Work From Home Jobs for Seniors

Remote work is catching on across industries and is transforming the way professionals of all ages approach their careers. This in-office exodus creates opportunities for seniors to build a bridge to retirement, stay in the workforce and save money without the daily stresses of a full-time job.

Christian Simmons, writer and researcher for RetireGuide
  • Written by
    Christian Simmons

    Christian Simmons

    Financial Writer

    Christian Simmons is a writer for RetireGuide and a member of the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE®). He covers Medicare and important retirement topics. Christian is a former winner of a Florida Society of News Editors journalism contest and has written professionally since 2016.

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  • Edited By
    Lee Williams
    Lee Williams, senior editor for RetireGuide.com

    Lee Williams

    Senior Financial Editor

    Lee Williams is a professional writer, editor and content strategist with 10 years of professional experience working for global and nationally recognized brands. He has contributed to Forbes, The Huffington Post, SUCCESS Magazine, AskMen.com, Electric Literature and The Wall Street Journal. His career also includes ghostwriting for Fortune 500 CEOs and published authors.

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  • Financially Reviewed By
    Ebony J. Howard, CPA
    Ebony J. Howard, CPA

    Ebony J. Howard, CPA

    Credentialed Tax Expert at Intuit

    Ebony J. Howard is a certified public accountant and freelance consultant with a background in accounting, personal finance, and income tax planning and preparation.  She specializes in analyzing financial information in the health care, banking and real estate sectors.

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  • Published: August 27, 2021
  • Updated: June 5, 2023
  • 5 min read time
  • This page features 7 Cited Research Articles
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A qualified expert reviewed the content on this page to ensure it is factually accurate, meets current industry standards and helps readers achieve a better understanding of retirement topics.

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How to Cite RetireGuide.com's Article

APA Simmons, C. (2023, June 5). Work From Home Jobs for Seniors. RetireGuide.com. Retrieved March 27, 2024, from https://www.retireguide.com/retirement-life-leisure/working-after-retirement/work-from-home-tips/

MLA Simmons, Christian. "Work From Home Jobs for Seniors." RetireGuide.com, 5 Jun 2023, https://www.retireguide.com/retirement-life-leisure/working-after-retirement/work-from-home-tips/.

Chicago Simmons, Christian. "Work From Home Jobs for Seniors." RetireGuide.com. Last modified June 5, 2023. https://www.retireguide.com/retirement-life-leisure/working-after-retirement/work-from-home-tips/.

Best Work at Home Jobs for Seniors

There are great options available for seniors looking for remote work as they plan their retirement. The job examples listed below are some common and rewarding routes that seniors can take to stay in the workforce and keep a stream of income.

None of these roles listed require a massive time commitment and can be worked from home, allowing you to set your own hours and how much work you want to take on. These jobs also don’t require significant qualifications beyond previous experience in some cases.

Writing and Editing Work

Overview:
From blogs and newspapers to professional websites and company pages, many online ventures need freelance writers and editors. If you have experience writing or editing in your career, this could be a good option for you.
Hours:
In these types of jobs, you can often set your workload by deciding exactly how much to take on. It could be a hobby you spend a couple of hours on or something you commit more time to.
Pay:
How much you can make depends on how much work you want to take on. According to job site GlassDoor.com, full-time freelance editors can earn upwards of $50,000.
Qualifications:
Depending on the job, you will likely need some form of previous writing or editing experience. You may need a college degree or more substantial work experience if you hope to write for a news publication.

Virtual Teaching or Tutoring

Overview:
In the last year, the school experience, from elementary school to college, has largely moved online. If you want to get into teaching or helping tutor students, you can now do so from your home.
Hours:
How much you work depends on the job. Being a teacher can take up a lot of your time since there is also a lot of work you’ll have to put in outside of the actual class, from grading assignments to preparing your lessons. A tutor would likely be less time-consuming and with set hours.
Pay:
Pay varies widely depending on the type of teaching job and level, or if you decide to go the tutoring route instead. The more work you take on, the more you stand to make.
Qualifications:
You may need to show that you have had some prior teaching experience.

