A new survey of older Americans shows that nearly 1 in 8 seniors over age 65 have already returned to work or plan to rejoin the workforce in 2026. The survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com, a resource for professional resume templates and career advice.
The December 2025 survey follows ResumeBuilder.com’s 2023 and 2024 studies on seniors reentering the workforce and shows the trend is continuing. According to the report, 8% of seniors say they have already returned to work, while another 4% say they are currently applying for jobs with plans to re-enter the workforce. Additionally, 16% report they never retired, indicating a significant share of seniors have continued working without ever fully leaving the labor force.
Among those who returned to work, most did so before 2024 (74%), while 13% reentered the workforce in 2024 and another 13% returned in 2025. Looking ahead, many seniors say they are delaying retirement. While 6% plan to retire by the end of 2025, 15% expect to retire in 2026, and 23% in 2027. Another 13% say they do not plan to retire until 2028, 9% until 2029, and 34% say they do not plan to retire until 2030 or later.
Financial pressures are a major factor behind the decision to keep working. More than half of seniors cite both enjoying work (54%) and the high cost of living (54%) as reasons for continuing to work or returning to the workforce. Thirty-seven percent say they have not saved enough for retirement, while others point to boredom (34%), concerns about potential changes to Social Security (26%), and worries about changes to Medicare (19%). Among seniors planning to continue working, most expect to do so part-time, with 58% planning part-time work and 42% planning to work full-time.
“For many seniors, retirement has become more flexible than final,” says ResumeBuilder.com Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller. “Rising living costs, uncertainty around long-term savings, and concerns about Social Security and Medicare are leading more older Americans to delay retirement or return to work. At the same time, flexible work options like part-time, remote, and project-based roles make it easier for seniors to stay engaged. For many, continuing to work isn’t just about finances, it’s also about purpose, connection, and enjoying the work they do.”
This survey was commissioned by ResumeBuilder.com and conducted online by the polling platform Pollfish in December 2025. It surveyed 3,574 U.S. residents ages 64 to 91.
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