There’s a consensus in the fields of psychology and gerontology that folks who retire voluntarily are more satisfied with their lives during the retirement years. However, the reverse is also true: those who retire involuntarily report more health, mental health, and financial problems. Studies find involuntary retirement can lead to depression, anxiety, increased alcohol use, reduced physical activity, and decreased general well-being. As one of many examples, Zhai et al. (2022) reviewed eight published articles with 26,822 participants investigating the relationship between depression and involuntary retirement; they found that involuntary retirement was significantly associated with increased risk of depression
Let’s not underestimate the great number of older workers who are forced into involuntary retirement, which occurs for more than half of retirees. The number one reason for early retirement? Health issues, often an accumulation of prolonged medical concerns making continued employment unfeasible. Consider the findings of the recent report Retiree Life in the Post-Pandemic Economy (Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, 2024), which found that ill health was the cause of 28% of early retirements. Of course, people also involuntarily retire for other reasons, and this same report notes job loss (16%), organizational changes (16%), or job unhappiness (14%) contributes to the decision. Similarly, the 2025 Retirement Confidence Survey (Employee Benefit Research Institute/Greenwald Research, 2025) found nearly seven in 10 retirees stated the reason was something out of their control.
More recent studies are expanding our understanding of the effects of involuntary retirement. One area of research questions whether there are sub-groups of involuntary retirees that are more likely to experience negative (or positive) effects. Researchers, for example, are examining the combined effects of pre-retirement job satisfaction and involuntary retirement. Could those experiencing job dissatisfaction find involuntary retirement a relief and even experience an improvement in health? Could this similarly be true for those with health issues impacting job satisfaction? Additionally, is this relief fleeting or relatively stable? The results are yet unclear, still in their comprehensive overview of retirement research, Henning, Lindwall, & Johansson (2016) suggest, “While retirement might bring a special short-time benefit for some groups (e.g., people with health problems), in the long run these might be worse off than other groups and perceive particular decreases in well-being later on.”
Other recent studies question a common assumption that involuntary retirees experience the most harmful effects early in their retirement but ultimately rebound to levels of satisfaction and well-being equivalent to those of voluntary retirees. Indeed, several studies did find this. Other studies did not. For example, Rado & Boissonneault (2020) found that involuntary retirees reported lower levels of well-being in both the long- and short-term in comparison to voluntary retirees and that the expected convergence did not occur.
As of 2026, many questions remain about the risks and benefits of involuntary retirement, but there are some trends and themes to which we should be paying attention. First, involuntary retirement is experienced at an individual and idiosyncratic level. For some, it may have been a long-delayed relief from a hated job, while at the other end of the spectrum it is experienced as a devastating loss of one’s established patterns and day-to-day routines. Most people will be somewhere between these two poles. It seems, though, that involuntary retirees who were satisfied with their jobs are most challenged by the experience.
Second, we should begin healthy habits as soon as possible. Studies find that involuntary retirees engage in more alcohol use and more screen time. Males, in particular, are likely to isolate. Interestingly, Bacharach et al. (2008) found an increase in physical activity for this group but then questioned whether this was due to an abrupt change in financial status necessitating more reliance on walking and biking rather than car use. Equally important, one should engage in activities that have been consistently associated with a positive retirement experience, including minimizing distress, having frequent positive experiences, living with a sense of purpose and by one’s values, and continuing to make a difference. If future studies support the now-tentative finding that involuntary retirees are at risk for long-term and lasting mental health consequences, proactively implementing these interventions and approaches is crucial.
Third, carefully consider bridge employment, defined as paid work (typically part-time) by those who receive a pension and/or social security. It can provide older workers with the opportunity to adapt gradually to a life without work and who may benefit in the forms of social contact, structured use of time, connection with current developments, and financial assets. Studies show that bridge jobs affect post-retirement mental health positively. However, a caution is warranted: a person finding themself in a taxing, strenuous, and demanding job might find the paid position even worse than involuntary retirement.
Finally, get help if needed. Involuntary retirement is foisted upon many of us, often suddenly and with little (if any) time to prepare. Use existing support systems or create ones to assist with the transition of retirement, financial planning, and mental and physical health. Involuntary retirees should expect challenges and complications along the way; it will be a rare person who does not experience some untoward effects.