To think most of us will work to death?

[Fifi0000]

I was thinking retirement age is rising again. I'm now 30 my grandparents are late 80s and retired before I was born. They aren't wealthy , They have only started really slowing down health wise. I was thinking about this and very few of us will get a 30 year retirement. If the retirement age rises to 68 I'm dreading what it will be when I reach that age and my daughter. I do have an ok pension pot but I think the expectation will be very short retirements in poor health basically work until you drop.

Absolutely this is a key point. At almost 70 what type of job would you be ABLE to still do? Despite love working easy to say if your only 50 odd.

@DoraSpenlow well said.

My mum retired at 60. Ill health which has worsened every year since.
My dad dropped dead at 67 still working ft.
Dh and I have NO intention of working past 60 if we can help it!
Sadly, other people we know died before 60 or got very ill/terminal just after retiring.
And Jeremy Hunt can fuck off.

I agrée people need a purpose when they retire. My FIL retired at 50 and it hasn't done him any good. He should have done something part time or voluntary work.

This really worries me. I have a desk job so it's not at all physically demanding, but it is stressful. There's no way I'd be able to cope with it when I'm 60 let alone 70.

I have a desk job, and it's not stressful, but I wonder how sharp my brain will be by the time I'm 65. Some people are still on the ball, others not so much. Plus if I lose my job when I'm in my 60s, who on earth will hire me?

I’m praying for voluntary euthanasia. Can’t bear the idea of working like I am now for another 40 years or more.

Free prescriptions are not given to people over 60 or under 18 in Australia. Full price if working and even people on benefits still pay something, but of course , reduced . Pregnant mothers also pay .

I would love to retire at 60 but realistically most likely to be 63. I want to care for grandchildren and travel, whilst I am relatively healthy. I watched my parents 'do' the right thing all their lives but they missed out on spending more time with grandchildren as they were still working. Neither have enjoyed a long, quality retirement due to failing health.

I have started pensions and savings accounts for all my children in the hope that they will have options to achieve a better work/life balance in their senior years and I have encouraged them to opt for careers that give them the potential to earn minimum of 40k+.

Money doesn't buy happiness but it helps.

Only one of my family has reached pension age and so none of the rest have seen the benefit of their hard work.

Realism must work both ways.

When did anyone ever say NZ was a socialist utopia? You are actually wrong btw, prescriptions here are not free for people over 60, or people on benefits (you might get a reduced fee), although they are free for those under 13. Once you have had a certain number of prescriptions in a year the rest are free for the remainder of the year. I don't believe our population to be any less healthy than the UK - in fact hasn't your average life expectancy gone down in recent years. Shock, horror, we also pay to visit the doctor!!

Just to add to my previous post - we get superannuation at age 65 here, and everyone gets the same amount, whether they be a billionaire or have never worked a day in their life.

Agreed and also won’t get to spend time with our grandchildren like grandparents do now.

I retired at 58. Nearly four years in I’m not feeling any lack of purpose. I’ve never been happier.

Interesting. I’m in Australian and our superannuation is more like a compulsory private pension. I’ll be eligible to withdraw my money or take it as a pension at 60 and you can bet I won’t be working a minute longer.

For anyone relying on the government pension that’s not available until you turn 67.

It's seems to me that 'boomer' has become a catch-all insult for older people the way that 'Karen'.is thrown at women.
Rather than getting angry at people for when they were born, maybe save it for successive governments who've funneled all the wealth upwards for the last 40 years or so.
We have the highest tax burden ever and nothing to show for it.
The country was bankrupt after WW2 and brought in the NHS and massive house building. It's a case of priorities and more equal distribution.

Yes, different system here. We don't have a compulsory pension scheme, but many people pay into Kiwisaver, but that isn't available until you are 65. I am planning on leaving work as soon as I turn 65, in fact I might even leave the week before my birthday. Counting down the months!!