International literature on early-retirement decisions concentrates either on determinants of retirement attitudes and intentions or on determinants of retirement behavior. This study focuses on determinants of retirement behavior, analyzes whether retirement intentions are a proximate determinant of retirement behavior, and examines how a discrepancy between the two can be explained. Data have been analyzed from a survey conducted among Dutch civil servants who were less than 1 year from the moment of eligibility for early retirement. The authors conclude that the opportunity structure and the evaluation of the perceived consequences of early retirement are important in the early-retirement decision-making process. They also conclude that intentions with respect to early retirement only partly take into account the social consequences of retirement and the perceived social support of the partner.
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