ABSTRACT
Population aging and the changing nature of work are reshaping thinking about retirement in post-industrial society. The future will see less demarcation between the work and retirement phases of life. This will include a growing trend towards partial retirement and flexible retirement. Changes in pension policy will contribute to changing patterns of retirement. Recent U. S. legislation has uncoupled retirement from Social Security. New policy in Sweden provides partial pensions for partial retirement. Other pension policy changes in the European Union also are contributing to the redefinition of retirement in the 21st century.
