It is no wonder that more and more Boomers are staying in the workforce, maintaining either full-time or part-time positions or working for themselves. Many Boomers need to continue to work, because surveys indicate that Americans simply are not saving enough for retirement.

For example, a new AARP survey of 1,500 middle income workers ages 40 to 59 confirms that retirement savings take a back seat to other financial needs. According to AARP, "76 percent of respondents have accomplished significant financial goals such as buying a home, while more than 70 percent have paid off mortgages, student loans or credit card balances. Some 67 percent have saved for a family vacation. 

Working past the previously accepted retirement age of 65 is now commonplace. Most Boomers want to, or have to, work into their 70s and perhaps even beyond. So what are all these Boomers doing for work?

It turns out that an increasing percentage of Boomers start their own businesses, or work independently as freelancers in what has become known as the "gig economy." According to recent data cited by Nancy Collamer in her article about the gig economy for Next Avenue, freelancers/consultants/temps and on-call workers (i.e., "independents") make up 31 percent of the private workforce. For those 53 years and older, the percentage is 35 percent. Nancy offers some valuable tips on how Boomers can enter the gig economy.

So what jobs do the rest of us hold? Zippia, a new career site intended for recent college graduates, shares some interesting data in an article entitled "The Jobs You'll Work When You Retire." The five most common jobs for those over 65, according to Zippia, are motor vehicle operators (this includes taxis, trucks, etc.), embalmers/funeral attendants (really!), crossing guards, models/demonstrators/product promoters, and tax preparers.

Another data point is jobs with the most older workers. These jobs include: accountants, lawyers,nurses, physicians, retail salespeople, senior managers, and teachers/professors. It is also a fact that, in general, average workers age 60 to 74 are paid more in hourly wages than average workers age 25 to 59.

Check out the Zippia article for more details to learn what other Boomers do for work: https://www.zippia.com/advice/jobs-youll-work-retire/

The respected Pew Research Center recently shared in-depth statistics about the use of technology by older adults in the U.S. The data presents a fascinating look at people like you and me who utilize smartphones and the Internet.

To put things into perspective, Pew defines "older adults" as those of us who are 65 years of age and older. That is currently 46 million Americans, or 15 percent of the population. That percentage is projected to grow to 22 percent by 2050. Almost half (42 percent) of these older adults own a smartphone now, a dramatic increase from 18 percent in 2013. Over two-thirds (67 percent) use the Internet, and 51 percent now have broadband connectivity at home. About one-third (32 percent) own tablet computers.

Younger seniors are more tech savvy than older seniors, reports the Pew Research Center:

"Seniors ages 65 to 69 are about twice as likely as those ages 80 and older to say they ever go online (82% vs. 44%) or have broadband at home (66% vs. 28%), and they are roughly four times as likely to say they own smartphones (59% vs. 17%)."

Another aspect of smartphone ownership, Internet usage, and broadband connectivity is not surprising: the more affluent the senior, the higher the usage and availability of technology.

Generally, seniors have a positive impression of technology:

"Fully 58% of adults ages 65 and older say technology has had a mostly positive impact on society, while roughly three-quarters of internet-using seniors say they go online on a daily basis – and nearly one-in-ten go online almost constantly."

The use of social media is mixed. A majority of seniors do not use social media, with just 34 percent saying they ever use social media networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. However, 45 percent of seniors under the age of 75 say they ever use social media.

One of the more telling barriers to technology adoption is confidence. According to Pew Research Center, "just 26% of internet users ages 65 and over say they feel very confident when using computers, smartphones or other electronic devices to do the things they need to do online. ... Roughly one-third describe themselves as only a little (23%) or not at all (11%) confident in their ability to use electronic devices to do necessary online activities."

For me, the data validates what I generally believe about technology usage. As a blogger and digital marketer who has made use of technology for a long time, I know that my comfort level with smartphones and the Internet is higher than many of my generational peers. However, I definitely relate to the relatively low usage of social media by seniors; while I blog and actively use LinkedIn and Twitter for professional purposes, I am not engaged with Facebook.

 Hopefully the data from the Pew Research Center helps you have a better understanding of tech usage by seniors. How does your use of technology fit with others in your age group?

If you've ever thought about going into business with your spouse, you need to read Let's Make Money, Honey: The Couple's Guide to Starting a Service Business. The book has received excellent reviews from book reviewers and readers alike. It tells the story of how a Boomer couple started a small service business and sold it seven years later. You'll find plenty of advice about what to do and what not to do when starting a business with your spouse. Included are details about planning, financing, outfitting, and launching a service business, as well as operations, marketing, sales, customer service, and managing growth. Useful tools to help couples assess their business interests and business compatibility are also included. 

For the month of July only, Happily Rewired is offering the eBook edition of Let's Make Money, Honey: The Couple's Guide to Starting a Service Business at half price -- just $3.50 -- if you order it through Smashwords. You can get the book in any format for any device, including a PDF. 

To get your copy at half-price, simply go to: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/568837  When you place your order, enter the code SSW50 and you'll pay just $3.50 instead of the regular price of $6.99. This offer is only good from July 1 through 31 at Smashwords so order today!

One of the truly disheartening things for Boomers is finding yourself out of a job for a long time and looking for another one. The sad truth is that, even with expertise and experience, Boomers are largely discriminated against by American companies. Their short-sighted view is that Boomers cost too much; they can hire younger, less experienced workers at lower wages. Some subtle and some not-so-subtle age discrimination is levied against over 50 job seekers and there is little that can be done about it.

So what productive action can you take if you're over 50, you want a job, and you've been out of work for some time? Career counselor Marc Miller has some good advice.

Marc says anyone over 50 who has been unemployed for over six months should seriously consider becoming self-employed. He points out that we are rapidly moving toward a "contractor based economy." Depending on your skills and interests, you are likely to find some type of work that you can do on a contract basis. Considering contract, temporary, or part-time work makes sense and will be easier to find, in Marc's view.

Another good suggestion of Marc's is to volunteer when you are unemployed for a long time. He says volunteering can be valuable in a number of ways, including:

• Build your self esteem
• Build on your brand image
• Create a portfolio of your life work
• Improve your marketable skills.

Marc shares several other sound ideas in his article, which you can read here: 
https://careerpivot.com/2013/you-are-over-50-and-long-term-unemployed-what-do-you-do/