Note: This program originally aired on Aug. 1, 2024.
When President Joe Biden announced he wouldn’t be seeking a second term, his decision left the public wondering: Was this his choice? Or was it political pressure?
How do you know when the right time for retirement is?
For some, that may be a purely financial decision. For others, it may be more of a matter of the heart. Our work can be so integrated into who we are as people, and it shapes our identity. Getting out of the rat race can seem appealing on the surface, but dig deeper and there are important questions to ask yourself to know if you are truly ready.
If you’re lucky, you get to decide the right time to call it quits. But many people don't make that choice — office politics, age or injury can play a role. And it can be devastating when the choice to leave a lifelong career is not your own.
On the next Charlotte Talks, we take a deep dive into the American retirement system, and pose the questions we should ask ourselves — both the financial practical ones, and the questions centered around our sense of self.
GUESTS:
- Dr. Meghan Davenport (PhD), psychology professor at UNC Charlotte.
- Teresa Ghilarducci, professor of economics at the New School for Social Research in New York. Her new book is called "Work, Retire, Repeat: The Uncertainty of Retirement in the New Economy."
- Charley Locke, a freelance journalist who often writes about elders and youth for publications including The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, and Bloomberg Businessweek.
