Many people hope to make up for not saving enough for retirement by just saying: "I'll work past retirement age" or "I'll never retire". A recent report from the Employee Benefit Research Institute on its 2017 Retirement Confidence Survey suggests a different reality. Workers continue to predict a median retirement age of 65, while retirees report a median retirement age of 62. The report indicates that, despite their plans, many people retire unexpectedly. This may be due to health problems or disability, downsizing by their employer, caring for a spouse or other family member, or other work-related reasons. Some retire sooner because they are financially able or just want to do something different. One interesting statistic from the survey is that only 4 workers in 10 have tried to calculate how much they will need in retirement. That seems like the sensible starting point for everyone: how much can I expect to receive in income during retirement, and how much will I need to live some sort of satisfying retirement? Once you know that, you can decide how much longer you have to work. But relying on working longer, without planning for better saving habits, might not be the solution for many people, as the survey suggests.