The changing nature of (un-)retirement in Germany: living conditions, activities and life phases of older adults in transition

In an aging work society, the transition to retirement represents a crucial passage in status for older adults. The conditions and the forms of the age-related status transition have changed substantially in Germany over recent decades. Thus, in addition to "indirect" retirement paths from various forms of non-employment, there is an increasing tendency to continue paid work beyond the regular retirement age limit. Moreover, older adults volunteer in civil society and are engaged within the family after retirement. These activities, together with prolonged labor market participation, form a central dimension of old age potential that can be a societal as well as an individual benefit. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of research, provide an overview of basic concepts as well as to advance the discourse on the transition to retirement and the potential of older people in Germany. One focus is on the labor market participation of older adults, even beyond the legal retirement age limit. In addition, we emphasize the interaction between different productive activities with regard to complementary or substitute relationships. These considerations are united in the concept of unretirement, which complements the traditional concept of retirement. A modified Rubicon model of action is presented as a heuristic framework for further empirical research on the labor market participation of older adults.In einer Gesellschaft des langen Lebens stellt der Übergang in den Ruhestand für viele ältere Erwachsene eine zentrale Statuspassage dar. Die Bedingungen und die Formen des Altersübergangs haben sich in den letzten Jahrzehnten in Deutschland gewandelt. So ist neben "indirekten" Übergängen aus einer Nichterwerbstätigkeit auch zunehmend eine fortgeführte Erwerbstätigkeit über die Regelaltersgrenze hinaus zu beobachten. Darüber hinaus sind ältere Erwachsene auch nach dem Ruhestandseintritt in der Zivilgesellschaft und der Familie engagiert. Diese Tätigkeiten bilden zusammen mit einer verlängerten Arbeitsmarktbeteiligung eine zentrale Dimension der Potenziale älterer Erwachsener ab, die in einer alternden Bevölkerung sowohl von gesellschaftlichem als auch von individuellem Nutzen sein können. Ziel des Beitrags ist die umfassende Darstellung, die Zusammenführung und die Weiterentwicklung der Diskurse um den Übergang in den Ruhestand und die Potenziale älterer Menschen in Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Dabei liegt ein Schwerpunkt auf der Arbeitsmarktbeteiligung älterer Erwachsener, auch über die Regelaltersgrenze hinaus. Hierzu wird ein Rubikon-Handlungsmodell dargestellt, das als grundlegender heuristischer Rahmen für weiterführende empirische Forschungsarbeiten in diesem Bereich dienen kann. Zudem wird die Wechselwirkung zwischen verschiedenen "produktiven" Tätigkeiten im Sinne einer komplementären oder substitutiven Beziehung betont. Diese Überlegungen werden im Konzept des Unruhestands gebündelt, der den einseitig negativ konnotierten Begriff des Ruhestands ergänzen soll

TOP - Transitions and Old Age Potential: Data and Methodology Report for the Second Wave of the Study

The follow-up survey for the Transitions and Old Age Potential (TOP) study took place from November 2015 until February 2016. Of the 3,897 the willing respondents from the first wave of 2013, three years later interviews were completed with 2,501 persons. In content, the second wave of TOP focuses on the transitions to retirement, the realization of activity intentions, particularly on the labor market, as part of a multi-stage model of action as well as on the changes in the potentials of older adults over the course of time. Like the first wave, the follow-up survey was also conducted by the Umfragezentrum Bonn (uzbonn) on behalf of the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB). In addition to measures for reducing the bias from panel mortality and for increasing coverage, longitudinal weighting methods were used that, among other aspects, adjusted for selective response probabilities in the second wave.Von November 2015 bis Februar 2016 fand die Wiederholungsbefragung der Studie "Transitions and Old Age Potential: Übergänge und Alternspotenziale" (TOP) statt. Von den 3.897 panelbereiten Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmern der ersten Welle des Jahres 2013 lagen drei Jahre später abgeschlossene Interviews von 2.501 Personen vor. Inhaltlich konzentriert sich die zweite Welle TOP auf die Übergänge in den Ruhestand, die Verwirklichung von Tätigkeitsabsichten, insbesondere am Arbeitsmarkt, als Teil eines mehrstufigen Handlungsmodells sowie die Veränderung von Potenzialen älterer Erwachsener im Zeitverlauf. Wie bereits die erste Welle, so wurde auch die Wiederholungsbefragung vom Umfragezentrum Bonn (uzbonn) im Auftrag des Bundesinstituts für Bevölkerungsforschung (BiB) durchgeführt. Neben Maßnahmen zur Reduzierung der Verzerrung aus der Panelmortalität und zur Erhöhung der Ausschöpfung kamen längsschnittliche Gewichtungsverfahren zum Einsatz, die u.a. für selektive Teilnahmewahrscheinlichkeiten an der zweiten Welle adjustieren

