Using data from the 1973 Canadian National Mobility Study of over 6,000 men and women, it is found that socioeconomic factors such as age, self-employment, educational attainment, and amount of unearned income are major determinants of employment past age 65. Financial incentive is a prime factor, particularly for older women. (SK)

This study attempts to determine the main socioeconomic factors influencing the decision to retire before age 65 among Canadian men and women. The study concludes that early retirees tend to be single men and married women employed by others who are better educated and whose nonearned income is higher than those who retire at a later age.…