trail Making Test Part A), episodic memory (Cued Recall Test and Auditory Verbal Learning Test [AVLT]), and fine motor control (Nine-Hole Pegboard Test). In addition, plasma concentrations of phosphorylated tau-181 (p-tau181) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) were measured as blood-based biomarkers of brain aging.ResultsSenior CAT pilots demonstrated significantly superior processing speed (Trail Making Test Part A: 26.8 ± 4.1 versus 31.5 ± 5.0 seconds; p < 0.001) and episodic memory performance (cued recall: 13.2 ± 1.9 versus 11.8 ± 2.3; p = 0.007; AVLT: 56.7 ± 7.8 versus 51.4 ± 8.1; p = 0.002) compared to office workers. However, no differences were observed in fine motor control. Regarding biochemical markers, CAT pilots showed significantly lower plasma NfL concentrations compared to office workers (7.5 ± 2.4 versus 9.9 ± 3.5 pg/mL; p = 0.012), whereas p-tau181 levels did not differ between groups. Across the entire cohort, higher plasma NfL concentrations were associated with slower processing speed (r = -0.30, p = 0.001), an association that remained significant after multivariable adjustment (standardized β = -0.27, p = 0.003).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that experienced CAT pilots exhibit cognitive performances and a biochemical marker profile associated with healthier brain aging, raising questions about assumptions underlying mandatory retirement policies based solely on age, though the mechanisms underlying these differences warrant further investigation.

This study focuses on categorizing the perceptions of middle-aged and older workers regarding their future work aspirations before and after retirement, from the perspectives of future time and capital accumulation, and identifying the determinants of these potential categories. To achieve this, data from the 2024 Economic Activity Population Survey's elderly supplementary survey was utilized to conduct latent class analysis on middle-aged and older wage workers aged 55-69 before and after mandatory retirement. The results revealed that the future work aspirations of middle-aged and older workers were classified into four latent types based on three criteria: motivation for work, desired wage level, and desired working age. First, the “Health-Permitted Upper-Middle Income Hope Type” second, the “Livelihood-Purpose Upper Income Hope Type” third, the “Livelihood/Social Demand 65-70 Years Hope Type” and fourth, the “Health/Social Demand Lower Income Hope Type” were identified. Overall, the proportion of future work preferences not driven by livelihood purposes accounted for more than half, suggesting that the work participation motives of middle-aged and older adults are diversifying beyond livelihood maintenance to include self-realization and social participation. Furthermore, a multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the determinants of each type. The results showed that personal characteristics such as gender, generation, education level, and marital status, as well as career characteristics such as the length of service at the longest serving employment, retirement timing, occupation, and reason for retirement, significantly explained the future employment preference types. In particular, long-term tenure experience, career experience in managerial or professional occupations, and voluntary retirement were closely related to non-livelihood-driven employment aspirations. On the other hand, experience in manual labor occupations and involuntary retirement were associated with livelihood-driven employment aspirations. This study aimed to provide practical insights for expanding labor market participation and designing policies for the middle-aged and older workforce by conducting a multidimensional analysis of their future employment preferences from the perspectives of individual perceptions of future time and career accumulation.

This study examines trends in working after retirement and its relationship to the wider policy and welfare state context in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Using a mixed methods approach, we first analyzed China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study data for 2011–2020 to identify trends and individual- and household-level factors associated with working after retirement. We then examined how changes in the policy context shape older people’s economic participation over time, concluding with a discussion on the findings’ implications for the PRC’s social protection system. We argue that while mandatory retirement ages push certain older people out of the labor market, there is an increase in older people working beyond the retirement age, as opportunities to supplement pension income pull older people into the labor market. Yet, policymakers do not regulate this, pointing to a policy gap. Although an expanded labor force would reduce pressure on the PRC’s social protection system, it would also continue to reproduce preexisting socioeconomic inequalities.

Spanning over four decades at France's premier research institutions (CNRS and INSERM), Dr. Yehezkel Ben-Ari's groundbreaking neuroscience research has fundamentally transformed our understanding of brain development through his seminal discovery of the GABA excitatory-to-inhibitory developmental shift, an evolutionary conserved principle later validated across all species from worms to humans. After directing the INSERM unit at Port-Royal Maternity and founding the Mediterranean Institute of Neurobiology (INMED), Ben-Ari's unexpected observation of GABA's paradoxical excitatory role in immature neurons, which he initially set aside for over a year before recognizing its significance earned him prestigious recognitions including the Grand Prix INSERM, the Milken award of the Epilepsy Foundation of America (EFA) and an award from the European Society of Epilepsy. In this Genomic Press Interview, Ben-Ari reflects on his scientific journey, including his transition after French mandatory retirement to founding innovative therapeutic ventures targeting autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, and brain tumors based on his unifying “Neuroarcheology” concept, proposing that many neurological disorders stem from developmental mechanisms that can be targeted with specific medications like bumetanide, which has shown promising results in clinical trials by modulating chloride transporters. While continuing to teach at the Pasteur Institute's brain development doctoral program, Ben-Ari's career exemplifies how persistence in investigating unexpected observations can lead to transformative discoveries with profound clinical implications, bridging the gap between fundamental neuroscience research and innovative therapeutic applications for previously untreatable neurological conditions.

Pension reforms have always been a critical aspect of economic policy. The purpose of this article was to examine the effect of pension reforms on the well-being of Nigerian pensioners. The paper evaluates some hypotheses, including: an increase in the minimum pension contribution is not related to the well-being of Nigerian pensioners; a reduction in the waiting period for accessing benefits has no impact on the well-being of Nigerian pensioners; extending the mandatory retirement age has no influence on the well-being of Nigerian pensioners; upward revision of penalties/sanctions applied by pension payers does not affect the well-being of Nigerian pensioners. Logistic regression was applied to analyze a sample of 150 respondents from the implemented survey. The following were analyzed: the impact of increasing the minimum pension contribution in the system, the effect of reducing the waiting period for access to the benefit (IPMC), the influence of extending the mandatory retirement age (RWPB), how the upward revision of pension debtor penalties/sanctions (URPP) affects the well-being of retirees. The effect of the Temporary Retirement Savings Account (TRSA) on the well-being of retirees was assessed. The findings demonstrate a positive association between good governance and the independent variables, with marginal impact coefficients of 0.606, 0.059, 1.048, 0.301 and 0.053 and p-values of 0.000, 0.045, 0.021 and 0.033, respectively. It is concluded that the more generous the pension benefits, the higher the incomes of the elderly population, which may have a redistributive impact of income among the elderly.

The same cumulative carbon emission reduction target can correspond to multiple emission reduction pathways. This study explores how different coal power transition pathways with the same cumulative emissions reductions impact the transition costs, by assessing the dynamic transition processes for coal plants adopting multiple mitigation technologies concurrently or sequentially, such as flexibility operation, biomass and coal co-firing, carbon capture and storage, and compulsory retirement. We develop a plant-level dynamic optimization model and apply it to China’s 4200+ coal plants. We find that under deep decarbonization, the majority of Chinese coal plants retrofit with multiple technologies to reduce emissions and retire naturally at lower costs while contributing to grid stability. Optimizing the pathway can potentially save over 700 billion U.S. Dollars for achieving the same target or increase cumulative emissions reduction from 30% to 50% at no additional cost. This analysis can help inform a cost-effective coal phase-out under China’s carbon neutrality.

Abstract: This article follows K. Warner Schaie and his Seattle Longitudinal Study (SLS) from its origins in the 1950s until its deployment in Congressional hearings on amendments to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act in 1980. It argues that the SLS contributed to the dismantling of a conception of “normal” aging centered around mandatory retirement at 65 and justified the U.S.‘s move toward more flexible retirement policy. Two technical details of the SLS’s design gave the study this rhetorical power. First, Schaie designed the SLS to track subjects’ intelligence using the Thurstone Test of Primary Mental Abilities, which measures multiple forms of intelligence. This complicated traditional narratives of inevitable intellectual decline, as different forms of intelligence tend to change at different rates. Second, the SLS combined features of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, allowing Schaie to compare both the young to the elderly and newer generations to older generations. He argued that the stereotype of elderly decline was actually an artifact of generational differences. Schaie publicized these findings in the context of a growing elderly rights movement. Together, civil society lobbying and the evidence from Schaie’s study expanded the scope of American age-based discrimination law.

Abstract The upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election has ignited a widespread discourse on the age of candidates; globally, the political arena has witnessed seasoned leaders surpassing the age of 80 and continuing to hold office. The advanced age of politicians raises multifaceted questions across cultural, social, legal, political, and gerontological research fields. Is there a case for considering mandatory retirement age for politicians, and under what circumstances? We review available literature, federal and state laws, media reports (e.g., social networks), and health research focusing on the impact of age on work-related performance. Moreover, we explore theoretical and practical aspects of age and ageism in the workforce. The debate surrounding the advanced age of politicians has intensified in recent decades: older politicians may hinder the rise of new generations and raise concerns about their physical or cognitive ability in old age; however, these leaders are often perceived as experienced and well-connected, providing an irreplaceable wealth of knowledge. While retirement age varies globally, only a few countries have set mandatory retirement age for politicians. Recent health studies suggest that chronological age alone is insufficient to determine an individual’s ability to participate in the workforce; however, there are no objective criteria other than chronological age for mandatory retirement of most professions, including politicians. There is no consensus on ability or disability of older politicians to perform adequately, but their experience remains unparalleled. Physical and cognitive function, as reflected in biological age metrics, may serve as an alternative to chronological age concerning mandatory retirement.

Abstract The mandatory retirement age in Chile, 65 years for males and 60 years for females, was set in the 1980s. However, in view of accelerated population ageing in the country, there may be a need to reconsider these age thresholds. Thus, we estimate working life expectancy, i.e., years of remaining life spent working, at older ages by sex in Chile using (working) status-based multistate life table methods. Nationally representative longitudinal data on 1313 males and 1805 females from the Social Protection Survey, conducted in 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2015, were used to estimate working life expectancy at age 65 years for males and age 60 years for females. Men working at age 65 years, on average, could expect to live 21.6 years, with working life expectancy of 2.7 years (12.5% of life expectancy). Men not working at age 65 years could expect to live 21.2 years, with a much lower working life expectancy (0.2 years; 0.9% of life expectancy). A similar pattern was observed for women – those working at age 60 years could expect to live 25.9 years, with working life expectancy of 3.0 years (11.6% of life expectancy), and those not working at age 60 could expect to live 25.8 years, with only 0.5 years of working life expectancy (1.9% of life expectancy). The findings suggest the strong influence of the mandatory retirement age on working life expectancy in Chile and its role as a policy lever to increase working life expectancy among older adults.