TOP - Transitions and Old Age Potential: Methodology Report on the Study

Im Auftrag des Bundesinstituts für Bevölkerungsforschung (BiB) in Wiesbaden führte das Umfragezentrum Bonn (uzbonn) im ersten Quartal 2013 eine Befragung zu den Übergängen in den Ruhestand und den Potenzialen der 55- bis 70-Jährigen am Arbeitsmarkt sowie in der Zivilgesellschaft und der Familie durch. Hierzu wurde eine für die deutschsprachige Wohnbevölkerung in dieser Altersgruppe repräsentative Festnetzstichprobe nach dem Gabler-Häder-Design gezogen und mittels CATI-Verfahren telefonisch befragt. Den Interviews lag ein standardisiertes Erhebungsinstrument zugrunde, das in Zusammenarbeit mit Kooperationspartnern aus unterschiedlichen Disziplinen (unter anderen Psychologie, Gerontologie, Wirtschaftswissenschaften) entwickelt wurde. Die durchschnittliche Länge der Interviews betrug 40 Minuten. Insgesamt wurden 5.002 Personen befragt.During the first quarter of the year 2013, the Umfragezentrum Bonn (uzbonn) was com- missioned by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB) to conduct the study "Transitions and Old Age Potential (TOP)." The subjects of this study were, in particular, employment, involvement in civil society and support or nursing activities within the family by 55 to 70-year-olds (birth cohorts 1942 to 1958), who lived in German priva- te households at the time of the survey. Based on the Gabler-Häder design, a random sample was created that was surveyed by means of computer assisted telephone inter- views (CATI). Weighting was done using microcensus data to ensure the representative status of the random sample. 5,002 people were surveyed

Teilhabe im (Un-)Ruhestand fördern: Herausforderungen und Handlungsoptionen

Das späte Erwachsenenalter ist durch eine Vielfalt an Übergängen und (Un-)Ruheständen gekennzeichnet. Dies bedeutet, dass der Ruhestandseintritt nicht mit einem Rückzug aus sozialen, familialen und wirtschaftlichen Lebensbereichen gleichzusetzen ist. Potenziale älterer Menschen sind Ergebnis einer Förderung über den gesamten Lebenslauf hinweg und müssen somit als politische Querschnittsaufgabe verstanden werden. Geschlechtergerechtigkeit am Arbeitsmarkt und eine verbesserte Vereinbarkeit zwischen beruflichen und familialen Tätigkeiten begünstigen die Potenziale des späten Erwachsenenalters. Die Beseitigung von Barrieren, die einer gesellschaftlichen Teilhabe entgegenstehen, ermöglicht ein selbst bestimmtes Altern. Dies gilt besonders für ältere Erwachsene mit niedriger Bildung, geringem Einkommen oder gesundheitlichen Nachteilen

TOP - Transitions and Old Age Potential: Methodenbericht zur Studie

Im ersten Quartal 2013 führte das Umfragezentrum Bonn (uzbonn) im Auftrag des Bundesinstituts für Bevölkerungsforschung (BiB) die Studie "Transitions and Old Age Potential: Übergänge und Alternspotenziale (TOP)" durch. Gegenstand dieser Untersuchung waren insbesondere die Erwerbstätigkeit, das Engagement innerhalb der Zivilgesellschaft und Unterstützungs- bzw. Pflegetätigkeiten innerhalb der Familie von 55- bis 70-Jährigen (Geburtsjahrgänge 1942 bis 1958), die zum Befragungszeitpunkt in deutschen Privathaushalten lebten. Auf Basis des Gabler-Häder-Designs wurde eine Stichprobe gewonnen, die mittels Computergestützten Telefoninterviews (CATI) befragt wurde. Eine Gewichtung anhand Mikrozensusdaten stellt die Repräsentativität der gewonnenen Stichprobe sicher. Insgesamt wurden 5.002 Personen befragt

TOP - Transitions and Old Age Potential: Methodenbericht zur zweiten Welle der Studie

