As budget crises hit most states, many are looking at the retirement age as curbing pension costs in years to come. 10 states have already increased the retirement age and/or the length of time worked before receiving full pension benefits. However some unions are fighting against the changes. Some unions in California are still negotiating with the Governor, and a sticking point is raising the retirement age. Police and firefighters are also against raising the retirement age, and in many cases public opinion is with them. Some lawmakers say that raising the retirement age will worsen the quality of government services, but most see the changes as necessary to cut costs in the future and to compensate for the longer lifespans of workers.
See "Stressed States Are Forcing Workers to Retire Later", Jeannette Newumann, Michael Corkery and Marcus Walker, The Wall Street Journal, August 1, 2010