Is Rising Household Debt Affecting Retirement Decisions?

Household debt among older Americans approaching retirement has increased dramatically over time. Older households have become increasingly more indebted and more leveraged. While mortgages remain the predominant type of debt among households in their 50s and 60s, student loan debt has also risen among these households in recent years. This chapter uses household survey data to show that more indebted older adults are more likely to work, less likely to be retired, and, on average, expect to work longer than those with less debt. Furthermore, the chapter examines how different types of debt such as mortgages, credit card debt, and student loans affect those decisions.