The fastest growing segment of the labor force is workers over the age of 65, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
If you plan on working past 65, there are some issues to be aware of that author Mark Miller points out in his Wealth Management.com article:
Social Security timing: It doesn’t make sense to take Social Security in your first year of eligibility (age 62) if you continue to plan on working for two main reasons: 1) you will only receive 75% of your primary insurance amount and 2) there are penalties incurred on Social Security benefits if you earn income. For example, if you have earned income of more than $15,480 in 2014, you will be hit with a penalty of $1 for every $2 over that amount. These withheld benefits are given back after you reach full retirement age, but it does not make much sense to take the reduced benefits early. Instead, if you continue to work and can wait until the age of 70, you will receive 132% of the primary insurance amount for the rest of your life, and that is nearly double the amount you would receive at age 62. After age 70 benefits stop accruing.
Medicare filing: The article notes that Medicare benefits are by the far the most important and the most complicated. If you already receive Social Security benefits, the sign-up for Medicare is automatic. If not, your window to sign up is the three months before turning 65 up through the three months following. Failing to do so can result in expensive premiums down the road. For example, monthly Part B premiums jump 10% for each full 12 month period that a senior could have had coverage but didn’t sign up. If you plan on working past age 70, you can delay starting Medicare without penalty if you are insured based on your active work status by an employer with more than 20 employees. However, if you are self employed, or your employer has fewer than 20 employees, you should sign up at age 65.
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs): RMD’s are mandatory from IRA accounts and 401(k)s (unless you are working for an employer who sponsors the plan) starting the year you turn 70.5. If you are working, you do not have to take RMDs from the 401(k) of your current employer; it is only required from former workplaces if they were never rolled over. These distributions can affect what tax bracket you will fall into, so it’s important to plan accordingly.