Transitions to Self-Employment at Older Ages

The Role of Wealth, Health, Health Insurance, and Other Factors

Julie Zissimopoulos, Lynn A. Karoly

ResearchPosted on rand.org 2007Published in: Labour Economics, v. 14, issue 2, April 2007, p. 269-295

Relatively little research has been devoted to studying self-employment among older workers although they make up a disproportionate share of the self-employed workforce. This study uses 5 waves of panel data from the Health and Retirement Study to investigate the determinants of labor force transitions to self-employment at older ages. We estimate a multinomial logit model of transitions from wage and salary employment to self-employment, retirement or not working. Results are compared with those found in previous studies. New findings on the impact of health on transitions to self-employment are highlighted.

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Document Details

  • Availability: Non-RAND
  • Year: 2007
  • Pages: 27
  • Document Number: EP-200704-01

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