Are you mid-50s? Do you still work full time?

[elsaandanna]

I'm the only woman I know of my age who works full time.

Admittedly I have a small circle of people I know and none of them have glamorous or high flying careers.

I'm a childminder so I'm busy long days, 5 days a week. Can't drop a day as I'd lose income. The parents that need childcare 5 days a week because they work full time are much younger than me.

I may have to work for another 14 years til I can get a state pension but worse, I'd hate to not have paid prsi and have to hope a husband didn't count out how much of his money i could have, trade me in for a younger version, then screw me in a divorce and grudge me a portion of his pension, eugh, I feel like this is the lesser of two "evils"

I went down to four days a week at 55. Was fortunate to be able to afford to, not everyone is.

I am 60 and been part time all my fifties.

Schoolgirls my age still working full time though!

Oops meant to type schoolfriends.

50 here but planning a good 10 years more of proper career work and then take a view but not planning on stopping before 65 if my health allows, I can’t begin to imagine even considering retirement or slowing down in my 50’s. My mum went to 63 and we finally persuaded my dad to stop at about 72!

I’m 59 and about to go part-time.

Most of my friends have been part-time since having their children, but I went back full time when my youngest went to secondary. Mainly for the money, but also because I like my job/was getting bored at home 🤣

I am now ready to take things a bit slower!

I had my DC late and returned to FT the year I turned 50 (and only dropped to 4 days anyway when I was PT). I intend to work FT until my mid 60s then possibly start cutting down day by day.

I think there will be a big difference in the move from Boomers to Gen X. Older Boomers were more likely to be pushed out of work when they had children and probably returned to work late and only PT but had final salary pensions. Whereas Gen X were more likely to take maternity leave and return to work after each child and have DC pensions (unless public sector).

I have ex-colleagues who are just a few years older than me who have already retired (having never returned to FT work after DC). It's quite different to my expectation since I still have a primary school aged child at 53 so intend to work FT until he's gone through university.

Honestly I’m feeling traumatised by the idea that people are on the scrap heap of retirement at only 55! At that age I’ll have a 12yo and a 17yo, I won’t be ready to be put in the bin!

I don't think men have these conversations. No one asked my dh if he was planning to work pt when he was in his 50s. He's now in his 60s and is planning to drop to 3 days a week next spring/summer.

There are more people working older than ever before.

@EmmaGrundyForPM in fairness men are rarely dealing with the practicalities of older relatives getting ill and needing some support. It is the women who pick that up.

I'm 49 and I have worked part time (4 day week) since DS1 was born, and plan to keep doing so if possible.
I will retire whenever state pension age is. So I have a long time to go.
I don't love my job, but its easy enough and very flexible and the pay is OK based on those factors.
I love my job on the side, which is craft-based and sporadic - this is what I do on my day off

But only on the assumption that part time workers are less valuable than full time workers. Some of the people I know who work 0.6 or 0.8 represent very good value to their employers. They are paid less (obviously) and put in 3 or 4 days of useful work each week.

My close relative is still part time, mid 60s, NHS. Full time until only recently. She has no plans to retire. She's quite industrious and it keeps her active, though she doesn't need the money.

56 and yes. I'll be working until I drop, unfortunately.

Almost. I'm 52 and work full-time. I love my job and am pretty sure I will still be working full time at 55. The only thing that makes me think I might want to cut back in a few year is the fact that my husband is more than 10 years older than me, so I am somewhat conscious that our "fit and healthy" years together to do stuff are likely to be shorter than they would be otherwise, and also that he is more likely to need my time and care before I reach retirement age. Having said that, he is extremely fit and healthy now so may outlive me yet!

One change I am considering making (or at least asking for) in a few years time is going down to a 9 or 10 month a year contract. I'm an academic and think it could work and that my employer would consider it. I already work less during the summer, and I could just take advantage more than I do, but I'd rather just have an absolute "zero work, no guilt" situation and go travelling all summer!

I don't think men have these conversations. No one asked my dh if he was planning to work pt when he was in his 50s. He's now in his 60s and is planning to drop to 3 days a week next spring/summer.

Really? All the men I know are! More so than the women. Admittedly, that is partly because they are more likely to working full time. But also because they are less likely to have had a career break and change recently. Plenty of women I know have started again!

I’m single, 62, and will have to work at least till my state retirement age of 67. I struggle with health issues but needs must (mortgage finishes when I’m 68). Fortunately I like my job, although I would retire tomorrow if I could afford it.

52. I work 20 hours and have done since DC1 was born 21 years ago. Both DC now at uni. I have no intention of upping my hours, in fact I plan to reduce them in a year or two and will 100% retire at 55 with DH going six months earlier. I invested an inheritance several years ago for this very purpose. By then I will have done 37 years in the NHS and can get most of my pension and a lump sump penalty free.

56 here and have been working 3 days for the last five years. This year I increased to 4 days but would like to get it down to 3 days again next year. I enjoy work but don’t want it to take up the majority of my time. Mortgage paid off, kids working and with an older semi retired husband I want to spend some time on me/us while I have the energy
But I enjoy work enough that I am happy enough to carry on in some capacity for the meanwhile

I'm 60 and still FT; no end in sight.

I don't know any "normal" women in their 50s or 60s who don't work full time they all do

And by "normal" I mean not poor not rich just average

I know well off women who have retired, although most do not think of themselves as well off. They are the kind that have a holiday home or at least one rental property, alongside their family mortgage free home.
The only people I know who are more ordinary who are not working full time at this age have health problems.

Most women I know in their 50s work part time.