Von November 2015 bis Februar 2016 fand die Wiederholungsbefragung der Studie "Transitions and Old Age Potential: Übergänge und Alternspotenziale" (TOP) statt. Von den 3.897 panelbereiten Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmern der ersten Welle des Jahres 2013 lagen drei Jahre später abgeschlossene Interviews von 2.501 Personen vor. Inhaltlich konzentriert sich die zweite Welle TOP auf die Übergänge in den Ruhestand, die Verwirklichung von Tätigkeitsabsichten, insbesondere am Arbeitsmarkt, als Teil eines mehrstufigen Handlungsmodells sowie die Veränderung von Potenzialen älterer Erwachsener im Zeitverlauf. Wie bereits die erste Welle, so wurde auch die Wiederholungsbefragung vom Umfragezentrum Bonn (uzbonn) im Auftrag des Bundesinstituts für Bevölkerungsforschung (BiB) durchgeführt. Neben Maßnahmen zur Reduzierung der Verzerrung aus der Panelmortalität und zur Erhöhung der Ausschöpfung kamen längsschnittliche Gewichtungsverfahren zum Einsatz, die u.a. für selektive Teilnahmewahrscheinlichkeiten an der zweiten Welle adjustieren.The follow-up survey for the Transitions and Old Age Potential (TOP) study took place from November 2015 until February 2016. Of the 3,897 the willing respondents from the first wave of 2013, three years later interviews were completed with 2,501 persons. In content, the second wave of TOP focuses on the transitions to retirement, the realization of activity intentions, particularly on the labor market, as part of a multi-stage model of action as well as on the changes in the potentials of older adults over the course of time. Like the first wave, the follow-up survey was also conducted by the Umfragezentrum Bonn (uzbonn) on behalf of the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB). In addition to measures for reducing the bias from panel mortality and for increasing coverage, longitudinal weighting methods were used that, among other aspects, adjusted for selective response probabilities in the second wave

