I was laid off at 61 and approved for Social Security, but a high-paying job offer came in. Should I go back to work?

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Elise, 61, was each acceptable for retirement.

She was approved for Social Security, and then, conscionable earlier she gave her notice, was laid off. Her severance bundle covered her until her Social Security benefits began.

With 4 years to spell until 65, she would person to screen wellness security costs connected her own.

But a caller accidental arose, prompting her to reconsider her plans. Elise’s aged leader offered her a team-leading, client-facing relation successful a section she had ever wanted to join, with beardown wage and benefits.

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She’s tempted, but she can’t spot herself moving beyond the extremity of the year. She besides wonders if it’s just to instrumentality a enactment occupation she intends to permission soon. Besides, going backmost to an leader that had already fto her spell erstwhile seems similar a beauteous large risk.

That’s the halfway of her dilemma. Here’s what other is astatine stake.

Let’s accidental Elise is joined and that, hypothetically, her 63-year-old hubby has besides been connected her leader plan. Her spouse is 2 years distant from Medicare eligibility.

The mates has astir $980,000 saved — astir $900,000 successful 401(k)s and IRAs and $80,000 successful currency — with a astir paid-off mortgage.

Americans judge they request astir $1.26 cardinal to discontinue comfortably, according to a 2025 survey from Northwestern Mutual (1). So Elise and her spouse are wrong striking region of that “magic number” adjacent without maximizing Social Security, but not rather yet.

Working longer would evidently boost their status savings, allowing her to adjacent the $280,000 shortfall. However, for Elise, the caller occupation whitethorn beryllium astir much than conscionable money.

Many older Americans accidental enactment besides offers captious entree to wellness security and Social Security benefits. Respondents to the University of Michigan’s National Poll connected Healthy Aging (2) claimed different important factors see having a consciousness of purpose, contributing to society, keeping their encephalon crisp and maintaining societal connections.

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Taking the occupation could assistance Elise successful 4 ways: