WLS Codebooks

Note: Codebooks contain frequency data from the private data release. For some variables, these differ from the frequencies in the public release. Variables that differ between the public and private versions include "(not available on public release)" as part of the variable description, or a note indicating the difference between the public and private versions.

In Person: Retirement Attitudes

KRETIR  Retirement Attitudes Module  

OVERVIEW

The Retirement Attitudes Module was first introduced as part of the 2005
telephone interview in the Pensions Module. The variables are replicated
exactly but a few have been added to the 2011 collection wave. The new
variables are: KT112SP which asks about spouse's retirement status; KT119RE
which gives the century-month in which the participant retired; and KT125RE
which asks about how the participant's relationship with their children has
changed since retirement.

All respondents were asked if they considered themselves completely, partly, or
not at all retired.  For those who had retired, the month and year of
retirement were ascertained.  Respondents who had not retired were asked when
they planned on retiring and whether their spouse would retire at that time. 
Respondents were asked about their current or expected post-retirement living
standards, and about their post-retirement relationship with their children and
spouse.


BRIEF VARIABLE DESCRIPTIONS

    Variable ranges reference dataset/codebook order and are not necessarily 
    alphabetical.
    _____________________________________________________________________
    

    KRETSTAT-KRETREL:	    Module-Level Status Variables.
    
    KT112RE-KT125RE:        Retirement Experience / Outlook on 
    			    Retirement

kretstat: Was the Retirement Attitudes Module completed by Participant alone, with help, or by proxy?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_retproxy1, y_rethelp0, capiproxy, y_proxy, y_ivwloc

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
1 R COMPLETED ALONE 1419 1654 3073
2 R COMPLETED ALONE WITH SOMEONE ELSE IN THE ROOM 167 89 256
3 R RECEIVED A LITTLE HELP 32 10 42
4 R RECEIVED A LOT OF HELP 4 0 4
5 HELPER RESPONDED TO ALL ITEMS 0 1 1
6 MODULE PROXY 0 1 1
7 WHOLE INTERVIEW DONE BY PROXY 7 12 19
Note: For many cases a participant's spouse or other family member was present during the interview. This sometimes resulted in the participant relying on the other person for help in answering some or many of the questions. At the end of each module the interviewer indicated the amount of help the participant received and who provided that help. That assessment is covered by codes 1 through 5. Additionally, a code of 7 indicates that the entire interview was administered to a proxy while a code of 6 indicates that this particular module was answered by a proxy but other modules were answered by the participant.

kretrel: Relationship of Retirement Attitudes Module helper or proxy to Participant.

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: KRETSTAT, y_retproxy1, y_rethelp0, y_rethelp1, y_rethelp2_hfn, y_rethelp3, y_h1fn-y_h4fn, y_pfn, prxyfnam, y_p1fn-y_p5fn, y_prel, prxyrel, y_p1rel-y_p5rel

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-4 NOT ASCERTAINED 0 3 3
-2 1586 1743 3329
0 SPOUSE 39 9 48
2 BROTHER 0 1 1
8 DAUGHTER 0 4 4
10 DAUGHTER-IN-LAW 0 1 1
41 ROMANTIC PARTNER 3 0 3
43 SISTER 0 1 1
45 SISTER-IN-LAW 0 2 2
48 SON 1 2 3
54 OTHER 0 1 1
Note: If this module was administered via proxy or if the participant received help answering the questions in this module then we record the relationship of the proxy/helper to the participant. Although most participants relied on only one helper or proxy for the interview, some had more than one. Thus the value of the relationship code may vary across the modules.

kt112re: At this time do you consider yourself partly retired, completely retired, or not retired at all?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b11q485

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-27 NOT ASKED OF PROXY 7 13 20
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-3 REFUSED 0 1 1
1 COMPLETELY RETIRED 865 1134 1999
2 PARTLY RETIRED 376 272 648
3 NOT RETIRED AT ALL 381 347 728

kt113re: At what age do you plan to stop working?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b11q490a

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-27 NOT ASKED OF PROXY 7 13 20
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-2 1241 1407 2648
-1 DONT KNOW 51 70 121
1 NEVER 66 55 121
54 - 64 53 46 99
65 59 46 105
66 - 67 56 42 98
68 - 70 54 55 109
71 - 100 42 33 75

kt112sp: At this time do you consider your SPOUSE partly retired, completely retired, or not retired at all?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b11q485sp

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-27 NOT ASKED OF PROXY 7 13 20
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-3 REFUSED 1 0 1
-2 1355 1549 2904
-1 DON'T KNOW 2 1 3
1 COMPLETELY RETIRED 59 68 127
2 PARTLY RETIRED 25 36 61
3 NOT RETIRED AT ALL 180 100 280

kt114re: Do you expect your spouse to retire at about the same time that you do?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b1105