Transitions and Old Age Potential (TOP) - 1st, 2nd and 3rd Wave

The survey ´Transitions and Old Age Potential: Transitions and Age Potentials (TOP)´ is based on a representative sample of 5,002 persons for the German-speaking resident population aged 55 to 70 (born between 1942 and 1958). The study focuses on the life plans and potential of older adults on the labour market, in civil society and in the family, as well as their transitions into retirement. In spring 2013, a 40-minute telephone interview was conducted on the basis of a standardised survey instrument. It covers instruments in the following areas: sociodemography, employment and retirement, informal work in civil society and the family, age images, health and well-being, and personality. In 2015/2016, the first-wave respondents who were ready to be interviewed again were interviewed. A total of 2,501 interviews were completed in the second wave. In terms of content, the second wave TOP focuses on the transitions into retirement, the realisation of job intentions, particularly in the labour market, as part of a multi-stage model of action, and the change in the potential of older adults over time. Like the first wave, the repeat survey was conducted by the Umfragezentrum Bonn (uzbonn) on behalf of the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB). In addition to measures to reduce the bias from panel mortality and to increase utilisation, longitudinal weighting methods were used which, among other things, adjust for selective participation probabilities in the second wave. In the third wave of TOP, conducted in 2019, a total of 1,561 interviews were completed out of the 2,455 people who agreed to be interviewed again in the second wave. In the third wave, the partners of the target persons were also interviewed. Thus, a dyadic study design was realised in the cross-section of the third wave. A total of 576 interviews were completed at the couple level. The thematic focus of this dyadic survey is the joint transition into retirement. Measures to ensure the quality of the samples and the methodological feasibility of the dyadic study design were already implemented in the run-up to the third wave, e.g. longitudinal weighting procedures to adjust for selective drop-outs between the survey waves. The third wave of TOP was also conducted by the Bonn Survey Centre (uzbonn) on behalf of the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB).Wave 1: Personal meaning of work; current receipt of pension and type of pension; employment situation before retirement; current employment status of non-retired persons; reasons for extending employment beyond the age limit; year of last full-time employment of retired persons; start of employment with current or last employer; time of last change in occupation; weekly working hours of current or last occupation; occupational position, description and job title of current or last occupation; authority to issue instructions; employment as civil servant; number of employees in current or last occupation; number of employees in current or last occupation. Job status, description and job title of current or last job; authority to give instructions; employment in public service; characteristics as civil servant, employee or worker; number of employees (size of enterprise); possibility of continued employment with current or last employer; characterisation of current or last job (mentally or physically demanding, social contacts, independent decision-making, different skills, learning new things, importance of work, change of job, getting recognition, professional self-efficacy (in case of difficulties as well as general coping), learning on the job and further training); unemployment for at least three months; Start of unemployment (month and year); total frequency of unemployment; duration of last unemployment (months and years); duration of early retirement, early pension and release phase of partial retirement (month and year); time of entry into early retirement or release phase according to the following criteria the release phase according to own wish; sideline employment; inactive persons additionally: intended take-up of gainful employment in the next 12 months or reasons against taking up gainful employment; actual or expected and desired retirement age. Life style in retirement (more time with the family, things for which there was no time before, no longer doing anything for society, doing something useful for free, further education, boredom); reasons for retirement; perceived burden of the transition to retirement; actual or expected changes due to retirement in various areas (partnership, relationship with friends, children, grandchildren, general well-being, leisure activities); concrete plans for retirement; preparation for retirement (e.g. informing people about voluntary work, talking to people in their social environment and with their last employer as well as informing people in the media about gainful employment in retirement); actual gainful employment in retirement or inclination to gainful employment; general feeling of well-being, leisure activities). actual employment in retirement or inclination to work; general reasons for or personal reasons against employment in retirement; actual or desired number of working days and hours per week; influence on flexible working time; personal importance of influence on flexible working time; actual or desired place of work (predominantly at home or at work); influence on place of work and importance of influence; change of employer or desired change of employer; change of professional activity; desire to resume last professional activity; influence on activity and importance of this influence; desired duration of employment. Personality: self-characterisation (Big Five: Openness, Neuroticism, Extraversion, Conscientiousness); Attitude towards older people (scale); Perceived age (physical and mental); estimated life expectancy in Germany; estimated personal life expectancy; Life investment (health, work, leisure activities, family well-being); scale internal locus of control (life in own hands, success after effort) and external locus of control (life determined by others, plans thwarted by fate); life satisfaction in general and in selected areas of life (occupational activity, retirement, leisure activities, partnership, relationship with friends, children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren); frequency of physical activity; intended physical activity five times a week for 30 minutes or more. Informal work: Civic and family engagement activities in the last three months; start of activities; volunteering; frequency and organisational setting of volunteering (e.g. club, union, party, church, support group, etc. ); extension of voluntary work is conceivable; voluntary work in the past; reasons for giving up voluntary work; future voluntary work is conceivable; reasons for or against personal voluntary work; frequency of exercising the respective civic and family commitment and persons looked after; recognition for the activity. Health: self-assessment of health status; restriction in everyday life due to own health status when lifting, climbing stairs, bending, kneeling or stooping; general