Retiree's are heading back to work. Are you one of them?

Added: 2026-05-15

[00:00:02]Buzz's Retirement Garage, welcome back to another episode.

[00:00:07]Hey, we're in the garage today. What do you think about that? Suburbs of Cleveland, it's sunny, but still a bit cool today.

[00:00:14]Today's video and part of our ongoing retirement video series which you should probably subscribe to so you don't miss one of these fantastic episodes.

[00:00:28]A lot of retirees are quietly going back to work. So, hey look, I do these videos for three reasons.

[00:00:38]One, I like to share what I've learned in retirement with you.

[00:00:44]Whether you're about to retire and you're preparing yourself for that ultimate day when you get that ultimate day of freedom or if you're already in retirement and you just kind of want to see what the Joneses are doing, you know, or in this case, the Buzzes.

[00:01:02]What [laughter] they're doing.

[00:01:03]And and again, I get a lot of information back from you.

[00:01:08]And this is one of the topics that I was actually sent an email on is, "Hey, what are people doing when they go back to work if they go back to work? Like what kind of work are they doing? You know, what how are they involved in it?

[00:01:25]You know, is it like a Home Depot? Is it driving truck? Is it uh doing deliveries? Is it doing Uber? Like ask the questions so that we can get some answers and maybe that's something that that person might want to look into to try out in retirement."

[00:01:42]So, that's that's pretty much the main reason. The second reason is, yeah, I make a little bit of money which is almost like going back to work, right?

[00:01:53]So, I probably if if you know me if you don't you'll get to know me. But, if you know me already because you've been a subscriber, you know that um you know, I'm not sitting real good financially, and I would have worked at least part-time in in my retirement. Now, social social security will cap you at a certain amount of money. And I don't remember, I'm just I'm this is like off the cuff right now, but I think it was 26,500.

[00:02:23]Now, it may be 27,000 dollars. It could be a little less than that.

[00:02:27]So, you can't make more than that without social security starting to claw back a little bit of that, which you will get at FRA. So, at full retirement age, you will get that money back. Um they will And not in one lump sum, they'll just re- recalculate your earnings and then throw you maybe an extra buck a month or something, who knows, if you go over that 26, 27,000.

[00:02:54]So, I knew I had to work part-time, and the YouTube income does help in that regard.

[00:03:00]And third, Mrs. Buzz, it's just me and Mrs. Buzz at home.

[00:03:05]So, after a while, she gets tired of listening to me.

[00:03:09]So, I don't have anybody but maybe Grey Cat to talk to.

[00:03:13]So, I have to talk to you.

[00:03:16]So, that's Those are my three reasons for doing these videos. So, the second one, the income part. Um I was just reading that 20% of Americans age 65 are still in the labor workforce.

[00:03:32]20%.

[00:03:34]So, they're still even at 65. Now, of course, a lot of the people's FRA now, full retirement age, is 67. You know, some are 66 and 10 months, etc., but uh uh the majority of people watching this are probably going to be 67.

[00:03:49]And so, 20% of those Americans age 65 and older are still in the labor force, which is in 20 25 years ago it was only 13%.

[00:04:03]So, as the years go on, more people are staying. Now, why? I think one, people are actually, believe it or not, a little bit healthier.

[00:04:13]Um two, obviously costs have just gone up over the last 25 years.

[00:04:20]Um and three, it's that part I think, personally, it's that that unknown factor. Well, it's known, but unknown until you retire, is that friends factor. Now, we call co-workers friends.

[00:04:35]Um but they're just co-workers in most cases. But, and we've done videos about this, too, so have many others. Once you leave that workforce, as I said in the beginning, it's just me and Mrs. Buzz.

[00:04:48]Now, unless we go to the store or, you know, we go out somewhere and and mingle with people, it's just us two. And that is probably one of the things that's the hardest to adapt to when you retire.

[00:05:03]I mean, think about it. In in most companies, there's at least 10 people, I would say. Even small companies, you've got 10 people. You're Even the UPS man comes in or whatever, or UPS woman, or the mail lady, and um you know, you gab a little bit, you say hello, you got people to talk to.

