This generally amounts to an increase in the retirement benefit of 8% for each year delayed beyond Full Retirement Age.

FORBES: The Social Security Survivor Benefit - Part 2

This report found that 36% expected to postpone retirement beyond the age of 65, while 74% said they plan to continue working some in their retirement.

FORBES: New Study Finds People Expect to Work Longer Before Retiring

Some Boeing watchers thought he might stay beyond that mandatory retirement age.

WSJ: The Two Men Behind the 787

Many also want to carry on working beyond the standard retirement age for the mental stimulation (try that on the next bored-looking 20-year-old you meet in the lift).

ECONOMIST: Older workers

The reason for their mixed feelings about "Sarko" was his apparent desire to ruffle feathers and challenge the established order, with his policies to end the 35-hour week, raise the retirement age beyond 60 and eliminate 160, 000 civil service jobs.

CNN: Sarkozy: Tough in campaign, gracious in defeat

When Bismarck introduced the world's first state pension system in 1889, he set the retirement age at 70, some 25 years beyond the average Prussian's life expectancy, so it did not cost much to run.

ECONOMIST: The gods that have failed��so far