emotional state in the last four weeks (feeling rushed or pressed for time, depressed or gloomy, calm and balanced, full of energy, physical pain, restriction of activity due to physical problems, reduced performance due to mental problems, restriction of social contacts due to health problems). Demography: age; sex; stable partnership; marital status; number of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; household size; household composition; number of children under 15 in the household; place of residence in childhood and adolescence; German nationality; level of education: highest school-leaving qualification; vocational training qualifications; vocational qualification; year of birth of partner; partner´s employment status; main source of income; household net income (open and grouped); housing status; assessment of financial situation; expected financial situation in retirement; number of landline numbers in the household; willingness to be interviewed again. Additionally coded were: Case-related ID; weighting factor, number of persons born between 1942 and 1958; household composition: Number of named groups of persons; group classification retired/non-retired; group membership; age groups; ISCED-97 (International Standard Classification of Education) according to Destatis; number of years in schooling and vocational training; settlement structure county types; municipality size; monthly net household income (imputed); monthly net equivalent household income (modified OECD scale); summation scale: Physical (PCS) and Mental (MCS); current and last farm size; partnership status; family activities and civic engagement (sum score); current and last employment in hours per week; federal state; region of residence (East Germany, incl. Berlin and West Germany); migration background; employment status (part-time or full-time). Derived indices: Occupation coding according to ISCO-88 (International Standard Classification of Occupations). Wave 2: Employment and transition to retirement: personal meaning of work; receipt of pension in 2016 and type of pension; employment situation before retirement; current employment status of non-retired persons; reasons for extending employment beyond the age limit; year of last full-time employment of retired and non-employed persons; start of employment with current or last employer; new retirees and employed persons: change in occupational situation and type of change; time of last change in occupational activity; weekly working hours of current or last occupation; weekly hours of last occupation of non-employed persons; occupational status; description and job title of current or last occupation; importance and evaluation of various work factors; authority to give instructions; employment in the public sector; characteristics as civil servant, employee or worker; number of employees (size of enterprise); possibility of continuing employment with current or last employer; type of measures offered (e.g. flexible working time models); characterisation of the current or last job (mentally or physically demanding, social contacts, independent decision-making, different skills, learning new things, importance of the job, change of job, getting recognition, professional self-efficacy (in case of difficulties as well as general coping), learning on the job, underchallenge, overchallenge); unemployment experience; onset of unemployment (month and year); total frequency of unemployment; duration of last unemployment in 2016; duration of early retirement, early pension, and release phase of partial retirement (month and year); sideline employment; inactive in addition: Intended to take up gainful employment in the next 12 months or reasons against taking up gainful employment; actual or expected and desired retirement age. Images of old age: Opinion about older people (e.g. cooperative, reliable, etc.); perception of life in retirement (time with partner, taking care of grandchildren or children, caring, gainful employment, voluntary work, learning new things, pursuing hobbies, boredom, worthlessness, good mood, giving up interests, being at home, energetic, satisfied, emptiness, liberated); reasons for retirement; perceived burden of the transition to retirement; expected changes through retirement in various areas (partnership, relationship with friends, children, grandchildren, general well-being, leisure activities); actual gainful employment in retirement; same gainful employment in retirement as in wave 1 resp. inclination to work in retirement; reasons for current employment in retirement; reasons for intention to work; personal reasons against working in retirement; actual or desired number of working days and hours per week; desired place of work (mainly at home or at work); desired change of employer; desired activity; desired duration of employment. Personality: self-characterisation (Big Five); attitude towards older people (scale); life investment (health, work, leisure activities, family well-being); internal locus of control scale (life in one´s own hands, success after effort) and external locus of control scale (life determined by others, plans thwarted by fate); life satisfaction in general and in selected areas of life (occupation, retirement, leisure activities, partnership, relationship with friends, children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren); frequency of physical activities; intended physical activity. Informal work: civic and family engagement activities in the last three months (volunteering or voluntary work, caring for children, caring and nursing for the sick, helping friends, acquaintances, neighbours, continuing education); frequency of exercising the respective civic and family engagement and persons cared for. Health: self-assessment of health status; restriction in everyday life due to own health status when lifting, climbing stairs, bending, kneeling or stooping; general emotional state in the last four weeks (time pressure, depressed or gloomy, calm and balanced, full of energy, physical pain, restriction of activity due to physical problems, reduced performance due to mental problems, restriction of social contacts due to health problems). Demography: sex; stable partnership; marital status; number of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; household size; household composition; housing situation; number of children under 15 in the household; year of birth of partner; employment status of partner; net household income; housing status; assessment of financial situation; expected financial situation in retirement; willingness to be interviewed again. Additionally coded were: Total weight wave 2 longitudinal; panel participation (participation 2nd wave); group classification retirees/non-retirees; group membership; settlement structure county types; municipality size; monthly net equivalent household income; personal monthly net income; income from current or from former employment; employment status (part-time or full-time); partner status; federal state; region of residence (East Germany, incl. Berlin and West Germany). Derived indices: Occupation coding according to ISCO-88 (International Standard Classification of Occupations). Wave 3 (target persons/anchors): Current employment