Retirement Attitudes: Comparing Self-employed and Employed Workers in Denmark

Abstract This study examines how self-employed individuals in Denmark perceive their future retirement compared to employees, with a particular focus on the moderating roles of income and health. Using Danish survey and register data from 2021, the analysis reveals differences between self-employed and employed individuals. Contrary to expectations, self-employment is not significantly associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing identity loss in retirement. However, when including the interaction between self-employment and income, self-employed individuals with the lowest income report lower anticipated identity loss than employees, and this difference diminishes as income increases, highlighting the moderating role of financial resources. Self-employed individuals also report greater confidence in their economic position upon retirement, despite managing their own retirement savings. In contrast, they anticipate lower enjoyment of retirement compared to employees, an effect that is amplified by poor health. Overall, the findings highlight the multidimensional nature of retirement attitudes and emphasize the importance of personal resources in shaping retirement attitudes among the self-employed.