DOI: 10.3886/icpsr08344
title: Retirement History Longitudinal Survey, 1979
title: Archival Version

description: This longitudinal study is the last in a series of six
 surveys conducted to investigate the nature of retirement and the
 transition to a retirement lifestyle in the United States. The
 first longitudinal study to concentrate on the process of retirement
 and to include change over a period of time as an object of study, the
 six surveys in the Retirement History Longitudinal Survey (RHLS) aimed
 at learning in detail the connections between worklife characteristics,
 retirement timing, and the determinants of style, quality, and conduct
 of retirement. With the 1969 study as a baseline, this study, along with
 subsequent biennial studies since 1969, record the retirement process as 
 it developed. To provide information on pre-retirement lives and 
 attitudes of respondents, questions were asked regarding labor force 
 history, retirement and retirement plans, health, household, family and 
 social activities, income, assets, and debts for respondents and their 
 spouses. Detailed information is provided on the sources and size of 
 income and assets, as well as debts. Questions also focussed on retirement 
 patterns and determinants of retirement timing, especially the relationship
 between pre-retirement income and expected post-retirement income. Also 
 examined was the influence exerted by health, anticipated post-retirement 
 needs and resources, employer policies, and significant work history. 
 Labor force questions covered the respondents' occupation and attitude
 toward that occupation, number of hours worked, salary, unemployment,
 and job-seeking behavior. Information on retirement plans included
 whether and when the respondents planned to retire, reasons for
 retirement, whether they had made retirement plans, such as moving
 residences or working, expected expenses and resources, and subjective 
 attitudes toward retirement. Respondents who were already partially or 
 fully retired were asked to report retrospectively on retirement age, 
 reasons for retirement, and whether they had planned for retirement 
 prior to actually retiring. Questions on health experience pertained 
 to the calendar year prior to the interview, and included
 receipts and costs of physical examinations and dentist visits,
 hospitalization, prescription and non-prescription medicines,
 other medical supplies and services, health insurance coverage and
 other resources for payment of medical expenses, and a measure of the
 respondent's own physical health. Questions were also asked concerning
 leisure activities, socialization, proximity and frequency of contact 
 with close relatives, and receipt of financial support from relatives.
 Information on food and housing, property ownership, and transportation
 was also gathered to provide a measure of changes in retirement
 lifestyle. Demographic items specify race, sex, age, marital
 status, education, income, benefits amount, assets, debts, number
 of children and children attending school, and household composition
 and relationship. Of the 7,352 cases contained in the data file,
 1,082 cases represent interviews with surviving spouses of the 
original respondents who died after the initial 1969 survey.
description: National multistage probability sample. The first (1969)
 wave used the same sampling frame as that applied by the United States
 Bureau of the Census for the Current Population Survey (CPS). Sample
 members were persons who lived in households that had participated in
 CPS before February 1969. In subsequent waves, attempts were made 
 to locate and reinterview original respondents. If the original
 respondent had died in the intervening period, a full interview was
 conducted with the surviving spouse, where applicable. To qualify as a
 surviving spouse, an individual must have been married to and living
 with the original respondent at the time of the previous interview and
 not have remarried. Interviews were conducted biennially through 1979
when sample members reached ages 68-73.
description: Datasets: 
DS1: Retirement History Longitudinal Survey, 1979
description: Men of all marital status categories in the United States
 born between 1905-1911, or aged 58-63 as of March 1, 1969. Women born
between 1905-1911 without husbands were also included in the universe.