status; current receipt of old-age pension; employment situation before retirement/retirement; year of early retirement/retirement; year of entry into exemption phase; retirement, year; retirement, early retirement/retirement, entry into exemption phase, month; retirement, early retirement/retirement, entry into exemption phase, quarter; desired retirement entry; desired start of early retirement/retirement; desired start of exemption phase, quarter; employment situation before retirement; time of termination of employment; end of employment (year, month, quarter); start of employment, year; last/current scope of employment; last/current job; importance at work in general; evaluation of last/current job; authority to give instructions last/current job; employment in public service; type of employment in public service; employment as employee; employment as worker; last/current size of enterprise; possibility of continued employment; working conditions (WDQ); work-to-family conflicts; Income relation partner; employment history status/scope; unemployment experience; start of current unemployment (month, year, quarter); frequency of unemployment; duration of last unemployment; intention to work anchor; reasons for intention to work anchor; current quasi-retirement anchor; time quasi-retirement anchor; start quasi-retirement anchor (year, month, quarter); retirement reason partnership; satisfaction retirement transition; retirement motive earlier/later exit; expected retirement (year, month, quarter); former quasi-retirement (retirees, current/earlier pre-retirees; time of former quasi-retirement; reasons for retirement; burden of retirement transition; concrete plans for retirement; gainful employment in retirement; gainful employment in retirement (year, month, quarter); former gainful employment in retirement; main reason for not converting to gainful employment; same gainful employment in retirement; gainful employment intention in retirement; reasons for employment in retirement; main reason employment in retirement; reflection employment termination; strength of reflection employment termination; reasons non-employment in retirement; main reason non-employment in retirement; days worked per week, retirement; hours worked per week, retirement; place of work, retirement; job evaluation; same employer; change of occupation, retirement; same occupation if change, retirement; type of occupation, retirement; employment as employee, retirement; employment as worker, retirement; size of enterprise, retirement; requested change of occupation, retirement; planning of actual exit from employment; duration of employment, retirement; reason for termination of employment; main reason for termination of employment; desired duration of employment; time of exit from employment; reasons for exit from employment, retirement; main reason for exit from employment, retirement; breaks in employment duration in retirement; intention to work again; preparation for employment, retirement. Partnership/demography: partnership status; contact current partner; duration of current partnership; marital status; year of birth partner; employment congestion partner; employment in retirement, partner; employment intention partner; assessment of quasi-retirement, partner; number of children; financial support of child/children; number of (great-)grandchildren; number of persons in household; type of persons in household; number of persons younger than 15 years. Joint retirement transition/joint retirement: Life plans in retirement; importance of joint retirement transition; assessment of difference in retirement; influence of partner on retirement transition; influence of anchor on retirement transition partner; desire for earlier/later retirement partner; reasons for joint retirement; main reason for joint retirement; planning earlier retirement; enabling joint retirement; reasons for not retiring at the same time; main reason for not retiring at the same time; partnership conflicts in retirement. Personality: self-characterisation (Big Five); attitude towards older people (scale); life satisfaction in general and in selected areas of life (occupational activity, retirement, leisure activities, partnership, relationship with friends, children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren); assessment of partnership; gender roles; social isolation/loneliness; frequency of physical activities; intended physical activity. Informal work: activities of civic and family engagement in the last three months (voluntary or honorary work, care of children, care and nursing of the sick, help for friends, acquaintances, neighbours, further education); frequency of exercising the respective civic and family engagement and persons cared for. Health: self-assessment of health status; restriction in everyday life due to own health status when lifting, climbing stairs, bending, kneeling or stooping; general emotional state in the last four weeks (time pressure, depressed or gloomy, calm and balanced, full of energy, physical pain, restriction of activity due to physical problems, reduced performance due to mental problems, restriction of social contacts due to health problems); assessment of partner´s health. Demography: sex; household net income; personal net income; income from employment in retirement; housing status; assessment of financial situation; expected financial situation in retirement; willingness to be interviewed again; contacting partner. Additionally coded were: Total weight of wave 3 in the longitudinal section; panel participation (participation in wave 1, 2 and 3); settlement structure district types; municipality size classes; federal state; region of residence; grouping of partner by anchor; couple constellation of anchor; exit from the labour market by retirees, inactive persons and employed persons, partner; end of employment; entry into the current quasi-retirement; entry into the former quasi-retirement; entry into retirement by retirees; expected entry into retirement by employed persons; expected retirement for inactive/unemployed; entry into past (quasi-)retirement or future retirement; start of retirement; difference in date of birth in years; difference between months of end of employment; difference between dates of entry into past (quasi-)retirement/future retirement; both partners were employed until at least age 50. Derived indices: Occupation coding according to ISCO-88 (International Standard Classification of Occupations). Wave 3 (partner): Current employment status; employment situation before retirement/retirement; year of early retirement/retirement; year of entry into the exemption phase; retirement, year; retirement, early retirement/retirement, entry into exemption phase, month; retirement, early retirement/retirement, entry into exemption phase, quarter; employment situation before retirement/retirement; time of termination of employment; end of employment (year, month, quarter); start of employment, year; last/current scope of employment; last/current occupational activity; Work-to-family conflicts; income relation of partner; employment history status/scope; unemployment experience; start of current unemployment (month, year, quarter); employment intention partner; current