Customer Service

Overview:
Here, you will speak to customers on behalf of the company to help solve their needs. This can be done remotely and is a good option if you enjoy talking to and interacting with people.
Hours:
The hours you can put into this field vary, with you most likely having to work shifts and set amounts of time. Don’t expect to set your hours.
Pay:
According to U.S. News and World Report, customer service representatives can make around $17 an hour.
Qualifications:
You will likely need some prior experience in a similar field or where you often interacted with people.

How Seniors Can Get a Job at Any Age

If you’re older and looking for a job, there are many resources out there to help you achieve your goal. First, you’ll want to make sure you have a concise and up-to-date resume to send out to companies.

Don’t worry if you haven’t had much experience in the last few years if you retired. Indeed, a popular job site, offers tips for older workers on building your resume.

AARP also has a work and jobs section that provides guidance, stories and opportunities to help older people get jobs.

Once your resume is ready to send out, you can find many job opportunities through job boards like Indeed.com as previously mentioned, and GlassDoor.com.

Job sites are easily searchable and will even let you upload your resume for easy applying.

While those are general job boards, many websites cater to seniors looking to reenter or stay in the workforce. Seniors4Hire.Org and WorkForce50.Com both offer job postings and resources to help you land a job.

Avoiding Scams

When looking for a job, it is critical to ensure you are not taken advantage of and avoid any scams. If an offer you were not expecting shows up and seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

Be cautious of any unsolicited emails from people you haven’t communicated with before being offered a job. Also, beware of anyone who is asking for lots of personal information upfront.

An easy way to avoid scams is to stick to well-known job sites and only interact with employers you meet through these sites. If you receive emails or messages from a job site or service that you have not visited or have an account with, it’s best to ignore them.

57% of Americans Expect to Work in Retirement

How Remote Work Can Be a Bridge To Retirement

If you have not yet retired, remote work offers a unique opportunity to put yourself in a better position when you finally enter the next stage of your life.

Working from home can be less expensive and less stressful. Taking this route for a couple of years can help you save more money and not take Social Security right away. This can make a massive difference in how much money you have available and the standard of living you can achieve when you decide to retire.

For example, if you were born after 1960, the benefit you can receive would be reduced by 30 percent if you retire at 62 instead of 67. The closer you can get to your full retirement age, the more money you stand to earn.

Even just a year or two of remote work can make a big difference — a path that was largely not an option before 2020.

The fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic has taken remote work from being stigmatized to a critical component of many companies’ day-to-day operations. Seniors are in a unique position to take advantage of remote work as a bridge to retirement.

Last Modified: June 5, 2023

7 Cited Research Articles

  1. Hartman, R. (2021, July 21). Work-From-Home Jobs for Retirees. Retrieved from https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/second-careers/articles/work-from-home-jobs-for-retirees
  2. AARP. (2020, June 18). How Older Adults Can Find Work-At-Home Jobs During the Pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/work/job-search/finding-work-from-home-jobs/
  3. Simons, S. (2020, January 7). Seniors are Working Longer – Out of Choice and Necessity. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/local/305/2020/01/07/794209698/seniors-are-working-longer-out-of-choice-and-necessity
  4. Brandon, E. (2019, April 29). 15 In-Demand Jobs for Seniors. Retrieved from https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/second-careers/slideshows/15-in-demand-jobs-for-seniors
  5. AARP. (2016, July). Job Search Resources for 50+. Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/work/job-search/resources-for-50-plus-workers/
  6. Glassdoor. (n.d.). Freelance Editor Salaries. Retrieved from https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/freelance-editor-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm
  7. Social Security Administration. (n.d.). Retirement Benefits. Retrieved from https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/agereduction.html