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For many workers, retirement is the long-awaited finish line after decades on the job. But for 90-year-old Charli Manzano, retirement is still a future consideration.

The SeaWorld San Diego employee recently celebrated her 90th birthday after spending 62 years working at the theme park, according to local ABC affiliate 10News (1).

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Manzano started working at SeaWorld in 1964, a week before the park officially opened.

Her first role was serving guests at Hawaiian Punch Village, one of the park's original attractions. Over the decades, she worked in food service and entertainment, and eventually became the beloved receptionist at the administration building.

According to 10News, she still wears a flower in her hair each day — a tradition dating back to her early years at the park.

But despite reaching an age when most people have been retired for decades, Manzano isn't in a rush to leave.

"I might work for two more years because that's when SeaWorld will be 64," she told the station, a fitting choice given the theme park's opening year.

While retirement is often viewed as the end of a career, some older adults choose to continue working for reasons that have little to do with money.

A report by the Council on Aging found that 20% of those over 65 are still working, and not just for financial reasons (2). Although many retirement-age seniors are in the workforce due to financial necessity, a growing number are returning to some form of work for reasons such as mental stimulation, social engagement, or a sense of purpose. Almost half of those still working cited enjoying what they do or staying active as reasons for continuing to work.

Manzano didn't explain whether she needed or wanted to continue working; however, her decision to retire after 64 years at a park that opened in 1964 may shed some light on her motivations.

For Americans planning to retire on time, longer life expectancies (3) mean retirement savings may need to last for decades longer than planned. This could lead some workers to delay retirement or remain employed longer than previous generations, according to the Center for Retirement Research (4) at Boston College.

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Manzano has not publicly disclosed whether she collects Social Security benefits while continuing to work at SeaWorld. However, her story raises a question many older Americans have: Can you collect Social Security while still earning a paycheck?

The short answer is yes (5).

If you've reached your full retirement age (which is between 66 and 67 for most current retirees, depending on your birth year), you can collect your full Social Security benefit while continuing to work without any reduction in benefits.

The rules are different for people who claim benefits before reaching full retirement age. In 2025, Social Security beneficiaries younger than their full retirement age may have a portion of their benefits temporarily withheld if their earnings exceed certain limits.

Once you reach full retirement age, however, those earnings limits disappear, and you can work as much as you'd like without reducing your Social Security payments. This gives seniors a bit of flexibility to live out their golden years the way they want to.

Manzano's story is unusual, but it highlights an important question: What do you want your retirement to look like? For some, that means continuing to work because they enjoy or need it. For others, it means having enough savings and investments to spend their time relaxing.

Building that flexibility often starts years before retirement through consistent saving, diversification and a long-term investment strategy. Investors looking to diversify their retirement portfolios sometimes turn to alternative assets, which perform differently from traditional stocks and bonds during periods of market volatility. After all, if the markets are down when you need to start pulling from your retirement fund, you could end up in trouble.

If you dream of working into your 90s, or if you plan to step away decades earlier, building a resilient portfolio can give you more choices. One common tool for shockproofing your portfolio is gold.

The thinking goes like this: Historically, gold has been a sure sign of wealth, it can't be printed at will by central banks like fiat currency and has an inherently limited supply. These factors help move it away, at least somewhat, from the ups and downs of the modern market.

A gold IRA from Goldco can help with that optionality, allowing you to hold physical gold and other precious metals within a tax-advantaged retirement account. Gold is often viewed as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty, making it a popular diversification tool among retirement savers.

And with a minimum purchase of $10,000, Goldco offers free shipping and access to a library of retirement resources. Plus, the company will match up to 10% of qualified purchases in free silver.

Most people won't spend 62 years with the same employer. But many would like the same thing Manzano appears to have: the ability to keep working because they want to, not because they have to. If you're curious whether this is the right investment for you, you can download your free gold and silver information guide today.

Of course, protecting your retirement savings is only one part of the equation. Many investors also look for assets that can generate income.

After spending more than six decades at SeaWorld, Manzano seems to have found something many people hope for in retirement: freedom to work on her terms.

For investors seeking that same flexibility, passive income can play an important role.

Rental properties have long been a proven source of steady income for high-net-worth investors. It's one reason real estate accounts for a significant portion of many wealthy families' portfolios. However, the time, effort and costs involved in managing properties keep many investors on the sidelines — not to mention the cost of buying an entire property yourself.

That's where mogul comes in. This real estate investment platform offers fractional ownership in blue-chip rental properties, giving investors access to monthly rental income, potential appreciation and tax benefits without the responsibilities of being a landlord.

Each property undergoes a vetting process that requires a minimum 12% return, even in downside scenarios. Across the board, the platform features an average annual IRR of 18.8%. Their cash-on-cash yields, meanwhile, average between 10% and 12% annually. Offerings often sell out in under three hours, with investments typically ranging between $15,000 and $40,000 per property.

Getting started is quick and easy. You can sign up for an account and then browse available properties. Once you verify your information with their team, you can invest like a mogul in just a few clicks.

While Manzano has found her own way to remain active and engaged well into her 90s, most people will eventually need their portfolios to do the heavy lifting. Especially if you're planning to retire at 67, or even earlier. Relying solely on traditional stock market returns may not be enough to secure your future.

In fact, nearly everything is priced near all-time highs (6) — equities, gold, crypto, you name it.

That's why billionaires have long carved out a slice of their portfolios in an asset class with low correlation to the market and strong rebound potential: post-war and contemporary art.

It may sound surprising, but more than 70,000 investors have followed suit since 2019 — through Masterworks. Now you can own fractional shares of works by Banksy, Basquiat, Picasso and more.

Masterworks has sold 27 artworks so far, yielding net annualized returns like 14.6%, 17.6% and 17.8%.*

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*Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Investing involves risk. See important Regulation A disclosures at Masterworks.com/cd.

While finding the right mix of alternative and traditional assets is key, navigating the path to retirement requires more than just asset allocation — it takes a personalized roadmap that accounts for your unique timeline.

Whether you're looking to replicate Manzano's work-life balance or design a path to a more traditional retirement, expert guidance can help clarify your options.

If you have a portfolio of $250,000 or more, platforms like WiserAdvisor can connect you with vetted professionals who specialize in this kind of planning.

Simply answer a few questions about your savings, retirement goals and overall investment portfolio.

From there, WiserAdvisor reviews its network to match you — for free — with up to three vetted, reputable advisors aligned with your specific needs.

You can then schedule no-obligation consultations with your matches to determine who is the best fit for your long-term goals.

WiserAdvisor is a matching service and does not provide financial advice directly. All matched advisors are third parties, and specific financial results are not guaranteed.

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We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.

10news (1); Council On Aging (2); Centers for Disease Control (3); Center for Retirement Research (4); Social Security Administration (5); Trading Economics (6)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.