Suddenly retired? Here’s what to do next

The pandemic seems to be driving a surge of early retirements as businesses close or downsize and older people weigh the health risks of continuing to work.

The share of unemployed people not looking for work who called themselves “retired” increased to 60% in April from 53% in January, according to a study by three economists. The study was done in the early days of the pandemic, well before tens of thousands of businesses nationwide closed permanently and others began offering early retirement packages to trim their workforces.

In my latest for the Associated Press, how to avoid making hasty decisions that could cause you to run out of money.