Retiring together, or not - ARCHIVED

Throughout much of the last century, older couples faced only one retirement decision -- the husband's. However, the dramatic rise and sustained participation of women in the paid labour force since the 1970s transformed the retirement transitions of married couples; increasingly, couples had to make two decisions and balance the preferences and constraints of partners who both made substantial contributions to household income. This article looks at the extent to which spouses synchronize the timing of their retirements, the factors associated with taking one or another pathway into retirement and changes in patterns of retirement through the 1990s.