Retirement measures in the health and retirement study

This paper highlights unanswered research questions in the economics of retirement and shows how these questions can be addressed using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Unique features of the survey are described, including administrative records on earnings and Social Security benefits and employer-provided data on pensions and health insurance. Also collected by the survey are indicators of retirement plans, health status, family structure, income, wealth, and employer policies affecting job opportunities and constraints. Data from the first wave of the HRS are used to analyze retirement outcomes and constraints shaping retirement behavior.