For a long time, for most people, retirement meant the complete cessation of professional activities. In recent years, however, retirement has transformed:
- Philippe volunteers at an animal shelter. Every week, he spends three days pampering the rescues and then four days taking care of his cottage, renovating it from top to bottom.
- Christina had no desire to leave her beloved colleagues. She therefore postponed retirement but reduced her working hours. Going into the office on Mondays? No, thank you. Long live long weekends!
- Paul practically ran out of the factory where he had worked for a long time. He had had enough of the routine job. As soon as he turned 65, he started receiving his pension under the Québec Pension Plan, then started working part-time at his local grocery store to remain socially active.
- Claire had stopped working for over six years when her former employer offered her a one-year contract. He chose Claire to supervise a cohort of new employees, a wise decision.
But why has retirement evolved so much?
The increase in life expectancy observed in the past decades has a lot to do with this. People are living longer, in better health and want to stay active. Continuing to work helps them maintain a good level of activity.
The improvement of working conditions is also an important factor in that evolution. Working 12 hours a day in a field, in the hot sun wears you out! Conversely, writing reports in an air-conditioned office, in a comfortable ergonomic chair, is far easier on the joints. It is clear that having working conditions that help preserve the physical and mental health is a major factor in keeping experienced people employed.
Whether it is to remain socially active, to remain active or to make ends meet, "being retired" can rhyme with "working." It is up to you to determine the terms of your retirement, according to your needs and desires. However, even if work is not part of it, it is important to plan financially for your retirement. The earlier you start, the better you will be able to plan for this important step in your life. If you go back to work, whether by obligation or by choice, do not forget to review your financial plan based on your additional income. Do not hesitate to use the Work income kept on retirement tool 
to find out how much money you will earn from working.
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