| Sumario: | Data from 2 sources indicate that both men and women are retiring between 4 and 5 years earlier than they did in 1950. Social Security Administration records reveal that the average age of men receiving initial retirement benefits fell from 68.7 in 1950 to 63.7 in 1989. The average age for women dropped from 68.0 to 63.4. Current Population Survey statistics on age at final retirement show a similar trend. Both data series suggest that the decline in retirement age slowed in the 1970s and 1980s, but it is expected to continue in the 1990s and accelerate again after 2000. Lower retirement ages, coupled with gains in longevity, can be expected to increase the economic dependence of the elderly on younger people who are still in the labor force.
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