[00:05:20]You probably got a boss, a supervisor, or you're the boss or the supervisor.

[00:05:24]Uh other companies, you know, you're at hundreds of people. So, you know, you're nodding, saying hello. You might not know them on a personal basis, but uh you're always seeing and and talking to people. And once you retire, that's gone. So, very interesting, different different video topic, but that's interesting. So, an AARP survey from a February article from this um year said that 7% of retirees have un-retired in the previous 6 months.

[00:05:58]So, previous to February 2026, 7% of retirees have retired in the previous six or have un-retired in the previous 6 months. 48% to make more money, 14% to stay active.

[00:06:15]I know it doesn't equal 100%, but there's other reasons as well.

[00:06:20]In a 2025 survey, 13% of retired people said they would return to the workforce in 2026.

[00:06:31]So, that was a survey in 2025 that 13% would return in 2026.

[00:06:38]So, I think we're starting to see some people, you know, going back to work because of the things that I mentioned.

[00:06:45]You know, the loneliness maybe, um the needing extra money just just to be safe, right? Just to be safe.

[00:06:54]Um and that's my concern, too. You know, that's why I do the YouTube channel. If I didn't have the YouTube channel, great cats walking on my drywall here.

[00:07:02]Um if I didn't have the YouTube channel, I would definitely be working part-time somewhere. I mean, there's no if, ands, or about buts about it. Um and a lot of so so, I would like to know what if you've gone back to work? Now, I know we have one subscriber who works in a bookstore, which I think is pretty cool.

[00:07:22]Um and we have other people who do Uber driving.

[00:07:27]It likes to walk on the drywall. Um that do Uber driving that, you know, and I do volunteer work. It doesn't pay anything except uh you know, makes me feel good about doing what I do with the walking dogs and stuff, but what are you doing or what have you contemplated doing after you retired?

[00:07:47]Um, have you actually thought about it and done it?

[00:07:51]Or have you still thinking about it?

[00:07:52]You're kind of on the fence?

[00:07:54]And if you have, what is it that you've done? What have you tried? What have you tried and failed on? Um, and that's the other thing about retirement is you can just go try something like, "Okay, I'm going to go work at Home Depot."

[00:08:06]And there's a couple of videos out where a couple of guys, um, one guy worked at Lowe's for a little while and and he just got to a point where he was like, "I don't need this, you know, I don't need this the politics. I don't need, uh, it was understaffed. He was getting kind of put a lot of work on him."

[00:08:23]And I don't know all the details to that, but you know, he just said, "Hey, I don't need it and I'm out, you know?"

[00:08:29]So, it was just extra spending money.

[00:08:32]And I think a lot of people you can walk into a place, if you get hired, now there's always age discrimination, that's a that's a tough part, too. But, there's also people and companies that are desperate for people.

[00:08:44]Um, I always like to look at it as and maybe you HR people can tell me if this is right or wrong. Um, I would like to go into a place and say, "Hey, I'm 65. You don't I don't want I'm not going to take your medical."

[00:08:58]Now, right there people should be hired just by saying, "I'm not going to take your medical." Because medical expenses, uh, obviously are are tough one to, uh, especially if you're older. Like I was saying, you're 63 and you're you're not entitled to Medicare and a company looks at you, you're 63, well, chances are you're going to have issues and they may not want to hire you because you're going to go on their medical, you're going to cost them a fortune possibly, and maybe they shy away from you. Legally, that's probably not you're not supposed to do that, but does it happen? I guarantee it. I guarantee it.

[00:09:38]So, once you hit 65, you can say, "Hey, I'm on Medicare and I will not accept your uh your health insurance. Maybe your dental or something, but I won't accept your health insurance." Then that can get your foot in the door, too.

[00:09:52]Um HR people, tell me if I'm right or wrong.

[00:09:56]So, what are the jobs that you're doing?

[00:09:59]Be very interested to find out. Buzz back in the garage. Take care and have a good day.