When you ask people when they plan to retire, many say that they’ll keep working, even past age 65. None seem to be concerned about things like their health, or whether or not their employer will still provide benefits, or if it might be a good idea to yield the job to a younger person.

A poll out recently by CIBC suggests that a surprising one quarter of Canadians who are retired regret that choice. “Twenty-seven per cent of retired Canadians regret having left their jobs and 23 per cent of retirees have tried to re-enter the labour market,” CIBC’s research notes. “When asked why they chose to return to work, 59 per cent said it was for intellectual stimulation and 50 per cent said it was because of financial concerns.”

Certainly, leaving a full-time job means leaving colleagues and friends behind. But the financial concerns are perhaps more telling.

Recent Bank of Canada figures cited by Better Dwelling show household debt is an eye-popping $2.16 trillion, with most of the debt on mortgages. Even if you were planning to retire at 65, that debt is a factor that could throw a wrench in your plans.

An article in The Province suggests that carrying debt into retirement may be a reason people are thinking of going back to work. “When you need more of your retirement income to service debt, there is less left over to enjoy your golden years,” the newspaper points out. “Some think that they’ve got savings to help them top up what they’re short on after they retire, but that’s not necessarily the best strategy. If you need your savings to generate enough income, depleting your savings multiplies the negative impact on your financial situation at a time when you’re least able to manage through it.”

So what options do seniors have to deal with post-retirement debt? Going back to work is one, and another is a reverse mortgage. “On a national basis, reverse mortgage debt stood at $3.425 billion outstanding as of October 2018, marking its highest point in 8 years,” reports Real Estate Professional magazine.

The Money Ning blog says that while there are pros for employers in keeping older workers on the job, such as retaining their experience, and reducing government program spending, there are also cons.

“For workers who are either not passionate about their work, or who are working in a job that is physically demanding or extremely stressful, the idea of keeping that job for longer is not a pleasant one,” the blog notes. “In some cases, working past the mid-60s may not even be entirely safe,” the article continues.

Will employers still offer the same benefits to those age 65 and older? It’s certainly worth checking before you decide to stay put.

Other negatives are preventing younger workers from advancement, which affects their own ability to grow their income and save for retirement. These kids often can’t afford to buy and end up back home with their retiring parents.

So let’s recap. Boomers are carrying record debt levels as they approach retirement. Once retired, they must use their pensions or personal savings to pay down debt, leaving less money for fun and travel. That makes many crave the workplace once again, or have to do reverse mortgages to make ends meet.

Sure, it would be great to retire without debt, but it seems less possible than a generation or two ago. The takeaway here is that notwithstanding debt payments, we all need to put as much as we can away for retirement. Those savings give us options and more wiggle room at age 65, and maybe the ability to enjoy life without meetings, commuting, performance reviews and other workplace drama.

If you don’t have a pension plan at work, or if you do and want to supplement it, the Saskatchewan Pension Plan is a great place to start, with low fees, a strong investment track record, and flexible ways to turn savings into income at retirement. Check them out today at saskpension.com.

Written by Martin Biefer

Martin Biefer is Senior Pension Writer at Avery & Kerr Communications in Nepean, Ontario. After a 35-year career as a reporter, editor and pension communicator, Martin is enjoying life as a freelance writer. He’s a mediocre golfer and beginner line dancer who enjoys classic rock and sports, especially football. He and his wife Laura live with their Shelties, Duncan and Phoebe, and their cat, Toobins. You can follow him on Twitter – his handle is @AveryKerr22