Department of Gender Studies

Despite the increasing heterogeneity in the retirement patterns of North Americans, the retirement options older adults face often are out of step with their needs (Han & Moen, 1999; Moen, 2001). Retirement is no longer merely a male transition but also a female and a couple transition (Henkens, 1999; Smith & Moen, 1998; Szinovacz & DeViney, 2000). In addition, the nuclear family is no longer the norm (Schmitt, 2001); increasingly more households are composed of same-sex couples (Smith & Gates, 2001).¹ Acknowledging the diversity of family forms is important because policies and programs related to retirement such as Social Security...