We don’t want to lean in, we just want to lie down – but that’s looking increasingly unlikely as Hong Kong residents near retirement age. A new survey by T. Rowe Price, an asset and retirement investment management firm, reveals that 52 percent of participants in the 2025 T. Rowe Price Hong Kong Retirement Survey feel the need to continue working past the traditional retirement age of 65 instead of leaving the workforce for good, while 47 percent are open to exploring alternative forms of retirement.
Considering the fact that respondents estimate needing more than $5 million in savings as a tool for comfortable retirement in order to match Hong Kong’s high-cost living expenses, this news may not come as a shock. In the survey, 62 percent of participants confirm that maintaining a stream of income is their reason for ‘unretirement’.
80 percent of those who want to work past retirement are attracted to flexible retirement models, such as ‘micro-retirement’ – taking conscious breaks from professional life between careers – to relieve pressure, pursue an improved work-life balance, and meaningfully engage in personal interests without exiting the workforce completely. But even before embarking on ‘micro-retirement,’ Hongkongers feel that they should already have $2 million in the bank. In fact, 40 percent of respondents plan to return to work merely six months post-retirement – give yourselves a break, we beg!
A whopping 40 percent of interviewees have not set themselves a target for retirement savings, but this is not all down to poor preparation – knowledge gaps about suitable retirement options and lucrative investment strategies is definitely a hurdle. While high-reward investments require a learning curve, conventional low-growth investment pathways such as time deposits and bank savings just aren’t cutting it either, as these methods may not be enough to achieve a secure retirement.
However, money is not the only reason why some respondents are considering working past the age of 65. 69 percent cited remaining mentally active as a compelling motive – even more so than sustaining a steady source of income – and they are willing to earn less in their post-retirement period if that means they can keep themselves busy.
Well, we suppose it’s time to return to the grind…
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