Retirement Age Scientists At A Crossroads
It used to be fun to go out to dinner with your departmental colleagues at the end of the semester, acknowledge that you were well past middle age, and then reaffirm your intention never to leave academia. The acknowledgement of old age ritual would take the form of passing around your cell phones to show pictures of your grandchildren; depending on your grandchildren’s age, you would either giggle about their idiosyncratic speech patterns or balk at the speech patterns of their entire generation; it was cute when your grandson was learning to talk and he would call motorcycles “vacuum bicycles,” but now it is offensive that he and his peers call everyone “bro.” The affirmation of your intention to stay would take the form of easily and excitedly sliding into science nerd talk that your companions, and few other people, could understand. You would then talk about how your job keeps you young, despite the annoyances of committee work and the stress of applying for grants and complying with their record keeping requirements. Everything is changing now, with academic science losing so much funding. Before you gather again with your science nerd buddies to talk of the past, present, and future, contact an Orlando estate planning lawyer.
Staying in Academia Isn’t Just About Personal Fulfillment Anymore
You have been a professional scientist for decades for many reasons, only some of which have to do with money. Yours is a skilled profession which is always in demand, so you have no problem getting paid work. If you work at a university, your employer may have helped to fund your children’s college tuition, and it may have paid for your travel to attend professional conferences in locations you never otherwise would have visited. More importantly, though, you enjoy the pursuit of knowledge that can inform technology and policy; you can help cure diseases and find more environmentally sustainable alternatives to current practices though. You also enjoy mentoring younger colleagues as they navigate their careers and raise their children. It’s no wonder nearly half of academic scientists stay at their jobs past their 70th birthdays.
Young scientists have a harder time in academia than you did. Tenure line jobs are hard to find, and their pay is less than yours was at their age, once you adjust for inflation. You tell yourself that, if you retire, it does not mean that your university will replace you; instead, they will probably hire someone in a non-tenure accruing position instead. By not retiring, you are holding down the fort.
Being Strong for the Young Generation Outside of Academia
If you decide that you don’t want all the stress of the academic bureaucracy anymore, you can still maintain your professional connections and mentor young colleagues and students. You can stay active in professional associations as a retired member. If you really want to unretire, schools always need science teachers who are as knowledgeable and passionate about science as you are.
Contact Gierach and Gierach About Estate Planning for Academics
An estate planning lawyer can help you face reality that you will eventually have to retire from your academic job. Contact Gierach and Gierach, P.A. in Orlando, Florida to discuss your case.
Source:
science.org/content/article/why-do-so-many-retirement-age-scientists-keep-working