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-27 NOT ASKED OF PROXY 7 13 20
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-3 REFUSED 1 0 1
-2 1414 1617 3031
-1 DON'T KNOW 8 7 15
1 YES 100 61 161
2 NO 99 69 168

kt115re: When you (and your spouse) are (both) retired, how do you expect your living standards will change?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b1110

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-27 NOT ASKED OF PROXY 7 13 20
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-3 REFUSED 1 1 2
-2 1306 1460 2766
-1 DONT KNOW 1 1 2
1 INCREASE A LOT 2 4 6
2 INCREASE SOMEWHAT 9 2 11
3 STAY ABOUT THE SAME AS NOW 202 163 365
4 DECLINE SOMEWHAT 94 103 197
5 DECLINE A LOT 7 20 27
Note: This question was asked of non-married/partnered participants as well as those who were married or partnered. If the participant was married/partnered it was asked regarding when both the participant and their spouse/partner would be retired.

kt116re: How much had you discussed retirement with your spouse?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b1125

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-27 NOT ASKED OF PROXY 7 13 20
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-3 REFUSED 1 1 2
-2 602 851 1453
-1 DONT KNOW 1 1 2
1 A LOT 450 442 892
2 SOME 285 228 513
3 A LITTLE 114 68 182
4 HARDLY AT ALL 169 163 332

kt117re: In what month did you completely/partly retire?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b1130_a

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-4 NOT ASCERTAINED 0 1 1
-3 REFUSED 1 0 1
-2 381 347 728
-1 DON'T KNOW 86 198 284
1 January 152 120 272
2 February 67 64 131
3 March 85 81 166
4 April 100 105 205
5 May 94 108 202
6 June 165 230 395
7 July 80 85 165
8 August 77 94 171
9 September 103 93 196
10 October 61 78 139
11 November 60 62 122
12 December 117 101 218

kt118re: In what year did you completely/partly retire?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b1130_b

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-4 NOT ASCERTAINED 0 1 1
-2 381 347 728
-1 DON'T KNOW 14 74 88
1942 - 1995 215 305 520
1996 - 2000 251 275 526
2001 - 2005 323 289 612
2006 - 2009 333 354 687
2010 - 2012 112 122 234

kt119re: Century-month in which participant completely/partially retired.

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b1130_a, y_b1130_b

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-4 NOT ASCERTAINED 15 76 91
-2 381 347 728
512 - 1150 213 302 515
1151 - 1211 243 274 517
1212 - 1264 281 239 520
1265 - 1303 251 265 516
1304 - 1354 245 264 509
Note: Here, century-months are calculated based on calendar years. 1900 is first subtracted from the calendar year reported by the participant. Then, the resulting number of years is multiplied by 12 to capture how many months have elapsed since the beginning of the year 1900. Finally, we add a number representing the sequential position in a calendar year of the month in which the participant retired (e.g. 3 for March, the 3rd month in the year). If we do not have data on the participant's month of retirement, 6 (for June, the midmost month of the year) is added to the number of months elapsed since the beginning of 1900 to approximate the exact century-month.

kt120re: Thinking about your retirement years compared to the years just before you retired, would you say that your living standards are better, about the same, or not as good?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b1145

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-27 NOT ASKED OF PROXY 7 13 20
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-4 NOT ASCERTAINED 94 101 195
-3 REFUSED 1 2 3
-2 381 347 728
-1 DON'T KNOW 0 5 5
1 BETTER 257 301 558
2 ABOUT THE SAME 751 836 1587
3 NOT AS GOOD 138 162 300

ktb121re: Thinking about your retirement years compared to the years just before you retired, would you say that your relationship with your SPOUSE has been better, about the same, or not as good?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b1155

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-27 NOT ASKED OF PROXY 7 13 20
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-3 REFUSED 1 3 4
-2 678 916 1594
-1 DON'T KNOW 9 19 28
1 BETTER 316 289 605
2 ABOUT THE SAME 585 504 1089
3 NOT AS GOOD 33 23 56
Note: There are two analysis variables in the 2011 wave that measure changes in marital quality after spouse retirement. The other variable is KTA121RE and can be found in the marriage module.

kt125re: Thinking about your retirement years compared to the years just before you retired, would you say that your relationship with your CHILDREN has been better, about the same, or not as good?

Data source: Sibling Participant or Proxy      Collected in: 2011      Mode: In person & telephone
Source variables: y_b1149

Frequencies
Value Label Male Female Total
. System missing - NR 2736 2510 5246
-30 NOT PART OF MOSAQ 72 63 135
-27 NOT ASKED OF PROXY 7 13 20
-5 PARTIAL INTERVIEW 0 1 1
-3 REFUSED 0 3 3
-2 567 559 1126
-1 DON'T KNOW 4 8 12
1 BETTER 289 308 597
2 ABOUT THE SAME 741 856 1597
3 NOT AS GOOD 21 20 41

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